The barbell hip thrust exercise primarily targets the glutes and also works the hamstrings and quadriceps. It involves lying on your back on a bench, placing a barbell across your hips, and lifting your hips upward by engaging your glutes.
Also Works
HamstringsQuadriceps
How to Perform
1
Lie flat on your back on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent.
2
Hold the barbell with an overhand grip and position it on your hips.
3
Engaging your glutes, lift your hips off the bench until your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
4
Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your hips back down to the starting position.
5
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tips
•Position the barbell in the crease of your hips (use a bar pad) and drive your hips straight up by squeezing your glutes, not arching your lower back.
•At the top of the movement, your shins should be vertical and your torso parallel to the floor, creating a straight line from shoulders to knees.
•Tuck your chin slightly and look forward (not at the ceiling) to keep a posterior Pelvic Tilt and maximize glute engagement.
Common Mistakes
•Hyperextending the lower back at the top instead of achieving full hip extension through glute contraction.
•Placing the feet too far from or too close to the body; shins should be vertical at the top position.
•Pushing through the toes instead of the heels, which recruits the quads more than the glutes.