How to do a Hip Thrust
Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Hip Thrust
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
Hip 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.
- Lie flat on your back with your feet firmly on the ground and hip-width apart.
- Place your arms to your side with your palms on the ground.
- Slightly tilt your hips upward while placing tension in the abdomen to keep the back flush with the floor.
- Begin extending your hips by flexing your glutes until your hips are fully extended or there is a straight alignment from your knees to your shoulders.
- Control the movement as you descend your hips back to the ground.
Common Form Mistakes
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.
Sets & Reps Calculator
Average Hip Thrust standards by male, female, gender, weight, age and height
Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.
- beginner3sets16reps1 Set Max19reps
- intermediate4sets16reps20reps
- advanced4sets17reps21reps
Enter your stats to calculate your Sets & Reps
Alternative Exercises to Hip Thrust
1. Barbell Hip Thrust
95.2 mSCORESWAPPED 14,844 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. Dumbbell Hip Thrust
88.1 mSCORESWAPPED 9,576 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.
3. Glute Kickback Machine
94.6 mSCORESWAPPED 9,472 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
4. Cable Hip Extension
89.9 mSCORESWAPPED 7,016 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
5. Cable Pull Through
89.6 mSCORESWAPPED 5,589 TIMESCable Pull Through is a compound exercise that primarily targets your glutes. This exercise is similar to a kettlebell swing, although it can be performed much slower. The use of a cable allows for consistent tension throughout the movement while still developing your glute drive and hip hinge. This is a great exercise for anyone looking to build muscle mass and strength in their glutes, especially with regards to a hip hinge.
- Beginner
- Glutes
- Hi-Lo Pulley Cable
6. Dumbbell Glute Bridge
69.3 mSCORESWAPPED 4,907 TIMESThis exercise is a weighted variation of the more common Glute Bridge. Like other Glute Bridge variations, this exercise primarily targets your glutes. By placing a dumbbell against your hips, you can add a bit more resistance to this exercise. This is a great variation for anyone looking to make their Glute Bridge a bit more challenging.
7. Single Leg Kickback
86.2 mSCORESWAPPED 4,154 TIMESSingle Leg Kickback is a compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily targets your glutes. The exercise requires you to engage your glutes, and kick your leg back and up with your knees bent. Targeting each side independently is a great way to identify discrepancies in mobility and strength between sides.
- Beginner
- Glutes
8. Smith Machine Glute Bridge
61.1 mSCORESWAPPED 3,114 TIMESThis exercise is a weighted variation on the more standard Hip Thrust. Like other Hip Thrusts, this is a compound movement that primarily targets your glutes. The use of a Smith Machine allows you to add more resistance to this exercise than just your bodyweight. In addition, the Smith Machine will restrict your range of motion, and stabilize the movement. This allows you to focus more of your attention on exertion rather than stabilizing the movement.
- Intermediate
- Glutes
- Smith Machine
- Flat Bench
9. Kettlebell Swing American
83 mSCORESWAPPED 3,103 TIMESThis exercise is a variation on the more common Kettlebell Swing. Like the more standard version, this is a compound, explosive movement that primarily targets the glutes. By swinging the kettlebell overhead, this exercise can better translate to some more advanced exercises like Snatches. This is a great exercise for developing power.
- Intermediate
- Glutes
- Kettlebells
10. Step Up
60.5 mSCORESWAPPED 2,439 TIMESStep Ups are a compound, bodyweight exercise that target your glutes, quads, and hamstrings. This exercise can be a bit more forgiving than other similar exercises, by allowing you to remain in a standing position, while still engaging the muscles in your leg. By targeting each side individually, you can ensure that you aren’t compensating for any strength discrepancies between sides.
- Beginner
- Glutes
- Box