Glutes · Resistance bands

Resistance Band Hip Thrusts

The resistance band hip thrust is an effective lower-body movement targeting the gluteus maximus and hamstrings through an extended range of motion. It suits lifters of all experience levels and functions well as an activation drill, a primary hypertrophy builder, or a home-workout staple.

Muscles: Glutes, Legs
Equipment: Resistance bands
Type: Strength
Animation: Men

How to do it

Sit on the floor with your upper back against a bench, knees bent, feet flat on the floor hip-width apart.
Place the loop band across your hips and pin its ends to the floor under your feet.
Inhale, then as you exhale, drive through your heels and lift your hips up against the band until your thighs are parallel to the floor and your torso is level.
Squeeze your glutes at the top and keep your chin slightly tucked.
Inhale and slowly lower your hips back to the starting position.

Common mistakes

Overextending the lower back at the top shifts tension away from the glutes and places undue stress on the lumbar spine.
Placing the feet too far forward or too close to the bench shifts the work onto the hamstrings or quadriceps instead of the glutes.
Tilting the head backward disrupts spinal alignment and prevents a full posterior pelvic tilt at peak contraction.
Letting the band snap the hips down rapidly robs the glutes of valuable eccentric loading.

Tips

Ensure your shins are strictly vertical to the floor at lockout to maximize mechanical tension on the glutes.
Keep your chin tucked toward your chest and your gaze directed forward rather than up at the ceiling.
Pause and squeeze your glutes forcefully for one full second at the top of each repetition.

Sets and reps

Perform 3–4 sets of 12–20 repetitions with 60 to 90 seconds of rest between sets to optimize hypertrophy and local muscular endurance.

Muscles worked

Resistance Band Hip Thrusts: glutes, legs

Your coach guides every set

Turn on the coach in Gloox: it asks how you feel, picks the weight from your history and cues technique and rest. Rate each set and the next one is tuned to you.

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Questions

Why do hip thrusts target the glutes better than floor bridges?

Elevating your upper back on a bench increases the available range of motion, allowing deeper hip flexion and greater glute stretch under tension.

What should you do if you feel this exercise in your lower back?

Check that you are tucking your pelvis rather than arching your spine at lockout; if pain persists, stop the exercise and consult a specialist.

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