How to do a Single Leg Hip Thrust
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Single Leg Hip Thrust
Workouts with Single Leg Hip Thrust
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
Single Leg Hip Thrust is a variation on the more standard Hip Thrust. Like other Hip Thrusts, this compound exercise primarily targets the glutes and hamstrings. By performing the exercise one leg at a time, you add more instability to the movement, which can help improve muscle activation and address strength discrepancies between sides. This variation provides a greater focus on single-leg strength and balance.
- Lie flat on your back with both knees bent and feet firmly on the ground while extending your arms next to your torso, palms down.
- Brace your core by breathing into your stomach and flexing the abdominal muscles while also rotating your pelvis slightly upward.
- Keeping your arms by your side, raise one foot off the ground, and extend your leg.
- Extend your hips by pushing your right heel into the ground and simultaneously flexing your right glute until your hips are fully extended making a straight alignment from your knees to your shoulders.
- Descend back to the starting position and repeat with the opposite side.
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Single Leg Hip Thrust is also known as:
- One Leg Hip Thrust
- Single Leg Glute Thrust
Sets & Reps Calculator
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Alternative Exercises to Single Leg Hip Thrust
1. Barbell Hip Thrust
95.2 mSCORESWAPPED 6,100 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. Glute Kickback Machine
94.6 mSCORESWAPPED 5,516 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
3. Hip Thrust
97 mSCORESWAPPED 5,464 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
4. Dumbbell Hip Thrust
88.1 mSCORESWAPPED 4,843 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.
5. Cable Hip Extension
89.9 mSCORESWAPPED 4,443 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