Barbell Hip Thrust

1. Sit on the floor with your upper back against the long side of a sturdy bench and roll a loaded barbell over your legs into the crease of your hips; a bar pad makes heavier loads comfortable.
2. Plant your feet flat on the floor about shoulder width apart, close enough that your shins will be vertical at the top.
3. Rest your upper back on the bench edge just below the shoulder blades and grip the bar lightly to keep it in place.
4. Take a breath, brace, and drive through your heels to lift your hips until your torso is parallel to the floor.
5. Squeeze the glutes hard at the top with a slight posterior tilt of the pelvis, chin tucked and ribs down.
6. Exhale at the top, then lower the hips under control until the plates almost touch the floor.
7. Keep tension in the glutes and repeat without bouncing the bar off the ground.

Common Mistakes

• Hyperextending the lower back: arching hard at the top and pushing the ribs up substitutes spinal extension for hip extension; finish with a glute squeeze and neutral spine.
• Feet placed too far out: an overly long stance makes the hamstrings take over and can cramp them; set the feet so the shins are vertical at lockout.
• Looking up at the ceiling: throwing the head back drives the arch; keep the chin tucked and eyes forward as the hips rise.
• Cutting the top short: stopping below full hip extension misses the range where the glutes work hardest; reach a flat tabletop position every rep.