Elevated Single Leg Hip Thrust

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Sit on the floor with your shoulder blades resting against the edge of a flat bench or stable step.
2. Place your working foot flat on the floor with the knee bent at approximately 90 degrees.
3. Lift the non-working leg off the ground, bending the knee toward your chest or extending it straight out.
4. Tuck your chin slightly and rest your arms out to the sides on the bench for balance.

How to do it

1. Exhale and drive through the heel of the working foot to lift your hips until they are in a straight line with your shoulders and knee.
2. Squeeze the glute of the working leg forcefully at the top of the movement for a one-second pause.
3. Inhale as you slowly lower your hips back toward the floor under control, stopping just before your glutes touch the ground.
4. Maintain a controlled tempo, taking two seconds to lower and one second to drive upward.

Form checklist

• Keep your chin tucked toward your chest throughout the entire set to maintain a neutral spine.
• Ensure your ribs stay pulled down toward your pelvis to prevent lower back arching.
• Drive specifically through the heel of the working foot, not the toes.
• Keep the knee of the working leg tracking directly over the middle of the foot.

Pro tips

• Focus on a posterior pelvic tilt at the top of the movement, 'scooping' your hips upward to maximize glute fiber recruitment.
• Keep the non-working hip level with the working hip to ensure your core is properly stabilizing the pelvis.

Make it harder

• Place the working foot on an additional elevated step or block to further increase the range of motion.
• Add a three-second isometric hold at the peak of each repetition to increase time under tension.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the elevated single leg hip thrust work?

The elevated single leg hip thrust primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the erector spinae as secondary muscles.

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

The elevated single leg hip thrust uses dumbbell.

Is the elevated single leg hip thrust good for beginners?

The elevated 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