Setup and loading
Bar across your hip crease with a pad. Upper back against the bench at shoulder-blade height.
How to do the barbell hip thrust step by step
- Sit with your upper back against the bench and the bar over your hips.
- Feet hip-width apart, shins vertical at the top.
- Drive through your heels and lift your hips until your knees, hips and shoulders line up.
- Squeeze your glutes for a second and lower under control.
Form cues
- Eyes forward and chin tucked
- Posterior pelvic tilt at the top
- Knees pushing slightly outward
Common mistakes
- Arching your lower back to get higher
- Feet too far away or too close
Sets and reps for your goal
Hypertrophy
3-4 x 8-123-4 sets of 6-12 reps (up to 15-20 on isolation exercises) at 65-80% of your max. Rest 1 to 2 minutes.
Get close to failure (0-3 reps in reserve) and control the lowering for 2-3 seconds. Accumulate 10-20 sets per muscle per week.
Max Strength
4 x 5-63-6 sets of 1-6 reps at 80-90% of your max (1RM). Rest 2 to 5 minutes.
Leave 1-3 reps in reserve. If your technique breaks down, lower the weight: strength is built with good reps.
Speed
4-5 x 3-5 at 40-60% · explosive lift · rest 2 min4-8 reps of 10-40 meters (or 3-6 seconds). Full rest: 1 minute for every 10 meters.
Always at 95-100%. If your time gets more than 3-5% slower or your technique falls apart, stop: running tired trains endurance, not speed.
Power
4-6 x 3 at 40-60% · maximum speed on the way up · rest 2 min3-6 sets of 1-5 reps with light or moderate loads (30-60% of your max on the main lifts), or with a ball or your bodyweight. Rest 2 to 3 minutes.
Every rep at the highest possible speed. As soon as you notice it moving slower (a 10-20% velocity loss), end the set. Train power fresh, never fatigued.
A guide for healthy adults. Adjust the load to your level and see a professional if you have an injury.
Check your form
Film yourself from the side or ask someone to watch, then tick what you get right.
Sports it suits
Gear for this exercise
- Olympic barbell and platesTo keep progressing on the big lifts with heavy loads.
As an Amazon Associate, Muscle Atlas earns from qualifying purchases.
