Hip Thrust benefits for Men
The hip thrust is believed
to be the top exercise for building glute size and strength, but there are many
more reasons to thrust besides simply the aesthetic results. Having strong
glutes is crucial for men and women alike, but especially for men who want to
improve their other lifts in the gym and their overall athletic performance.
You see, the glutes are
three large muscles that help to stabilize the lower back and pelvic region.
When the glutes are weak, other problems and injuries tend to occur up or down
the kinetic chain in the lower back, hips, or even the knees. Having strong
glutes can improve muscle balance and therefore decrease injury risk.
Which
types of exercises work the glutes?
The upper glutes are best
targeted with bridge/thrust pattern exercises that put them under a lot of
tension and abduction work. The lower glutes are best targeted with squat/lunge
pattern exercises that stretch them. Some hinge pattern exercises work the
glutes secondarily, but not as well as those mentioned above.
The hip thrust itself
allows you to work the glutes in a very shortened range of motion through full
hip extension which is not possible with squats, lunges, deadlifts, and
abduction work. That’s what sets them apart from the others and makes them more
superior for glute building. So why else should you add hip thrusts into your
repertoire? Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson hip thrusts, so that’s pretty much all
the reason you need. But if you need more convincing, here are more benefits.
Benefits
of hip thrusts:
1. Increased lower body
strength (especially lock out with other lifts like deadlifts, squats, etc.)
2. Increased lower body power
(with other lifts like cleans, jerks, etc.)
3. Improved athletic abilities
(with jumping, sprinting, etc.)
4. Increased glute size
5. Improved lower back, hip,
and pelvic stability
Hopefully by now you’re on
board to hip thrust. Let’s make sure you are hip thrusting correctly.
How to
perform a barbell hip thrust:
1. Set-up a barbell with
weight plates in front of a bench that is 12-14" tall using the Barbell Jack. Place a squat sponge on the barbell, if desired, for comfort.
2. Sit on the ground in front
of the bench with your legs under the barbell. Then roll the barbell forward
over the hips.
3. Bend your legs with the
feet hip distance apart or slightly wider and toes turned out slightly.
4. Next, thrust the hips up
momentarily so you can slide your upper back up onto the bench so that it rests
just under the shoulder blades. Keep your chin tucked to your chest from here
on out.
5. Now you're set-up to begin
the hip thrusts. Begin with the hips flexed and buttocks lowered (whether they
touch the ground or not will vary based on your height/body). Then, thrust the
hips up as you squeeze the glutes and raise the hips up until they're in line
with the shoulders and knees. Legs should be at ~90-degree bend here at the
top, but this can vary.
6. Lower the hips back down.
7. Repeat for the desired reps.
The hip thrust can be
performed with a variety of equipment including but not limited to a barbell, a
dumbbell, the Smith machine, or a sand bag.
Bonus: If you want to have
even more fun with hip thrusts, try adding in more variations to your hip thrust
work. You could add a resistance band around the knees, add a pause at the top, do a
1.5 rep, do a single-leg variation, or even add in a plyometric hop!
Happy thrusting!
