How to Do a Hip Thrust: A Beginner's Guide (UK 2026)

The hip thrust is one of the simplest ways to train your glutes directly. You sit on the floor with your upper back against a bench, then drive your hips up until your body makes a flat tabletop from shoulders to knees. With little balance involved and no bar on your back, it is a friendly lift to learn. This guide takes you from a floor glute bridge to a loaded hip thrust, covering the setup, step-by-step cues, how to add weight, the common mistakes and a simple 4-week plan. It is part of our series on doing the big lifts properly, alongside the squat, deadlift, bench press and push-up.

What is a hip thrust, and which muscles does it work?

A hip thrust is a hip extension exercise. Your shoulders rest on a bench, your feet are flat on the floor, and you lift your hips by squeezing your glutes. The load, whether that is your bodyweight, a dumbbell or a barbell, sits across the crease of your hips.

• Glutes. The gluteus maximus does most of the work. It is the big muscle that straightens your hips when you stand up, climb stairs and run.
• Hamstrings. They help extend your hips, and they work harder if your feet are too far away from you.
• Quads and inner thighs. They keep your knees steady and in line with your toes.
• Core. Your trunk muscles hold your ribs and pelvis in place so your lower back does not arch.

Is it better than a squat for your glutes? You do not need to pick a winner. Research comparing the two lifts in beginners has found broadly similar glute growth from both, with squats doing more for the thighs. A good plan can use both.

Glute bridge or hip thrust: where should a beginner start?

They are the same movement at different heights. In a glute bridge your shoulders are on the floor, so the range is short and the setup is simple. In a hip thrust your shoulders are raised on a bench, so your hips travel further and you can add far more weight. Work up this ladder, and only move on when the step you are on feels easy and controlled.

• Step 1: glute bridge. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat. Lift your hips until your shoulders, hips and knees form a straight line, pause for a second, then lower slowly. Build up to 3 sets of 12 to 15.
• Step 2: bodyweight hip thrust. Do the same movement with your upper back on a bench. Build up to 3 sets of 12 with a one-second pause at the top.
• Step 3: loaded hip thrust. Rest a dumbbell across your hips, then move to a barbell when the dumbbell gets awkward to hold.

Two side steps are worth knowing. If you train at home with no weights, a single-leg glute bridge makes the floor version much harder. If your knees drift inwards, a light resistance band just above them gives you something to push out against.

How do you set up a hip thrust?

A good setup does most of the work for you. Take a minute over it every time.

• Pick a stable bench. A standard gym bench is usually around 40 to 45cm high, roughly knee height, which suits most people. Push it against a wall or rack so it cannot slide. At home, the edge of a sturdy sofa works.
• Place your upper back. Sit on the floor and lean back so the edge of the bench sits just below your shoulder blades. That is your pivot point, and it should stay in the same spot on your back for the whole rep.
• Set your feet. Keep them flat, about hip-width apart, with your toes pointing forward or slightly out. At the top of the rep your shins should be roughly vertical. If they are not, shuffle your feet in or out.
• Position the load. A dumbbell or bar sits in the crease of your hips, not on your stomach. Hold it steady with both hands.

How do you do a hip thrust step by step?

• Tuck your chin. Look forward towards your knees, not up at the ceiling. Your head and ribcage move together as one piece.
• Brace and pull your ribs down. Take a breath into your belly and tighten your midsection, as if someone is about to nudge you in the stomach.
• Drive through your heels. Push the floor away and lift your hips, keeping your whole foot planted.
• Finish in a tabletop. Stop when your hips are level with your shoulders and knees, then squeeze your glutes hard for a second. Do not chase extra height by arching your back.
• Lower under control. Take about two seconds to bring your hips down, keep the brace, then go again.

The feeling you are after is a strong squeeze in your glutes at the top. Some work in your hamstrings and thighs is normal. A pinch in your lower back is a sign to stop and reset your position.

How do you add weight safely?

Start with a single dumbbell resting across your hips, held in place with both hands. A weight you could lift for 14 or 15 reps is about right for sets of 10. Once the dumbbell gets too big to balance comfortably, move to a barbell. A standard Olympic bar weighs 20kg on its own, which is a sensible first barbell load.

• Use padding. Put a thick bar pad or a folded mat between the bar and your hips. A bare bar on your hip bones is painful and distracting.
• Get the bar into place. Full-size plates lift the bar high enough to roll it over your legs while you sit on the floor. With small plates the bar sits too low, so rest it on blocks or ask someone to pass it to you.
• Add small amounts. When you can do every set at the top of your rep range with a clean pause, add around 2.5 to 5kg next time.
• Only count full reps. Your glutes are strong, so the weight can climb quickly. If your hips stop short of level, the load is too heavy for now.

What are the most common hip thrust mistakes, and how do you fix them?

Film yourself from the side now and then, or ask a coach to watch, and use the fixes below.

How many sets and reps should you do?

For most beginners, 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, twice a week, is plenty. Rest for one to two minutes between sets and finish each set feeling you could have done one or two more good reps. Here is a simple 4-week plan that walks you up the ladder.

Do each week's session twice, with at least one day between them. If a week does not feel solid, repeat it. There is no deadline.

How does the hip thrust fit a hybrid week with running?

Your glutes help push you forward on every stride and keep your hips steady when your foot lands, so they are worth training if you run. The hip thrust suits a mixed week because it works the glutes hard without much load through your spine, and many people find it leaves their legs less sore than heavy squats. Put it on your strength days after the bigger lifts, and keep your heaviest session away from the day before a hard or long run.

This is the thinking behind hybrid training. Edge treats running, strength and HIIT as one plan, so lifts like the hip thrust land on days that work with your runs. Edge is free to use, and Edge Pro starts from £19.99 a month with a free 7-day trial.

This article is general guidance, not medical advice. If you are new to exercise, returning from injury, pregnant, or managing a health condition, speak to your GP before starting, and see a physio for any niggle that does not settle.