Barbell hip thrust: how to do it, with video

The same demo you get in the GymAdapt app for this exercise.

Main musclesGlutes

Also worksHamstrings, quads, core

EquipmentBarbell, bench, bar pad

LevelBeginner

How to do it

Set up against the bench. Sit on the floor with the bottom of your shoulder blades on the edge of a bench, about knee height.

Position the bar. Roll a padded barbell over your legs until it sits in the crease of your hips. Hold it with both hands.

Plant your feet. Feet flat, about hip width apart, close enough that your shins are vertical at the top.

Drive up. Brace, tuck your chin, and push through your heels until your hips are level with your shoulders and knees.

Squeeze and lower. Hold the top for a second with your glutes squeezed and ribs down, then lower until your hips nearly touch the floor.

What it should feel like

A strong squeeze in your glutes at the top. If you feel it mostly in your hamstrings, bring your feet closer; if you feel it in your lower back, keep your ribs down and stop at hip height.

Common mistakes

Arching the lower back at the top. Stop when your hips are level with your knees and shoulders, with your ribs down and chin tucked.
Feet too far away. Your hamstrings take over. Shins should be close to vertical at the top.
Rushing the top. Pause and squeeze for a second on every rep.
No pad. A bar pad or folded mat makes heavy sets bearable and keeps the bar in place.

Variations

Glute bridge

Same movement from the floor: a good start or a home version.

Romanian deadlift

Loads the glutes and hamstrings in a stretched position.

Bulgarian split squat

Single-leg work that hits the glutes and quads.

Sets, reps and programming

Goal	Sets × reps	Effort	Rest
Muscle	3–4 × 8–12	1–3 reps in reserve	90–120 s
Strength	3–5 × 4–8	2–3 reps in reserve	2–3 min
Learning it	2–3 × 10–12, light	Smooth reps, 2–3 s down	60–90 s

Hip thrusts recover quickly, so you can train them two or three times a week. Add 10 lb (5 kg) once you hit 12 reps on every set with a one-second pause at the top. The simplest rule that works: add reps inside the range first, and once every set hits the top of the range, add weight next session. GymAdapt does this for you from the sets you log, and tells you why the target changed.

Questions people ask

What muscles does the hip thrust work?

Mainly the glutes (especially the gluteus maximus), with the hamstrings, quads and core helping.

Is the hip thrust better than squats for glutes?

They work differently: hip thrusts load the glutes hardest at the top, squats in the stretched bottom position. For the most glute growth, use both.

How heavy should hip thrusts be?

Many lifters can hip thrust more than they squat. Start light to learn the position, then add weight while keeping a pause at the top.

Why do I feel hip thrusts in my lower back?

Usually the ribs flare and the lower back arches at the top. Tuck your chin, keep your ribs down and stop at hip height.

FOR READERS OF THIS PAGE

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Every exercise in GymAdapt comes with a demo like this, plus a target that moves.

An AI plan for your goal and equipment, a video for every lift, and next session's weight set from what you logged.

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About this page. General training information, not medical advice. If an exercise causes sharp or lasting pain, stop and get it checked. GymAdapt is our app.

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