If you’re looking to grow your glutes, or increase your compound movement strength then you need to try these hip thrust variations!
Personally, I love the hip thrust movement because not only is it amazing for growing those glutes, but it’s low-impact as well.
You may already be familiar with hip thrusts, but I thought I would share 7 of my favorite variations you can try. Make sure to include them in your workout routine to maximize glute growth and keep things fun!
Let’s dive in!
1. Barbell Supine Bridge AKA Barbell Glute Bridge
- Start by laying on the floor, underneath the barbell.
- Tuck your shoulder blades under your body and tense up your core.
- Bend your knees and bring your feet as close to your bum as you can. From there, lift your hips towards the sky by pushing up through your glutes.
- Make sure to keep your spine neutral and hinge from the hips for best form and glute activation!
2. Elevated Hip Thrust
- The form for an elevated hip thrust is very similar to the supine bridge. The main difference is that your shoulder blades are now resting on a bench instead of the floor. This increases your range of motion and makes it more difficult!
- You can do this movement using either a dumbbell, a barbell placed over your hips, or your own bodyweight!
- Set your body up on the bench with shoulder blades as your contact point.
- Roll the barbell over your legs until it is above your hips.
- Set your feet so that when you are at the top of your hip thrust, your knees create a nice 90 degree angle.
- Hinging through the hips, maintaining a braced core and neutral spine, bring the weight up until your hips come into full extension (tabletop position).
3. Reverse Hip Thrust
- This one may seem intimidating but it’s a lot of fun to try! Start off by setting up a bench directly under the bar of the smith machine.
- Lay down on the bench face down, with your knees bent and feet towards the sky.
- Adjust your body so that your feet are placed under the bar with knees at a 90-degree angle.
- Push the bar up with your legs, squeezing through the glutes.
4. Single Leg Hip Thrust
- This is a wonderful variation to tackle any muscle imbalances and to build balance and stability within the hips.
- Start off with your shoulder blades on the bench as your contact point, core tight and spine straight.
- Make sure the foot of your working leg is placed properly so that your knee is at a 90-degree angle at the top of the movement.
- Lift non-working leg off the floor, making sure your hips are still level and straight.
- Push through your heel on the working leg, and you will feel a strong contraction of your glute!
5. Hip Thrust With Banded Abduction
- Start off with the same proper hip thrust from, shoulder blades on the bench and knees at a 90 degree angle.
- Add a band either above or below the knee.
- Complete hip thrust, and at the top of the movement, drive your knees apart, pushing against the band for an abduction.
6.Wide Stance Hip Thrust
- Start off with the same proper hip thrust from, shoulder blades on the bench and knees at a 90-degree angle, but this time place your feet wider apart.
- Perform your glute bridge, taking care not to let knees cave inwards during the eccentric portion of the movement.
7. Frog Thruster
- Begin on the ground, with shoulder blades tucked under your body, spine straight and core braced.
- Place feet with soles together, at a distance from your body that feels right.
- Drive-up through the glutes, pushing knees apart as you come up
Adjusting The 7 Hip Thrust Variations for Strong Glutes
You can absolutely progress or regress any of these variations by adding a resistance band or weight, placing your feet on a BOSU or stability ball, or reducing/removing weight to make things easier. If glute growth is on your agenda, you need to try these 7 hip thrust variations for strong glutes!
If you have any questions about performing hip thrust, or want to me to make you your own plan for growing those glutes, don’t hesitate to reach out!