You’ve probably seen someone at the gym looking a bit ridiculous, wedged under a loaded barbell with their shoulder blades dug into a bench. It looks awkward. Maybe even a little bit suggestive. But honestly? If you want to build actual posterior chain strength—not just for aesthetics, but for explosive power—you need to learn how to do hip thrusts.
Bret Contreras didn't just stumble onto this. He basically popularized the movement after realizing that while squats are great, they don't actually peak glute activation in the same way. When you’re at the top of a squat, the tension is mostly gone. At the top of a hip thrust? That's where the glutes are screaming.
It’s about mechanical tension. Simple as that.
The Setup: Don't Just Wing It
Most people fail before they even lift the bar. They grab a random bench, a random bar, and just go for it. Big mistake. If the bench is too high, you’re going to pivot from the wrong spot. You want a bench that’s about 16 inches high. If you’re shorter, you might need to stack some bumper plates to rest your feet on or find a lower platform.
The bench should hit right below your scapula (shoulder blades). Not your lower back. Never your lower back.
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Line yourself up. Your feet should be positioned so that when you’re at the top of the movement, your shins are completely vertical. If your feet are too far out, you’ll feel it in your hamstrings. Too close to your butt? Your quads will take over. It’s a game of inches. You’ll know you’ve hit the sweet spot when your glutes feel like they’re being squeezed in a vise at the top of the rep.
How to Do Hip Thrusts Without Wrecking Your Spine
Let’s talk about the "scoop." This is the part everyone messes up.
Most beginners try to arch their back to get the weight up. Don't do that. You want a posterior pelvic tilt. Think about tucking your tailbone between your legs. Your spine should stay relatively neutral, but your ribcage needs to stay down. If your ribs flare out, you’re just putting all that load onto your lumbar spine, and that is a fast track to a physical therapy appointment you don't want to pay for.
Keep your chin tucked. Seriously. Look forward, not at the ceiling. By keeping your gaze forward, you naturally help your body maintain that posterior tilt. It feels weird to stare at the wall in front of you while your hips are moving up and down, but it's the only way to keep your lower back safe.
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The Equipment Struggle is Real
If you're using a barbell, you need a pad. I'm not talking about one of those flimsy foam things people use for squats. You need a thick, high-density squat sponge. Without it, 135 pounds—let alone 315—is going to bruise your hip bones and make the exercise unbearable.
Some people prefer using a Smith machine. It’s actually a solid choice for beginners because it eliminates the stability requirement. You can just focus on the squeeze. But for the purists, the free-weight barbell is the gold standard because it forces those stabilizer muscles to wake up.
Common Blunders (And How to Fix Them)
- Half-repping: If you aren't reaching full hip extension, you aren't doing the work. You need to get those hips high enough that your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
- The "Heel Lift": If your toes are coming off the ground, fine. If your heels are coming off the ground? Stop. Drive through your heels. That is where the power comes from.
- Speeding: This isn't a race. The concentric (the way up) can be explosive, but you need to hold that pause at the top. One second. Two seconds. Feel the burn. Then lower it under control.
Research, specifically a 2015 study published in the Journal of Applied Biomechanics, compared the back squat and the hip thrust. The findings were pretty clear: the hip thrust elicited significantly greater upper gluteus maximus and lockout gluteus maximus activity. That doesn't mean you stop squatting. It means you stop treating hip thrusts as an "extra" and start treating them as a primary lift.
Why Your Progress Has Stalled
If you’ve been doing these for a while and nothing is happening, you’re probably not applying progressive overload correctly. You can’t just stay at the same weight forever. But you also shouldn't just add weight if your form is breaking down.
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Try varying the tempo. Use "1-1-3" reps—one second up, one-second squeeze, three seconds down. Or try "KAS Glute Bridges," which are a variation of the hip thrust with a smaller range of motion that keeps the glutes under constant tension. Developed by coach Kassem Hanson, this variation removes the "rest" at the bottom of the rep. It's brutal.
Real World Application
Let's look at athletes. Sprinters use hip thrusts because horizontal force production is vital for acceleration. In a squat, the force is vertical. In a hip thrust, the force is anteroposterior (front to back). This mimics the mechanics of running. Even if you aren't trying to win a gold medal, having a stronger "hinge" makes you more resilient in everyday life. It protects your knees. It supports your lower back during long days of sitting.
Honestly, the hardest part for most people is just getting over the embarrassment of the movement. Once you see the strength gains, you won't care.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Next Leg Day
- Find your height: Measure your bench. If it’s over 16 inches, find a way to lower yourself or raise your feet.
- Test your foot placement: Do a set with just your body weight. Move your feet around until you feel zero hamstring pull and 100% glute engagement.
- Check your gaze: If you find yourself looking at the ceiling, consciously tuck your chin to your chest.
- Load progressively: Start with a weight you can pause at the top for 2 full seconds. If you can't hold the pause, the weight is too heavy.
- Record a set: Film yourself from the side. Your shins should be vertical at the top. If they're slanted, adjust your feet before the next set.
Building a stronger posterior chain takes time, but focusing on the mechanics of the hip thrust is the most efficient path there. Stop worrying about how it looks and start focusing on how it feels at the top of the rep. That squeeze is everything.