Hip Thrusts - Do you REALLY need them?

Nov 05, 2024

Should you do hip thrusts? How about glute bridges? Is one better than the other?

The answers to these questions all depend on YOUR goals. What are you trying to accomplish in your movement and fitness practice?

If you want to build bigger glutes then hip thrusts are one of the best exercises out there to accomplish this.

On the other hand, if you’re more interested in mobility or simply moving better then hip thrusts might not be worth your time and energy.

What are hip thrusts?

A hip thrust is an exercise that builds strength in hip extension, which is a weak movement pattern for many people.

Glute bridge vs hip thrust

The difference between a glute bridge and a hip thrust is the set up and range of motion. In both positions, you're extending your hips but in the hip thrust, you're going lower on the eccentric, or the descent.

Glute bridges are performed off of the ground so the lowering or eccentric phase ends once you come back to the ground. Hip thrusts on the other hand are done with your back on a bench so you go lower in the eccentric phase.

Muscles worked in the Hip Thrust

The main muscles worked in the hip thrusts are the glutes. If you want bigger, stronger and more resilient glutes, there probably isn’t a better exercise out there.

How to do Hip Thrusts

To nail down the proper technique for the hip thrust, I will demonstrate a bodyweight variation first. You likely don’t need to spend too much time with this unloaded version so once you get the general form down, I would start loading the movement.

The exercise is not that complex but there are some general cues to be aware of. The first is the universal principle of keeping good posture during exercise.