Your glutes are crying out for some attention in the gym. What are you waiting for? Try these new takes on the hip thrust to get a stronger backside!
I use the hip thrust extensively both in my own training and with my clients, male and female alike. Sure, some people still find the movement a little funny looking, but those people are increasingly in the minority. The majority, instead, are people who understand the value of the movement but aren’t quite sure how to use it. Should you go heavy with weights or body weight? One leg or two? Hold at the top or just keep cranking out reps? You have plenty of options.
While it’s not one of the big three power lifts, I still treat the hip thrust as a strength exercise and focus on progressive overload, especially at first. The reason, quite simply, is that most people need stronger glutes first and foremost. But I’ve also found that most people reach a point in the progressive-overload spectrum where strength gains come to a screeching halt, or the sheer pressure of the bar on the hips becomes too painful to continue adding weight.
This tipping point is largely individual, but once you reach your weight threshold for hip thrusts, it’s time to find other ways to perform the exercise that allow you to get a good training effect with lighter loads. Even if heavy hip thrusts don’t bother you, it’s still wise to take a break from heavy loading from time to time and challenge yourself with lighter weights, or even just your own body weight.
Similarly, if you’re traveling and don’t have access to a full gym and heavy weights, the following seven options will give you ways to continue to challenge yourself with limited loading and minimal equipment.
