Barbell Hip Thrust

The barbell hip thrust loads hip extension with the back supported on a bench, which puts the glutes under their heaviest tension at the top of the movement rather than at the bottom. That top-end loading is what separates it from squats and deadlifts, where the glutes are working hardest in the stretched position.

Targets
Gluteus Maximus
Also works
Hamstrings
Equipment
Barbell
Level
Intermediate
Start with
4 × 6-8, 90s rest

How to do it

  1. Sit on the floor with your upper back against the long edge of a bench and the barbell across your hips, padded.
  2. Set your feet flat, about shoulder width, close enough that your shins finish vertical at the top of the rep.
  3. Tuck your chin slightly and keep it tucked — your gaze travels with your hips rather than staying fixed on the ceiling.
  4. Drive through your heels and push your hips up until your torso and thighs form a straight line.
  5. Squeeze the glutes hard at the top for a beat, then lower under control until the bar is just short of the floor.

Form cues

  • Finish the rep with your ribs down, not with your lower back arched — the range should come from the hips.
  • Push the floor away through your heels; pushing through the toes shifts the work to the quads.
  • Aim for a flat torso at the top, not the highest hips you can reach.

Common mistakes

  • Arching the lower back to fake the last few degrees of range. It reads as a bigger rep and loads the spine instead of the glutes; keeping the chin tucked mostly prevents it.
  • Placing the feet too far away, which turns the exercise into a hamstring movement and often causes cramping.
  • Skipping the pause at the top. The top is the only position where the glutes are fully loaded, so rushing through it removes the reason to do the exercise.

Where this fits in a week

Dietly Fit scores one photo a week out of 100, names the area holding the score back, and builds the week around it — so a movement like this gets programmed when your gluteus maximus is what needs the work, not because it was next on a list.

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More hips movements

Demonstration courtesy of Gym Visual. Sets and reps are a starting point, not a prescription. Speak to a qualified professional before starting a new exercise program, particularly if you are managing an injury or a health condition.