The Winners

Based on this experiment, here are the top three exercises in terms of mean and peak activity for
each muscle part:

Gluteus Maximus

Mean: Band Skorcher Hip Thrust, Glute Bridge, Pull-Through

Peak: Band Skorcher Hip Thrust, Glute Bridge, Hip Thrust

Vastus Lateralis

Mean: Half Squat, Parallel Squat, Quarter Squat

Peak: Full Squat, Parallel Squat, Band Skorcher Hip Thrust

Adductor Longis

Mean: Single Leg Gliding Leg Curl, Hack Lift, Russian Leg Curl

Peak: Romanian Deadlift, Single Leg Gliding Leg Curl, High Step Up

Biceps Femoris

Mean: Deadlift, Rack Pull, Hanging Single Leg Straight Leg Bridge

Peak: Rack Pull, Deadlift, Weighted Bird Dog

Gastrocnemius

Mean: Heavy Lever Calf Raise, Explosive Lever Calf Raise, Single Leg Calf Raise

Peak: Parallel Squat, Heavy Lever Calf Raise, Pause Lever Calf Raise
Hip Thrust Programming

Frequency

Anywhere from 1-4 days per week is advisable. If you perform one hip thrust session per week,
then pyramid your sets and do more volume. If you perform hip thrusts four days per week, just
do 2 sets on each day. A popular option is to perform one heavy, low-rep barbell session per week,
one medium-rep single-leg session per week, and one high-rep barbell or band session per week.
For a couple of years, I did 3 sets of 5 reps of barbell hip thrusts one day per week and 2 sets of 8
reps another day. A final option is to perform a heavy/light/medium schedule where you go heavy
on Monday (3 sets of 5), light on Wednesday (2 sets of 20), and medium on Friday (3 sets of 8).

Sets and Reps

There are dozens of excellent set and rep schemes for hip thrusts. I've employed each of these in
my training and coaching:

3 sets of 5

1 set of 5, 1 set of 3, 1 set of 1

1 set of 8, 1 set of 5, 1 set of 3

3 sets of 8

1 set of 10, one set of 8, one set of 6, one set of 15-20

4 sets of 10

2 sets of 20-30

1 set of 50

3 sets for max reps with the same load (e.g., monster band for 26 reps, then 20, then 17);

50 total reps with a certain load, taking as many sets as needed (e.g., 225 pounds for 15 reps,
then 12, then 9, then 7, then 5, and then 2).

In general, I like any rep range for barbell hip thrusts (1-5, 6-12, 13-20 reps), whereas I like
medium-pause reps for single-leg hip thrusts (8-12 reps with a 1 second pause at the top), and
high reps for band hip thrusts (15-30 reps). The rest time in between sets can be anywhere from 1-
5 minutes.

Hip Thrust Specifics

Bench Height

The ideal bench height is approximately 16 inches for most men and around 14 inches for most
women. Benches at commercial gyms are usually higher, though, so it's often beneficial to set up
with aerobics steps and 5-6 risers instead of using the bench.

Bench-Height

A few inches in height can make a big difference with hip thrusts.

Bar Padding

When you first start out, you won't be using much weight. As you gain strength, the pain caused
by the bar pushing down onto the pelvis can become intolerable. In fact, it can even shut down
glute activation and prevent you from achieving an optimal workout! Therefore, you really need to
invest in a good bar pad. There are a number of options, but don't underestimate the importance
of padding. Many lifters are amazed at how much stronger they are and how much harder their
glutes fire when they finally purchase a good bar pad.

Padding

There are several good options for thick padding.

Bar Elevation

Lifters with muscular thighs or those using really thick bar padding will find that the bar doesn't fit
over their thighs. A simple solution is to roll the bar up onto mats or plates stacked on both sides
of the lifter. This creates the extra space needed, which makes your hip thrusting much more
functional.

Bar-Elevation
Roll the bar up onto mats or bumper plates to give you extra legroom.

Strength Benchmarks

Over time you want to aim for doing 10 hip thrusts with at least a 1.5 times bodyweight, with
advanced lifters aiming for double bodyweight for 10 reps. However, you shouldn't chase
progressive overload to the point where you stop feeling the movement primarily in the glutes.
When you hip thrust, you want to achieve a deep burn in the glutes and walk around with a glute
pump in between sets. This requires a solid mind-muscle connection, which is just as important as
the weight you use.

Final Thrust

The hip thrust might be intimidating or embarrassing at first. After all, the movement mimics a
humping motion. However, celebrities as well as professional athletes in bodybuilding,
powerlifting, weightlifting, strongman, NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, UFC, track and field, rugby, wrestling,
figure, and bikini are all using the hip thrust to strengthen their glutes and build their strength,
speed, and power. If they can do it, so can you. Start hip thrusting today, your glutes will love you
for it.