The hip thrust or hip extension is a very effective exercise to work the glutes and legs. It is done by placing your back against a bench or chair, with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. The hips are then raised until the knees and torso are in a straight line. Hold the position for a few seconds and return to the initial position.
The hip thrust and the squat are two of the most popular exercises for building muscle mass in the thigh and butt. Both are great options for increasing muscle strength and size, but each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
The hip thrust is a very effective exercise to activate and develop the gluteal muscles. It can also help improve strength and balance in the lower extremities. However, the hip thrust can be more difficult to perform correctly and can be more painful on the joints.
Strengthening the buttocks is not just an aesthetic question. Having strong muscles allows us to run faster and improve performance in other sports, but also to have a more correct posture and therefore reduce the risk of injuries and back problems.
The hip thrust exercise is basically a hip lift. The beginner’s version is the glute bridge, which involves lying on the ground with your legs bent, arms at your sides, and lifting your hip straight up using your hamstrings. Your back should form a straight line with your thighs and buttocks.
As your muscles strengthen, you can enhance the exercise using a bench and weights. In this case you need to place the shoulder blade area on a bench, to have a greater range of execution of the exercise.
To further increase the intensity you can place a weight on the abdomen, or use a specific machine for hip thrust exercise .
How to perform the hip thrust
The hip thrust is a hip thrust exercise to strengthen the glutes in which the muscles most involved are the gluteus maximus and the gluteus medius.
To do it correctly you must follow this step by step:
- Place the bench against a wall so it doesn’t move, at least make sure it won’t move.
- Sit in front of the bench with your knees bent so that when you raise your hips, they form a 90-degree angle with your feet hip-width apart.
- Support the lower part of your scapulae on the bench: it is important that you do not support your shoulders or lumbar spine, but rather your scapulae, to perform the exercise safely.
- Place the bar above your hip, approximately at pubic height, below your hip bones.
- Grab the bar with both hands to keep it in place and to prevent it from rolling up.
- Extend your hips so that your body forms a straight line (respecting the natural curvature of the spine) from your shoulder blades to your knees.
- During the movement, tighten your abdomen! And push the ground firmly with your feet.
- Perform 15 reps until you complete 3 sets.
Include the hip thrust exercise in your workout routine to tone your buttocks and see the first results after the first two or three weeks.
