DO IT RIGHT
The Barbell Hip Thrust Exercise
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by Peter Ronai, M.S., FACSM, ACSM-CEP ACSM-EP, EIM III, CSCS
EXERCISE TYPE
T
he barbell hip thrust is an isolation exercise for enhanc-
ing strength in the posterior hip (gluteus maximus) and
secondarily the thigh muscles (1–7).
BENEFITS OF THE EXERCISE
The barbell hip thrust is often performed as a means to enhance
lower extremity strength, power, and muscle hypertrophy (1–5).
Because of the horizontal loads encountered and forces generated
during the exercise, it has been used to improve running speed
and athletic performance (1,8). The barbell hip thrust exercise is
considered a safe activity for developing strength throughout
the entire range of hip extension. According to Contreras et al.
(3), muscle tension occurs throughout the exercise and, as op-
posed to other hip strengthening exercises, is maximized at the
point of lockout when the hip joint is in its end range of neutral
or slight hyperextension.
INTRODUCTION
The barbell hip thrust is a basic, uniplanar exercise. Because of
its relative simplicity, it can serve as a safe precursor, substitute,
or supplementary activity to multijoint exercises like squats and
deadlifts with novice clients who might either lack proficiency in
or are unfamiliar with hip hinging and squatting movements.
Figure 1. Barbell hip thrust from setup to completion of the upward phase. Photos courtesy of Peter Ronai.
Volume 25 | Number 2
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The barbell hip thrust exercise is appropriate for athletes and
nonathletes, is relatively easy to teach, can be adapted for most
clients, and is often taught during the intermediate or improve-
ment stages of a strength fitness enhancement program. The
gluteal bridge and the body weight hip thrust are two basic de-
rivatives or variations of the barbell hip thrust exercise and can
be taught to clients earlier during the initial stages of a strength
fitness enhancement program. The barbell hip thrust is meant to
maximize gluteus maximus (and to a lesser degree other hip and
thigh muscles) activation during hip extension (1–5). To ensure safe
and effective performance of the hip thrust exercise, maintaining
alignment of the head, neck, spine, and pelvis and receiving proper
instruction and supervision are essential. Clients should be free of
neck, shoulder, back, hip, and knee pain, and clients with a history
of pain in these locations should consult their health care provider
and receive clearance from them before participating in a strength
enhancement program. Examples of proper performance of the
barbell hip thrust exercise and a number of its variations will be de-
scribed. To ensure maximal comfort and safety during the barbell
hip thrust exercise, foam padding can be placed either across the
waist or around the bar to placing it across the top of the thighs.
This step has been purposely omitted to better visualize the loca-
tion of the bar across the upper thigh (just below the inguinal fold).
The barbell hip thrust exercise from setup to completion is shown
in Figure 1. For a demonstration of the barbell hip thrust exercise
www.acsm-healthfitness.org 33
 DO IT RIGHT

Figure 2. Anterior and posterior view of muscles activated during the barbell hip thrust exercise.
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with a loaded training bar, please refer to digital video content
file 1: http://links.lww.com/FIT/A160.
PRIMARY MUSCLES ACTIVATED
The gluteus maximus, hamstrings, adductor magnus, gluteus
medius, quadriceps, and erector spinae muscles are activated
during the hip thrust exercise (1–7). According to Contreras
et al., keeping the knees flexed at 90° during hip extension (as
in the barbell hip thrust) preshortens the biarticular hamstring
muscles and renders them actively insufficient. In this position,
their reduced ability to contribute to hip extension increases
the contractile requirements of the gluteus maximus muscula-
ture (1,3–5). Figure 2 depicts an anterior and posterior view of
muscles activated during the barbell bench press exercise.
STARTING POSITION OR SETUP
The barbell hip thrust consists of an upward lifting and a lower-
ing phase and is preceded by the setup. While in the long sitting
position with the upper back perpendicular to and positioned
against the edge of a training bench, a loaded barbell is either

Figure 3. Barbell hip thrust performed with an unloaded training bar. Photos courtesy of Peter Ronai.

34 ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal ® March/April 2021

Copyright © 2021 American College of Sports Medicine. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
 Figure 4. Unloaded body weight hip thrust exercise. Photos courtesy of Peter Ronai.
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rolled from the middle of the lower leg or placed across the top
of the thighs near the junction with the inguinal fold (just below
the crease of the groin). In some cases, the loaded bar may be
high enough off the ground for it to be rolled over the thighs.
Spotters can assist clients by placing the barbell on their thighs
if they cannot roll under or lift it themselves. The feet, knees,
and thighs should all be positioned at hip width, and the middle
of the bar should be placed evenly across the upper thighs. At
this point, the knees should be flexed approximately 90° with
the tibia perpendicular with the ground and remain aligned
with the toes throughout the exercise (3,5–7). The upper back
is placed across and against the bench at a level slightly below
the spine of the scapula. As previously mentioned, a padded roll,
rolled towel, or safety pad can be applied before placing the bar
across the top of the thighs (3,5). Hands should be placed at
shoulder width and the bar secured against the thighs with a
pronated grip. To enhance safety and effective learning, clients
unable to maintain neutral alignment of the spine and pelvis
or to limit the motion to extension at the hip joints (not the lum-
bar spine) can be taught variations of the barbell hip thrust exer-
cise to enhance movement competency, control, and muscular
conditioning (3). Two examples of exercises that can enhance

Figure 5. Starting phase and bottom position of the barbell thrust exercise. Photos courtesy of Peter Ronai.

Volume 25 | Number 2 www.acsm-healthfitness.org 35

Copyright © 2021 American College of Sports Medicine. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
 DO IT RIGHT
Figure 6. Upward phase and top position of the barbell hip thrust exercise. Photos courtesy of Peter Ronai.
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clients’ prerequisite movement competence and facilitate mas-
tery of the barbell hip thrust exercise can include unloaded bar-
bell hip thrusts and body weight hip thrusts. Figure 3 depicts the
barbell hip thrust exercise with an unloaded training bar. Figure
4 depicts the body weight hip thrust exercise. Please refer to dig-
ital video content file 2: http://links.lww.com/FIT/A161, for
demonstrations of the barbell hip thrust exercise with an empty
training bar and to digital video content file 3: http://links.lww.
com/FIT/A162, for demonstrations of the body weight hip
thrust exercise.
The barbell hip thrust should typically be coached, but spot-
ting might be necessary during the setup or completion of exer-
cise sets if clients’ thigh thickness or heavy weight loads preclude
their ability to roll the bar up their thighs or remove it safely (3).
Clients should be screened for and free of musculoskeletal inju-
ries before performing this exercise and demonstrate proper
technique and control before increasing either the amount of
weight to be lifted and or the complexity of the exercise.
THE UPWARD PHASE AND TOP POSITION
A deep breath is taken and then expired toward the end of the
upward phase of the barbell hip thrust exercise. While the torso
remains rigid and motionless, the feet press forcefully against the
ground to extend the hips to a point where the knees, hips,
Figure 7. Lowering phase and bottom position of the barbell hip thrust exercise. Photos courtesy of Peter Ronai.
36 ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal ®
Copyright © 2021 American College of Sports Medicine. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
shoulders, and head are parallel with the ground and top of
the bench (1–7). The knees track over the toes. This motion is
accomplished by concentric actions of the gluteus maximus,
quadriceps, hamstrings, adductor magnus, gluteus medius, erector
spinae, hamstrings, and quadriceps (1–6). Initially, a cadence of ap-
proximately 1 second during the upward phase followed by a
1-second pause or isometric hold at the top of the exercise is appro-
priate (3). Proper alignment and technique should be mastered be-
fore loading the bar. Verbal teaching cues include “keep the feet
flat,” “push through the ground with the whole foot,” “keep the
trunk rigid,” “keep the head and neck level with the hips and
back,” “do not arch the back,” “do not slide the back up and down
the bench,” “keep the knees at the same width as the feet and hips,”
and “exhale at the top.” Common errors include raising the heels,
pushing with just the toes, hyperextending (arching) the spine, slid-
ing too far up and down the bench, flexing or extending the head
and neck, and letting the knees move inward (3). Figure 5 depicts
proper position during the starting phase and the bottom position
of the barbell hip thrust exercise, and Figure 6 depicts the upward
phase and top position of the barbell hip thrust exercise.
THE DESCENT/LOWERING OR EXECUTION PHASE
The head, neck, and torso maintain the same alignment as pre-
viously described during the upward phase of the barbell hip
March/April 2021
 Figure 8. Gluteal bridge exercise on a plinth table, a derivative of the barbell hip thrust exercise. Photos courtesy of Peter Ronai.
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thrust exercise. The barbell and hips should return in a con-
trolled manner to the starting position of the upward phase by
flexion of the hips. This is accomplished by eccentric actions of
the gluteus maximus, quadriceps, hamstrings, adductor magnus,
gluteus medius, erector spinae, hamstrings, and quadriceps (3).
A cadence of 1 second is appropriate for novices. Letting the
bar pause with the plates resting on the ground for approxi-
mately 1 second between repetitions has been recommended
for novices (3). Common errors in technique include dropping
the hips too quickly toward the ground, sliding the back too
far up and down the bench, arching the back and not lowering
the hips to the starting position, raising the heels, and letting the
knees move inward toward each other. Verbal teaching cues in-
clude “keep the feet flat,” “keep the trunk rigid,” “bend at the
hips not the spine,” “control the bar on the way down,” “keep
knee width equal to the foot and hip width,” and “let the bar/
weights rest.” Figure 7 depicts the lowering phase and bottom
position of the barbell hip thrust exercise.
Contreras et al. (3) has made recommendations regarding ex-
ercise intensity loading, number of repetitions, sets, recovery,
and progression for beginner, intermediate, and advanced
lifters. He has suggested that beginners master the body weight
hip thrust before adding a barbell and perform 1 to 3 sets of 8
to 12 repetitions with 1 to 2 minutes rest between sets (3). Inter-
mediates who use a weighted barbell should progress gradually
by 20 to 25 pounds to a point where they are lifting loads equal
to their body weight. They should perform 3 to 4 sets of 5 to 8
repetitions with 2 minutes recovery between sets. Advanced cli-
ents may lift loads that are significantly heavier than their own
body weight. They should perform 3 to 5 sets of 1 to 5 repeti-
tions with 2 minutes of recovery between sets (3).
EXERCISE ALTERNATIVES AND MODIFICATIONS
The barbell hip thrust exercise can be performed with resistance
bands across the upper thigh and anchored under dumbbells in-
stead of using a barbell (not shown) (3). A gluteal bridge on a
plinth can help clients improve trunk stability, hip extensor mus-
cle development, and strength and movement competency and
control. Mastery of gluteal bridge and body weight hip thrust
are appropriate movement prerequisites for novices interested
in learning and performing the barbell hip bridge (3). Figure 8 de-
picts the gluteal bridge exercise on a plinth table, a derivative
of the barbell hip thrust exercise (4). Please refer to digital video
Volume 25 | Number 2
Copyright © 2021 American College of Sports Medicine. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
content file 4: http://links.lww.com/FIT/A163, for demonstrations
of the gluteal bridge exercise performed on top of a plinth table.
SUMMARY
The barbell hip thrust exercise and its variations are used to en-
hance lower body strength, power, and sprint speed. It also can
serve as a precursory exercise for clients less familiar with or pro-
ficient at squatting exercises and their derivatives. As with other
exercises discussed in the Do It Right column, its utility as a safe
and effective strength and power development tool is predicated
on sound instruction, effective supervision, and proper execution.
1. Andersen V, Fimland MS, Mo DA, et al. Electromyographic comparison of barbell
deadlift, hex bar deadlift and hip thrust exercises: a cross-over study. J Strength
Cond Res. 2018;32(3):587–93.
2. Contreras B, Vigotsky AD, Schoenfeld BJ, Beardsley C, Cronin J. A comparison of
gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, and vastus lateralis electromyographic activity in
the back squat and barbell hip thrust exercises. J Appl Biomech. 2015;31:452–8.
3. Contreras B, Cronin J, Schoenfeld B. Barbell hip thrust. Strength Cond J. 2011;33:58–61.
4. Delgado J, Drinkwater EJ, Banyard HG, Haff GG, Kazunori N. Comparison between
back squat, Romanian deadlift, and barbell hip thrust for leg and hip muscle
activities during hip extension. J Strength Cond Res. 2019;33:2596–601.
5. Lane C, Mayer J. Posterior chain exercises for prevention and treatment of low back
pain. ACSMs Health Fit J. 2017;21:46–8.
6. Collazo Garcia CL, Rueda J, Suárez Luginick B, Navarro E. Differences in the
electromyographic activity of lower-body muscles in hip thrust variations. J Strength
Cond Res. 2020;34(9):2449–55.
7. Schoenfeld B. Accentuating muscular development through active insufficiency
and passive tension. Strength Cond J. 2002;24:20–2.
8. Contreras B, Vigotsky AD, Schoenfeld BJ, et al. Effects of a six-week hip thrust vs.
front squat resistance training program on performance in adolescent males: a
randomized controlled trial. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31:999–1008.
Peter Ronai, M.S., FACSM, ACSM-CEP,
ACSM-EP, EIM III, CSCS, is a clinical
professor of exercise science in the Depart-
ment of Physical Therapy and Human
Movement Sciences at Sacred Heart Univer-
sity in Fairfield Connecticut. He is a Fellow
of ACSM and an associate editor of the
ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal®.
He is a past-president of the New England
Chapter of ACSM (NEACSM). He writes articles and gives
professional presentations regarding exercise programs to improve
fitness, strength, and physical function in healthy people and those
with chronic diseases and disorders.
www.acsm-healthfitness.org 37