Dumbbell Single Leg Hip Thrust

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Sit on the floor with your shoulder blades resting against the edge of a flat bench.
2. Place a dumbbell in the crease of the hip of your working leg, holding it securely with both hands.
3. Plant the foot of the working leg firmly on the ground so your shin will be vertical at the top of the movement.
4. Lift the non-working leg off the floor, keeping the knee bent at a 90-degree angle to act as a counterbalance.

How to do it

1. Drive through the heel of the planted foot to lift your hips toward the ceiling until your torso is parallel to the floor.
2. Exhale as you reach the top of the movement, squeezing the glute of the working leg hard for a full second.
3. Lower your hips back toward the floor in a controlled manner while inhaling, stopping just before your glutes touch the ground.
4. Maintain a controlled tempo, taking 2 seconds to lower the weight and 1-2 seconds to drive it back up.

Form checklist

• Keep your chin tucked toward your chest and your gaze forward throughout the entire set.
• Ensure your working shin remains vertical at the peak of the movement to keep the tension on the glutes.
• Avoid arching your lower back; your ribs should stay down and your core braced.
• Keep your hips level to prevent the non-working side from sagging or rotating.

Pro tips

• Focus on a posterior pelvic tilt at the top of the movement—think of 'scooping' your tailbone under to maximize glute fiber recruitment.
• Push through the mid-foot and heel, not the toes, to ensure the posterior chain is doing the work rather than the quadriceps.

Make it harder

• Add a 3-second isometric hold at the top of every repetition to increase time under tension.
• Perform '1.5 reps' by lifting to the top, lowering halfway, returning to the top, and then lowering all the way down.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the dumbbell single leg hip thrust work?

The dumbbell single leg hip thrust primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the abs and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the dumbbell single leg hip thrust?

The dumbbell single leg hip thrust uses dumbbell.

Is the dumbbell single leg hip thrust good for beginners?

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

Related exercises

• Alternating Hamstring Curl JackIntermediate · abs, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• Band DeadliftBeginner · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell Banded Hip ThrustIntermediate · glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• Barbell Clean And JerkAdvanced · deltoids, erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius