Hip thrust
Primary muscles: Glutes. Assisting muscles: Calves, Hamstrings.
How to do it
- Sit on the floor with your shoulder blades against the edge of a bench and the bar over your hips (use a padded roll).
- Bend your knees, feet flat on the floor shoulder-width apart — the starting position.
- Drive through your heels and lift your hips toward the ceiling, exhaling.
- At the top, squeeze your glutes for a second, with your body in a straight line from knees to shoulders.
- Lower under control, inhaling, back to the starting position.
Key to the execution: Drive through your heels and squeeze your glutes at the top, without arching your back.
Common mistakes
- Arching your lower back instead of driving with your glutes.
- Not lifting your hips high enough to reach a straight line.
- Placing the bar directly on the bone, with no padding, and pushing through the pain.
Alternatives: exercises for the same muscles
Log your sets and see your progress
In the PlanSports app you pick the exercise, log weight and reps, and each exercise page shows your best weight and progression. The AI coach puts the exercises into a 4-week program.
Legs exercises › Training programs by sport ›The exercise pages are compiled by PlanSports; if you have an injury or pain, talk to your coach or doctor first.