Hip Thrust

What is Hip Thrust:

The Hip Thrust is a hip extension exercise, primarily working the glutes. This exercise involves resting the upper back on a bench and thrusting the hips upward, typically with weights like a barbell. The hip thrust is known for its ability to build strong and well-defined glutes.

Key Benefits:

  • Size and Strength: Works primarily the glutes, improving muscle size and strength.
  • Hip Mobility: The gluteal muscles are directly involved in hip mobility, with other hip muscles involved in the movement to a lesser degree, improving overall hip mobility.
  • Lower Back Support: Strengthening the glutes and overall hip mobility contributes to improving lower back strength and reducing the risks of back pain.
  • Functional Strength: Improves hip extension strength and overall fitness, improving performance in daily activities and sports.
  • Versatile and Scalable: This can be performed with or without added resistance, making it adaptable for all fitness levels.

Variations:

  • Standing Glute Kickback: A glute exercise performed standing and lifting one leg to extend the hip and contract the glutes.
  • Glute Kickback: A glute exercise performed on all fours, lifting one leg to extend the hip and contract the glutes.
  • Glute Bridge: A glute exercise performed by lying on your back with bent legs for support.
  • Barbell Hip Thrust: Performed with a barbell across the hips for added resistance, increasing the challenge and effectiveness.
  • Smith Machine Hip Thrust: Utilizes a Smith machine for added stability and control, allowing for safer execution with heavier weights.
  • Single-Leg Hip Thrust: A unilateral variation that increases the difficulty by isolating one leg at a time, enhancing glute and core stability.
  • Banded Hip Thrust: Adding a resistance band around the thighs increases the activation of the glute medius, improving overall glute development.

How to perform Hip Thrusts:

  • Starting Position: Sit on the floor with your upper back resting against a bench. Place your feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart or a bit wider, and with around 130 degrees of knee flexion or knees bent close enough to your hips.
  • Execution: Drive through your heels to lift your hips toward the ceiling, fully extending your hips and squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement. Hold this position briefly, then return to the starting position.
  • Repetition: Repeat the movement for your desired number of repetitions.

Breathing Technique:

Proper breathing is crucial for maximizing performance and maintaining stamina throughout the exercise. Experiment with what you're comfortable with and let you perform your best. For starters, you can try the following:

  • Inhale: Inhale at the starting position.
  • Exhale: Exhale at the end position.
  • Range of Motion: You can cut off a bit of the range of motion by stopping just a bit before your butt touches the ground— that degree of hip flexion is unnecessary.
  • Upperback Placement for Stability: Ensure that your shoulders and feet are stable while your hips rise. You can also do it by resting your upper back (around the middle traps) on the bench for more stability, especially when you're planning to do it weighted later on.
  • Feet Placement: Experiment with your feet's placement and stick with where you feel best doing the movement as long as the end of the concentric phase is ideal, generally around 130 degrees of knee flexion, allowing the hips to extend without interference from the hamstrings.
  • Pelvic Position: Maintain a slight posterior pelvic tilt to engage the glutes efficiently.
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    Additional Information:

    Ways to make it easier:

    • Focusing only on the Concentric or Eccentric phase
    • Decreasing the Range of Motion - partial reps, only go as far as you can handle
    • Regressing to an easier variation/exercise

    Ways to make it harder:

    • Playing with the Tempo & adding an Isometric phase (pause/hold)
    • Doing it on a single leg
    • Adding resistance - placing a dumbbell/barbell or something across your hips
    • Progressing to a harder variation/exercise