Barbell Hip Thrust

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Sit on the floor with your shoulder blades resting against the edge of a stable flat bench.
2. Roll a loaded barbell over your legs until it sits in the crease of your hips, using a thick pad for protection.
3. Place your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart, at a distance where your shins will be vertical at the top of the lift.
4. Grip the bar firmly on both sides to prevent it from shifting during the movement.

How to do it

1. Drive through your heels and extend your hips toward the ceiling while exhaling forcefully.
2. Lift until your torso is parallel to the floor and your knees form a 90-degree angle, keeping your chin tucked toward your chest.
3. Squeeze your glutes hard at the top for a one-second pause to ensure full hip extension.
4. Inhale as you lower the bar under control, stopping just before the plates touch the floor to maintain constant tension.

Form checklist

• Keep your chin tucked and gaze forward throughout the entire movement to protect the lower back.
• Ensure your shins are vertical at the top; if your feet are too far out, you'll feel it in the hamstrings; too close, and you'll feel it in the quads.
• Maintain a posterior pelvic tilt (tuck your tailbone) at the top to avoid arching the lumbar spine.
• Drive the movement entirely through the heels, not the balls of your feet.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'scooping' your pelvis upward rather than just pushing the weight up to maximize glute fiber recruitment.
• Maintain a 'ribs down' position to ensure the core is braced and the movement is coming from the hips, not the spine.

Make it harder

• Place a resistance band just above your knees to increase gluteus medius activation through abduction.
• Perform the movement with a 3-second eccentric (lowering) phase followed by a 2-second isometric hold at the top.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the barbell hip thrust work?

The barbell hip thrust primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the abs and erector spinae as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the barbell hip thrust?

The barbell hip thrust uses barbell.

Is the barbell hip thrust good for beginners?

The barbell hip thrust is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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