How to do Balance Trainer Single Leg Hip Thrusters
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Balance Trainer Single Leg Hip Thrusters
Workouts with Balance Trainer Single Leg Hip Thrusters
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
Balance Trainer Single Leg Hip Thruster is a variation on the more common Hip Thrust. Like the Hip Thrust, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your hamstrings and glutes. By performing this exercise with your foot planted on a Balance Trainer, you add significantly more instability to the movement. By performing this exercise with a single leg at a time, you add even more instability, as well as make it easier to identify and address any discrepancies in strength or mobility between sides.
- Lie face up on the floor with knees bent and feet on the Balance Trainer dome.
- Lift one leg and extend the knee, with sole of foot facing the ceiling.
- Drive the hips up into a bridge position, pausing at the top of the movement.
- Slowly lower the hips back to the floor.
- Perform the desired number of reps on one side, then repeat with the other leg.
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Over Extending
Don’t drive your hips as far as you can. This can increase your risk of injury, and doesn’t benefit the exercise itself. Drive your hips forward to a point where you feel good activation in your glutes, and hold that position.
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Alternative Exercises to Balance Trainer Single Leg Hip Thrusters
1. Barbell Hip Thrust
95.2 mSCORESWAPPED 83 TIMESBarbell Hip Thrust is a more challenging, weighted variation of the Hip Thrust. Beyond the added resistance from using a barbell, you’ll also place your shoulder blades on a flat bend in or to raise yourself off the ground. This is a great variation for anyone looking to make their Hip Thrusts more challenging.
2. Hip Thrust
97 mSCORESWAPPED 66 TIMESHip Thrust is a compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily targets your glutes. This is a great beginner exercise that can help you learn and develop your glute drive, which is helpful for a number of different exercises and general movements. It’s a simple and easy to perform exercise that can help you develop strength.
- Beginner
- Glutes
3. Dumbbell Hip Thrust
88.1 mSCORESWAPPED 56 TIMESThis exercise is a weighted variation on the more standard Hit Thrust. By holding a dumbbell against your hips, you can add a bit more resistance to this usually bodyweight exercise. This is a great variation for adding a bit more difficulty to your Hip Thrusts.
4. Glute Kickback Machine
94.6 mSCORESWAPPED 54 TIMESGlute Kickback Machine is a variation on the more standard Single Leg Kickback. Unlike the standard variation, this exercise uses a machine to add resistance to the movement rather than just bodyweight. This gives you a bit more control over your resistance, and can be more easily scaled to your current capabilities. Additionally, the use of a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds stability to the movement. This lets you focus more on exertion than stabilizing the movement.
- Beginner
- Glutes
- Glute Kickback Machine
5. Elevated Hip Bridge
84.8 mSCORESWAPPED 54 TIMESThis exercise is a variation on the more standard Hit Thrust. Like Hip Thrust, this is a compound, bodyweight movement that primarily targets the glutes. By elevating your feet on a bench, or other surface, you can increase your range of motion, which can lead to better muscle activation. This is a great variation for anyone looking to make their Hip Thrusts a bit more challenging.
- Beginner
- Glutes
- Flat Bench
6. Cable Hip Extension
89.9 mSCORESWAPPED 49 TIMESCable Hip Extension is an exercise that involves strapping your leg to a cable machine, and then extending your leg out behind you. The use of a cable allows you to have precise control over the direction your resistance is coming from. This lets you perform this exercise from a standing position unlike many other similar exercises that require you to lay on the ground.
- Beginner
- Glutes
- Hi-Lo Pulley Cable