Hip extension exercise
Barbell Hip Thrust
Build maximal hip extension strength with minimal spinal loading.
- Equipment
- Barbell, bench, plates, barbell pad
- Sides
- Both sides together
- Positions
- All positions
- Tempo
- 20X1
Setup
Upper back against a bench, barbell across the hips with a pad, feet flat and shins vertical at the top.
How to do it
- Tuck your chin, keep your ribs down and drive through your heels to full hip extension.
- Finish with a posterior pelvic tilt rather than arching your lower back - this is a hip extension, not a spine extension.
- Do 3 to 4 sets of 5 to 10 reps.
- Lower under control rather than dropping into the bottom.
Coaching cues
- Chin tucked, ribs down
- Drive through the heels
- Finish with the hips, not the lower back
Common mistakes
- Hyperextending the lumbar spine instead of extending the hip
- Letting the bar drift up onto the stomach
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Load | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 75 to 90% of 1RM | 3 to 4 | 5 to 8 | 3 min |
| Size | 60 to 80% of 1RM | 3 to 4 | 8 to 12 | 2 min |
Tempo 20X1: Take 2 seconds to lower it, no pause, lift it as fast as you can, hold for 1 second at the end of the lift.
Related exercises
- 45-Degree Back ExtensionBuild posterior chain volume and lumbar endurance cheaply.
- Back SquatBuild maximal bilateral lower-body strength, the foundation of scrum drive and contact.
- Front SquatBuild quad and trunk strength in the upright posture the clean catch demands.
- Box SquatTeach the squat pattern and standardise depth across a squad.
- Trap Bar DeadliftBuild whole-body pulling strength with a shorter learning curve than the conventional deadlift.
- Conventional DeadliftBuild maximal posterior chain and whole-body pulling strength.