Hip thruts

A common goal my female client has is to improve their glutes. Hip Thrusts gained in popularity in gyms. Some of the benefits include:

• Improving glute strength.
• Increasing glute size.
• Improving the appearance of the glutes.
• Improving performance in sport and the weight room.
• Reducing the overall risk of injury, as strong glutes can help take the stress off the lower back and also positively affect the mechanics of the hips, knees, ankles, and feet.
• Are considered by many to be the best glute development exercise.  
• Allows for maximal loading of the gluteal musculature.

There are many ways to add resistance and make the hip thrust harder.

• Single leg variations
• Dumbbells 
• Kettlebells 
• Bands
• Barbells
  

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How to do a Hip Thrust

• Set up the barbell parallel to the bench.
• Position yourself on the floor, with your shoulders and shoulder blades against the bench. 
• Most people will need a pad around the bar, or on your hips as it can be painful without one.
• Roll the barbell toward you, over your legs until it's over the crease of your hip.  Bring your feet up towards your butt so that when you're at the top of the rep your shins are vertical.
• Put your hands on the bar to hold the bar into position throughout the movement, so the bar does not move forwards or backward.  
• Take a deep breath and brace your core before each rep. Keep your ribs down while performing the rep, this prevents spinal hyperextension.
• Drive through your heels and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips. Don't rise onto your toes. Focus on moving the weight with the glutes and not the lower back or hamstrings. Keep your knees out to increases the activation of the glutes. 
• Finish the rep by contracting your glutes and pushing your hips forward.  At this point your torso should be parallel to the ground, and your spine is neutral . Pause at the top.
• Come down under control, with your core still braced and keeping tension on the glutes.

 If your goal is to build bigger and better-looking glutes, hips thrusts should be a part of your routine. Squats and deadlifts are great exercises but aren't enough to maximise your glutes. Try doing them twice a week. Other good glute exercises to include are frog pumps, reverse hypers, split squats and RDL's.