The hip thrust exercise, also known as the hip thruster, is a glute bridge variation that is done with a barbell and with the body pushed off the floor. Compared to other lower-body exercises, it more effectively targets the gluteal muscles.
Your hips expand the hip thruster works the gluteal and hamstring muscles to increase hip extension. When you move from a flexed position (where your hips are lower than or behind your shoulders and knees) to a fully extended position (where your hips, shoulders, and knees are in line). Certain hip thruster versions also work the abductors, which are the muscles that wrap around the sides of the hips.
Muscles Worked by Hip Thrust Exercise:
Glutes:
Strong and developed glutes are a powerhouse for athletic abilities, healthy hip function, and a well-balanced physique. The glutes are primarily responsible for the basic movement of hip extension, which involves pulling your legs backward to meet up with your upper body. The hip thrust directly trains this pattern.
Core:
Your lower back and abs play a minor but crucial part in maintaining overall stability throughout each repetition. To transfer force from your feet to your trunk while keeping your shoulder blades pressed to the bench, it is crucial that your core be rigid, strong, and constantly engaged. You won’t be able to attain lockout and your target muscles won’t get the proper amount of exercise without an active core.
Hamstrings:
When done correctly, your glutes should be the primary movers and the first muscle to fatigue. Your hamstrings, on the other hand, play an important role as secondary movers. The movement from the bottom of the repetition into the press toward lockout puts a lot of strain on your hamstrings.
Benefits of Hip Thrust Exercise:
Improves Core and Glutes Strength:
The hip thrust is a great exercise for developing core stability, which is important for many sports. For performance and injury prevention, it’s crucial to have core strength and stability. The glutes (butt), hamstrings, adductors (inside thighs), quadriceps (front of legs), and erector spinae muscles that promote appropriate posture by keeping the spine aligned with the pelvis in a neutral position are the muscles that are targeted by the hip thrust.
“Unlike many other workouts, hip thrusts can increase the size and strength of your glutes. From athletes to senior citizens, they help a wide range of individuals. Powerful glutes also increase athletic abilities such as leaping, running, and changing directions. Strong glutes are essential for optimal mobility in general“
Develops Posterior Chain:
The hip thrust is an excellent exercise for strengthening the posterior chain. The muscles that extend from the lower back to the foot make up the posterior chain. It is essential for standing and walking, as well as running, jumping, and throwing.
When you’re moving around in daily life or participating in sports, a strong posterior chain can assist prevent injuries by giving your hips, back, and legs stability. Also, if you strengthen this area, you’ll have better posture and more strength for workouts like deadlifts and squats.
Joint-Friendly Exercise:
The hip thrust allows a lifter to transfer relatively big loads with minimum spinal compression. In contrast to squats and deadlifts, which exert vertical stresses on the spinal column, the force angle in this exercise is horizontal in nature.
This makes the hip thrust a realistic alternative for anyone who has a history of back or shoulder issues that would otherwise prevent them from supporting a front-loaded, lower back-stressing deadlift.
It is an Adaptable Exercise:
Hip thrusts are a popular workout that may be done anywhere, at any time. Although hip thrusts were first performed in the gym, you may also perform them at home, on the beach, or even in a hotel room. Just change the weight in this case. Sandbags, dumbbells, weight plates, kettlebells, and dumbbells are all great alternatives to the barbell.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Performing Hip Thrust Exercise:
Incomplete Range of Motion:
Your glutes will not be fully activated if you stop short of the thighs parallel. Make sure your legs are bent at a 90-degree angle to correct this.
Wrong Foot Placement:
You’ll feel the hip thrust more in your hamstrings if your feet are too far forward. More quad engagement will occur if they are too close to your body. You’ll need to locate the “just right” foot placement to feel the hip thrust mostly in the glutes.
Arching Your Back:
You won’t be able to fully extend your hips to activate your glutes if your ribs are up and your lower back is arched or hyperextended, at the start of the movement. To attain full hip extension, make sure your ribs are down and your lower back is neutral.
Different Variations of Hip Thrust Exercise:
Bodyweight Hip Thrust:
- With your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground, position yourself so that your back is against an elevated object (like a bench or a box).
- Your feet should be around shoulder-width apart, and the bench should rest just below your shoulder blades.
- Push through your heels while keeping your chin tucked until your thighs parallel the floor; your legs should form a 90-degree angle.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top, then return to the starting position.
Dumbbell Hip Thrust:
- Put your glutes on the floor and your back on an exercise ball or bench.
- Put a dumbbell across the hips horizontally. You can also lay small dumbbells one weight on each hip.
- Squeeze the glutes and press the dumbbell straight up until the hips are aligned with the shoulders and knees.
- Squeeze at the top before lowering down to repeat.
Hip Thrust with Resistance Band:
- Wrap the band around both of your legs at the lower thigh (slightly above the knee).
- Make sure the band is thin enough so that it is taut and provides some resistance when the feet are hip-distance apart. Moreover, the band needs to be wide enough to avoid cutting into your legs.
- Raise and drop the hips as shown in the essential hip thruster exercise. The gluteus muscles on the side of the hip will become more engaged, including the gluteus minimus, gluteus medius, and tensor fascia lata.
Barbell Hip Thrust:
- Place your back against the bench and sit down on the floor. Slide the barbell across your hips until it rests in the crease of your hips.
- Lift your hips off the floor while keeping your upper back in contact with the bench. Your upper arms should be resting against the bench. Engage your lats by rotating your shoulders outward.
- Squeeze your glutes and plant your feet firmly to start the upward movement.
- To attain full hip extension, keep tightening your glutes as you raise your hips toward the ceiling. Your pelvis should be somewhat tucked at the top and your core should be engaged to keep your ribs down. Your shins ought to be straight.
- At the top, pause for 2 to 3 seconds.
- Return to the starting position by hinging from your hips to begin the downward action.
To Sum Up:
The glutes and hamstrings are two of the most complicated muscles in the body. They carry out a variety of actions and are the biggest muscles in the body. When the glutes tighten, they lengthen at the hip, flex at the knee, and medially rotate the thigh. The hamstring muscles stretch at the hip as well, but they also flex the knee as part of their front-to-back motion.
Hip thrusts, when done correctly, are one of the best exercises for building glute strength and size. It is simple to do and may be done anywhere.
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