How to do the Barbell Hip Thrust
- Lie with your upper back on a bench, a barbell across your hips.
- Bend your knees, plant your feet, and center the bar across your hips.
- Push through your heels, lifting your hips until your torso is level.
- Slowly lower the bar back towards the floor, feeling your glutes stretch.
Full technique — 8 steps
- Sit on the floor with your upper back against a flat bench and barbell over your hips.
- Bend your knees, plant your feet flat, and center the bar where your thighs meet your torso.
- Grip the bar lightly to keep it from shifting and lower your chin slightly toward your chest.
- Tighten your stomach, then drive through your heels to raise your hips off the floor.
- Continue extending your hips until your torso is roughly parallel to the floor and shins are nearly vertical.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top without arching your lower back or flaring your ribs.
- Lower the bar by hinging at the hips until your glutes return close to the floor.
- Reset your foot pressure and bar position before starting the next repetition.
Common mistakes
- Overarching the lower back at top
- Feet placed too far forward
- Feet placed too close in
- Letting knees collapse inward
- Stopping short of full hip extension
Form cues
- Keep shins nearly vertical
- Chin slightly toward chest
- Drive knees out
- Finish with glutes
- Bar stays across hips
