If you want strong, attractive glutes that can carry you through life, there is no substitute for barbell hip thrusts.
Developing your glutes can help you run faster, deadlift more weight, and perform better in the lockout position of the deadlift. Barbell hip thrusts are an excellent total-body move that you should incorporate into your regimen.
Not everyone loves exercising with a heavy barbell over their pelvis, and there are times when it’s essential to take a break from the barbell. You may keep working on your glutes and get the results you want with these alternate methods, and soon you’ll be able to wear your favorite pants with pride.
- Put Both Feet Flat on the Floor
This is the rudimentary hip thrust. Get started by placing both feet firmly on the ground, about shoulder-width apart, and lying face-up. Propel yourself forward from the soles of your feet, raising your butts as high as possible into the air until you feel a powerful contraction. Hold for a second, and then let go.
- One Foot on the Ground
It’s trickier since you have one leg to bear your weight instead of two. The only difference between this and double foot is that your opposite leg will be held in the air at a 45-degree angle.
- Footed on the Bench
The hip thrust machine is essentially the same idea. Instead of resting your feet on the floor, you’ll use an elevated bench. Putting your feet on a step stool or bench will increase the angle at which your hips must contract, leading to a more powerful contraction.
- One Foot on a Bench
When doing them on the floor, use the same motion. Due to the increased need for force output at the higher altitude, an isolated contraction will be amplified. Keep the other leg up at a 45-degree angle.
- Inverted Barbell Press (back to the bench)
This one may be the undisputed champion when it comes to strengthening the hip flexors. Here is the place to stock up and unleash devastating force.
Align a level bench with something solid to ensure it won’t shift. Gather some 25- and 45-pound plates and load up a barbell. You’ll still be working your hips the same way by forcing them forward, but now you’ll do it while sitting up straight with your back flat against a bench.
After you’ve secured yourself, roll the bar over your hips and repeat the hip thrust machine actions. Maintaining a stable footing, drive up through your heels, squeeze at the tops, and let your upper back rise over the bench.
This is one of those workouts that people either love or detest because of the discomfort caused by the extra weight on the hips. It will never feel good, but the discomfort will be bearable as the rewards become clear.
- Bosu Ball with one foot doubled over
If you have access to this apparatus, you may switch up your hip thrust machine routine in a very beneficial way. Position yourself on the Bosu Ball with your feet together in the middle. Push up through your heels and squeeze at the peak of the movement. It’s intended that this will be a bit shaky, requiring increased recruitment of motor units.
- Frog Thruster
If you want to target your glutes specifically, this is a great move to try. Position yourself on your back with your feet together and the bottoms of your soles touching. To some extent, you should adopt a butterfly posture.
Keeping your feet together, move into a flat position and lift your hips off the ground. With your glutes acting as the single muscle group to contract, the hamstrings are effectively removed from the equation.
The hamstrings, which normally play an active role in knee flexion, won’t be able to do anything here because your legs are already in a fixed posture. Because the angle at the knee remains constant, the glutes are the only muscle group responsible for propelling the body forward.
Conclusion
The hip thrust and its numerous modifications are among the most efficient exercises for building strength in the legs and buttocks. You may improve your health and productivity with regular practice of these moves.
Using various tools in addition to the barbell for the same exercise can keep your accessory routine exciting and give your spine a rest. More muscle is worked with the same effort; therefore, the intensity is maintained despite the reduced resistance.
