Want To Spice Up Regular Old Hip Thrusts? Try These 8 Variations for Every Fitness Level

When it comes to sculpting a stronger, rounder backside, the hip thrust is the gold standard of glute exercises. This exercise uniquely targets your gluteus maximus muscle, which makes up the bulk of the shape of your butt and hips.

Your gluteus maximus is the largest and most powerful muscle in your entire body, and strengthening it helps maintain good posture, improves your explosive athletic performance, and helps with joint stability, per a 2019 International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy report.

Adding hip thrusts to your fitness routine is guaranteed to work your muscles to give you a firm, shapely behind and improve your overall strength. But if you want to mix things up, there are variations of the classic hip thrust you can do to still work the same muscles.

“Glutes are often referred to as the powerhouse of the core,” says Ash Wilking, CPT, a certified personal trainer and Tonal strength coach. “Strengthening our glutes through these hip thrust variations can enhance lower body power, increase hip mobility and stability, increase core strength, and help reduce lower back pain.”

Here, Wilking shares eight different variations to add to your leg day routine for a serious booty burn, regardless of your fitness level. (PSA: These hip thrust alternatives also come in clutch when you want to spice up your lower-body workouts.)

First, let’s go over the basics of how to do a hip thrust

Before working your way up to different variations, you’ll want to nail down how to do a hip thrust with proper form. You can do a hip thrust with just your bodyweight or up the intensity by using weight (grab a dumbbell or barbell).

Photo; Ash Wilking, CPT

1. Grab a bench, box, or any stable elevated surface that’s about knee height.
2. Sit on the floor with your upper back against the edge of the bench. Imagine that your shoulder blades act as hooks at the edge of the bench. Your knees should be bent with your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
3. With your shoulder blades resting on the edge of the bench, your body should form a 45-degree angle with the floor when your hips are down.
4. Place your hands on the back of your head.
5. Engage your core to stabilize your spine.
6. Push through your heels and lift your hips toward the ceiling. Your body should form a straight line from your knees to your shoulders, and your legs should be at a 90-degree angle at the top of the movement.
7. Lower with control.
8. Repeat for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

“Glutes are often referred to as the powerhouse of the core. Strengthening our glutes through these hip thrust variations can enhance lower body power, increase hip mobility and stability, increase core strength, and help reduce lower back pain.” —Ash Wilking, CPT

Beginner hip thrust variations

Our beginner variations have you lying on your back on the floor in a movement called a glute bridge. A glute bridge follows the same movement pattern as a hip thrust, except the hip thrust has you in an elevated position with your back up on a surface.

“These beginner variations are a fantastic way to train the body in the hinge pattern, focusing on extension through the hips without the need for additional equipment, aside from a resistance band,” Wilking says.

If you’re not new to this exercise, you can still give these moves a go—try incorporating them into your leg day warm-up to activate your glutes.

1. Lying glute bridge

Photo: Ash Wilking, CPT

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Your arms should be comfortably at your sides with palms facing down.
2. Place the heels of your feet under your knees, so they’re close enough to your hips that you can just touch your heels with your fingertips.
3. Engage your core by tightening your abdominal muscles to stabilize your spine. This will help prevent any arching in your lower back.
4. By driving through your heels, lift your hips toward the ceiling. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
5. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement. Your shoulders and feet should remain in contact with the floor.
6. Pause for a moment at the top of the lift, continuing to squeeze your glutes and keeping your core engaged.
7. Slowly lower your hips back to the starting position, keeping control of the movement and maintaining the engagement of your core and glutes.
8. Repeat for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

2. Banded lying glute bridge

Photo: Ash Wilking, CPT

1. Place a resistance band around your legs and position the band an inch or two above your knees.
2. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Your arms should be comfortably at your sides with palms facing down.
3. Place the heels of your feet under your knees, so they’re close enough to your hips that you can just touch your heels with your fingertips.
4. Engage your core by tightening your abdominal muscles to stabilize your spine. This will help prevent any arching in your lower back.
5. By driving through your heels, lift your hips toward the ceiling. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
6. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement. Your shoulders and feet should remain in contact with the floor.
7. Pause for a moment at the top of the lift, continuing to squeeze your glutes and keeping your core engaged.
8. Slowly lower your hips back to the starting position, keeping control of the movement and maintaining the engagement of your core and glutes.
9. Repeat for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

3. Single-leg glute bridge

Photo: Ash Wilking, CPT

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Your arms should be comfortably at your sides with palms facing down.
2. Place the heels of your feet under your knees, so they’re close enough to your hips that you can just touch your heels with your fingertips.
3. Lift your left leg off the floor, bringing your left knee directly over your left hip.
4. Engage your core by tightening your abdominal muscles to stabilize your spine (this will help prevent any arching in your lower back).
5. Drive through your right heel and lift your hips toward the ceiling, keeping your left leg in a hover position. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
6. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.
7. Pause for a moment at the top of the lift, continuing to squeeze your glutes while keeping your core engaged.
8. Slowly lower your hips back to the starting position, keeping control of the movement and maintaining the engagement.
9. Repeat for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps, then switch legs.

Intermediate hip thrust variations

To take things up a notch, you’ll want to elevate your shoulders on a bench to deepen your range of motion throughout your hip. More range equals more muscle engagement, according to Wilking.

“These elevated hip thrust variations are highly effective at strengthening the glutes,” she says.

4. Banded elevated glute bridge

Photo: Ash Wilking, CPT

1. Grab a bench, box, or any stable elevated surface that’s about knee height.
2. Place a resistance band around your legs.
3. Sit on the floor with your upper back against the edge of the bench (imagine that your shoulder blades act as hooks at the edge of the bench). Your knees should be bent with your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
4. With your shoulder blades resting on the edge of the bench, your body should form a 45-degree angle with the floor when your hips are down.
5. Place your hands on the back of your head.
6. Engage your core to stabilize your spine.
7. Push through your heels and lift your hips toward the ceiling. Your body should form a straight line from your knees to your shoulders, and your legs should be at a 90-degree angle at the top of the movement.
8. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.
9. Lower back down with control.
10. Repeat for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

5. Single-leg elevated glute bridge

Photo: Ash Wilking, CPT

1. Grab a bench, box, or any stable elevated surface that’s about knee height.
2. With your shoulder blades resting on the edge of the bench, your body should form a 45-degree angle with the floor when your hips are down.
3. Lift your left leg off the floor and hover it comfortably above your left hip. Maintain this position the entire exercise.
4. Your shoulder blades should be resting on the edge of the bench and your body should form a 45-degree angle with the floor when your hips are down.
5. Place your hands on the back of your head.
6. Engage your core to stabilize your spine.
7. Push through the heel of your right foot and lift your hips toward the ceiling. Your body should form a straight line from your knees to your shoulders, and your legs should be at a 90-degree angle at the top of the movement.
8. Lower back down with control.
9. Repeat for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps, then switch legs.

Advanced hip thrust variations

Once you feel comfortable enough performing the beginner and intermediate hip thrust variations, it’s time to add a barbell to up the weight and intensity. Wilking calls the barbell hip thrust the holy grail of glute exercises.

“Adding the barbell to the elevated hip thrust position allows you to increase load, promoting muscle hypertrophy and power development,” Wilking says.

6. Barbell hip thrust

Photo: Ash Wilking, CPT

1. Place a barbell on the floor and load it with your desired amount of weight (or none at all!).
2. Sit on the floor with your upper back against the edge of the bench. Roll the barbell over your legs and position it directly over your hips. You can place a barbell pad or folded map under the barbell to cushion your hips.
3. Place your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart, and knees bent at about a 90-degree angle.
4. Hold the barbell with both hands to keep it steady. Your hands should be slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
5. Engage your core to stabilize your spine and protect the lower back.
6. Push through your heels and lift your hips toward the ceiling. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees at the top of the movement, and you want your shins to be vertical at the top of the movement (checking a mirror can help with proper placement).
7. Pause for a moment at the top, maintaining the squeeze in your glutes and the engagement of your core.
8. Slowly lower your hips back to the starting position. R
9. epeat for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

TIP

Keep your ribs down and maintain a neutral spine, focusing on driving the hips up, but not overarching through your lower back. To avoid neck strain, keep your eyes on your knees and don’t throw your head backward.

7. Single-leg dumbbell hip thrust

Photo: Ash Wilking, CPT

1. Sit on the floor with your upper back against the edge of the bench.
2. Place a dumbbell over your right hip, holding it with one or both hands. The dumbbell can be placed vertically at the top of your thigh or horizontally with the handle across the crease of your hip.
3. Place your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart, and knees bent at about a 90-degree angle.
4. Lift your left leg to hover it just off the floor.
5. Engage your core to stabilize your spine and protect the lower back.
6. Push through your right heel and lift your hips toward the ceiling. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees at the top of the movement.
7. Pause for a moment at the top, maintaining the squeeze in your glutes and the engagement of your core.
8. Slowly lower your hips back to the starting position.
9. Repeat for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps, then switch legs.

TIP

If hovering your nonworking leg feels a bit too challenging, lightly set the heel on the floor to create a kickstand for some stabilization, while still keeping the majority of the work in the loaded leg.

8. Single-leg barbell hip thrust

Photo: Ash Wilking, CPT

1. Place the barbell on the floor and load it with your desired amount of weight (or none at all!).
2. Sit on the floor with your upper back against the edge of the bench. Roll the barbell over your legs and position it directly over your hips. Use a barbell pad or folded map under the bar to cushion your hips.
3. Place your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart, and knees bent at about a 90-degree angle.
4. Engage your core to stabilize your spine and protect the lower back.
5. Hold the barbell with both hands to keep it steady. Your hands should be slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
6. Lift your left leg off the floor.
7. Push through your heel and lift your hips toward the ceiling. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees at the top of the movement.
8. Pause for a moment at the top, maintaining the squeeze in your glutes and the engagement of your core. Keep your ribs down and maintain a neutral spine, focusing on driving the hips up without overarching the lower back.
9. Slowly lower your hips back to the starting position.
10. Repeat for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps, then switch legs.

TIP

If you find that hovering your leg off the floor is too advanced, you can place the nonworking leg slightly on the floor like a kickstand to add stability.

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