All exercisesStrength·Glutes 
Barbell Hip Thrust
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At a glance
- Equipment
- Barbell + bench
- Suggested reps
- 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps
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Common mistakes
You overarch the lower back at the top instead of finishing flat with a posterior tilt.
You place the feet too far out, which shifts the work to the hamstrings, or too close, which shifts it to the quads.
You drive through the toes rather than the heels.
You let the hips crash down between reps instead of lowering under control.
What to focus on
Tuck the chin and keep the ribs down so the movement is pure hip extension, not back arching.
Set the feet so the shins are vertical at the top of the rep.
Pause and squeeze the glutes hard for a full beat at lockout before descending.
Related strength moves
Sources & further reading
- 1.The barbell hip thrust produced far greater gluteus maximus activation than the back squat at matched relative loads — J. Applied Biomechanics (2015), Contreras et al.