Hip Thrust

Also known as: Barbell Hip Thrust · Glute Bridge (floor variation)

The most direct glute loading available, hitting peak tension exactly where the glutes are strongest.

Primary: Gluteus maximus
Secondary: Hamstrings, Quadriceps
Equipment: Barbell
Type: Compound
Level: Beginner

How to do it

Set up

Sit on the floor with your upper back against a bench, just below the shoulder blades.
Roll a loaded barbell over your hips, with a pad.
Feet flat, shoulder-width, positioned so your shins are vertical at the top.
Tuck your chin and keep your ribs down.

Perform the rep

Drive through your heels and extend your hips until your torso is parallel with the floor.
Squeeze the glutes hard at the top for a beat.
Keep your chin tucked and your ribs down: do not arch your lower back to gain height.
Lower under control without resting the bar on the floor.

Common mistakes

Hyperextending the lower back

The most common error. If your ribs flare and your back arches at the top, your lumbar spine is doing what your glutes should. Posterior pelvic tilt at lockout, ribs down.
Feet too close or too far

Shins should be vertical at the top. Too close and the quads take over; too far and the hamstrings do.
Bench too high or too low

The bench edge should sit just below your shoulder blades so you can pivot around it cleanly.

How to programme it

3–4sets

8–15reps

2 minrest

You can load these heavily. A 2-second squeeze at the top is worth more than adding another plate.

Variations

Single-leg hip thrust: unilateral, no barbell needed
Glute bridge: floor-based, shorter range, easy entry
B-stance hip thrust: most of the unilateral benefit with more stability

Frequently asked questions

Do hip thrusts build glutes better than squats?

They load the glutes more directly and place peak tension at full hip extension, where squats provide almost none. Squats load the glutes hardest in the stretched position. They complement each other rather than compete.

Why does my lower back hurt on hip thrusts?

Almost always hyperextending at the top. Tuck your chin, keep your ribs pulled down, and finish the movement with a posterior pelvic tilt rather than a lumbar arch.