Hinge

Hip thrust

The most effective glute exercise. It loads them hardest exactly where they are strongest — at full hip extension.

Equipment
Barbell, Machine
Level
Beginner
Primary muscles
Gluteus maximus
Secondary muscles
Hamstrings, Quadriceps
Working range
8–15 reps · RIR 2

Step by step

Movement diagram: Hip thrust
A movement diagram, not a photograph. It shows the sequence of joint angles and the path of the load — body proportions are schematic. If you have reduced motion enabled, you will see both positions side by side.
  1. 1Rest your shoulder blades on a bench — its top edge should sit just below them.
  2. 2Place the bar across your hips, always with a pad. Without one the exercise is simply painful.
  3. 3Feet hip-width and far enough forward that your shins are vertical at the top.
  4. 4Tuck your ribs down, posteriorly tilt your pelvis and drive your hips up by squeezing the glutes.
  5. 5Pause for a second at the top. Torso and thighs form one line — no hyperextension of the back.
  6. 6Lower under control without resting on the floor between reps.

What makes the biggest difference

Common mistakes

Hyperextending the lower back at the top

That shifts work to the back, not the glutes. Tuck the ribs and tilt the pelvis — smaller range, bigger stimulus.

Feet too close to the bench

The quads take over. Move your feet out until your shins are vertical at the top.

Pushing through the toes

Drive through your heels. You can even lift your toes to feel it.

What to do instead

No bench or barbell

Floor glute bridge

Same movement in a shorter range. Load it with a dumbbell or band, or go single-leg.

The bar hurts even with a pad

Hip thrust machine

Pressure spreads over a larger area and there is no bar to wrestle into position.

Contraindications

  • A recent injury around the pubic symphysis or hips — check before loading it.
  • Advanced pregnancy — a loaded supine position needs medical clearance.

This is not medical advice. If any of these apply to you, or the exercise causes pain, talk to a doctor or physiotherapist before returning to training.

Similar exercises

DeadliftRomanian deadlift

Log your sets and watch the progression

You enter weight, reps and RIR — the app computes your estimated 1RM, plots the strength curve and suggests the next session’s load along with the reasoning.

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