Although current social media pages is likely to be crammed with so-called “glute girls” who prioritize their posterior within the gym, targeting your glutes and hamstrings isn’t only for likes and shares. A muscular backside also happens to be a key component in performing big feats of strength, in addition to driving athletic performance in nearly any sport.
While there are many potential exercises to focus on your posterior chain — lower back, glutes, and hamstrings — one of the vital popular exercises lately is the barbell hip thrust.
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This movement, supporting a weighted barbell across your hips while suspending your upper back on a platform, may be highly effective but it could possibly even be awkward, physically uncomfortable, and difficult to master. To realize the identical final result (and the identical result in your end), there are a couple of equally effective hip thrust alternatives that provide backside size and strength with fewer obstacles.
Best Hip Thrust Alternatives
Sumo Deadlift
The traditional deadlift, with its hip-width stance and significant back involvement, is a staple for a lot of lifters focused on muscle-building and strength gains. The sumo deadlift, nonetheless, uses a much wider stance to change leverage and shift muscle recruitment.
The wide-set foot position increases leg drive, allowing the inner thighs (adductors), hamstrings, and glutes to be worked through a protracted range of motion, which might contribute to muscle growth. (1) The sumo deadlift also allows a more upright torso, which might reduce strain on the lower back, making the exercise ideal for anyone with recurring lower back pain or mobility issues.
When to Use It
As a “big ‘n basic” compound (multi-joint) movement, the sumo deadlift is a heavy hitter in the load training world and will get top billing in a workout. Perform the exercise as early within the session as possible, as either the primary or second exercise after a general warm-up.
Giving the exercise a high priority helps to reap the best strength and muscle gains, in comparison with performing it toward the tip of the workout. (2)
The way to Do It
Place a barbell on the ground and take a wider than shoulder-width stance. Angle your toes barely outward and reach down with straight arms. Keep your upper body mostly vertical and bend your legs to grab the bar. Set your hands roughly hip-width apart. Take a breath and flex your abs to create tension.
Squeeze the bar tightly and pull your shoulder blades together. Drive your feet through the bottom and apply constant tension to lift the load — don’t attempt to abruptly yank the bar off the bottom. Keep the bar near your body as you lift as much as full lockout. Reverse direction to exchange the bar on the bottom.
Split-Stance Romanian Deadlift
The Romanian deadlift is a commonly used deadlift variation to zero-in on the glutes and hamstrings. You’ll be able to amp up that focus by adopting a split stance, or staggered stance, to emphasise each leg individually. Quite than a pure single-leg movement along with your non-working leg entirely off the bottom, you’ll be able to maintain balance while also shifting nearly all of muscular stress to the front leg.
Single-leg training, or using a single-leg emphasis, may be as useful as bilateral (two-legged) training with regards to constructing muscle, strength, and power, while requiring relatively lower loads overall. (3) Getting comparable results with less weight may be especially useful for lifters coping with joint pain.
When to Use It
Although the split stance provides some balance support, it’s best to not perform the split-stance Romanian deadlift when extremely fatigued (at the tip of a training session). Coordination, strength, and stability might be compromised which might make the exercise excessively difficult. Train the split-stance Romanian deadlift relatively earlier within the workout on a dedicated leg day, or as certainly one of the one leg exercises performed in a full-body workout.
The way to Do It
Stand upright, holding a barbell with an overhand grip. Take a small step back along with your right leg, keeping the toes of your right foot generally consistent with the heel of your left foot. Set your feet no less than shoulder-width apart until you’re feeling stable. Brace your core, keep your back neutral, and bend forward at your hips. Keep the bar near your front leg.
Lower the load until you’re feeling a major stretch within the hamstrings and glutes of your front leg. Raise the load without moving your feet. Perform all reps on one side before switching your stance.
Walking Romanian Deadlift
The walking lunge has a well-earned repute as an intense cardio exercise and an important leg-builder. Each of those advantages may be amplified by swapping the lunge for this deadlift variation. The walking Romanian deadlift cranks up the glute and hamstring activity without compromising any of the conditioning advantages.
When to Use It
The walking Romanian deadlift (or walking RDL) may be performed as an intense finisher on the very end of any workout, not only a leg session, or it could possibly be performed by itself and programmed much like a cardio/conditioning workout. Don’t feel like jumping on the treadmill? Grab a pair of dumbbells and do some walking RDLs. Quite than specific repetitions, the walking RDL may be performed for a duration (one or two minutes is start) or for a complete distance (begin with 50 to 100 feet).
The way to Do It
Stand with a dumbbell in each hand by your sides. Take a step forward along with your left foot. When your foot is fully planted on the bottom, barely bend your left leg and hinge forward at your hips. Keep your back in neutral, not rounded.
Reach the weights toward your front foot so far as is comfortable. Pull your shoulders back to face upright again. Take a step forward along with your right foot. Repeat the hinge forward and reach down. Proceed alternating feet with step forward.
Kettlebell Swing
The swing is likely to be probably the most continuously performed kettlebell exercise since it delivers an important bang for the training buck. It permits you to construct explosive power, top-notch conditioning and endurance, and a muscular posterior chain. If you will have access to a kettlebell in your gym or at home, swings needs to be on the short list of “must-learn exercises.”
When to Use It
The kettlebell swing relies on explosive power, so it’s ideally performed early in a training session or in a workout by itself. If you happen to’ve fine-tuned the technique and might control the movement, chances are you’ll give you the option to make use of it as a finisher toward the tip of a workout so long as your grip and lower back (two critical safety elements) aren’t pre-fatigued.
The way to Do It
Stand in front of a kettlebell in a comparatively wide stance. Hinge forward at your hips, push your glutes back, and grab the highest handle with each hands in a palms-down grip. Forcefully drive your hips forward to lift the load in a quick, powerful snap. Keep your arms mostly straight. Squeeze the handle tightly without actively using your arms to maneuver the load. Your arms are only for control, the force of movement should come from the initial hip drive.
Flex your core when the load is at the highest position (roughly chest level) and permit the kettlebell to reverse direction because it “falls.” Repeat the hinge along with your upper body. Because the kettlebell passes just behind your knees, snap your hips forward to start the subsequent repetition easily.
Reverse Hyperextension
If one exercise is repeatedly touted by veteran powerlifters as a technique to construct the lower back, glute, and hamstring strength needed to squat tons of upon tons of of kilos, it’s probably value considering even for those not involved in lifting a half-ton. The reverse hyperextension has long been advocated within the strength sports world as a technique to “injury-proof” the posterior chain.
That’s a big claim that is dependent upon the person and lots of aspects, however the reverse hyperextension has been shown to work your lower back, glutes, and hamstrings while not having to throw around heavy weights. (4) This makes it a super technique to work the goal muscles without wearing down your body.
When to Use It
This movement is an efficient technique to wrap up any leg workout after your lower body is fatigued and fully warmed up. Nevertheless, performing the reverse hyperextension with light weight for moderate to higher repetition can be addition to your general warm-up routine. The muscle activation and significant stretch can assist to arrange your posterior chain for any heavier work to follow.
The way to Do It
Some business gyms have dedicated reverse hyperextension machines, however the exercise may be performed on a “standard” back hyperextension machine (while facing backwards, holding the leg pads along with your hands) or using a exercise ball placed on top of a flat bench, however the ball shall be unstable and would require rather more core control.
Get into position along with your hips and abdominals supported on the pad. Lean forward at your waist and permit your feet to hold freely within the air. Your upper and lower body should form a general L-shape. Contract your glutes to boost your straight legs until they’re roughly parallel to the bottom. Pause at the highest for one or two seconds. Lower your legs under control. Pause within the stretched position for one or two seconds before repeating.
SHELC
The supine hip extension leg curl, or SHELC, requires an exercise ball and a few space to lie on the ground. It’s an efficient technique to perform a hip thrust alternative at home with limited equipment. This bodyweight-only exercise is certainly one of the few movements to significantly recruit your hamstrings nearly in isolation, without the assistance of your larger quadriceps muscles and without adding weight.
When to Use It
The SHELC is flexible enough to be performed at any point in a training routine. Since it’s a body weight movement, chances are you’ll need to pre-fatigue your goal muscles with exercises and use the SHELC to complete them or, if the exercise is sufficiently difficult on your legs, perform it earlier within the workout.
The way to Do It
Lie on the ground along with your legs prolonged and each heels on top of an exercise ball. Brace your upper body by keeping your arms on the bottom. Dig your heels into the ball to boost your hips off the bottom — your body needs to be in a straight line out of your feet to your chest.
Curl your feet toward your glutes, pressing right down to keep each feet in touch with the ball. Straighten your legs to return to the starting position. Don’t drop your hips until all the set is accomplished — perform the leg curl while maintaining the bridged position. In case your feet are near falling off the ball when your legs are curled in, move your heels closer to the highest/center of the ball within the starting position.
Single-Leg Glute Bridge
The glute bridge could be very much like the essential hip thrust, minus a bench to raise your shoulders, so you’ll be able to get the advantages of a hip thrust without equipment. The only-leg glute bridge may be an efficient exercise selection, especially because the essential (two-legged) glute bridge is commonly not difficult enough for a lot of lifters.
When to Use It
The only-leg glute bridge only requires some space on the bottom, so it could possibly be very easily superset with nearly any exercise to sneak in extra glute and hamstring training at any time. Try pairing them with push-ups for a fast and straightforward, ground-based, bodyweight-only workout. Or perform a set of single-leg glute bridges before each set of deadlifts to spice up glute activation.
The way to Do It
Lie flat on the bottom along with your legs straight. Bend your left leg and place your foot on the bottom near your right knee. Keep your right leg straight and lift it until your knees are next to one another. Hold this straight leg position at some stage in the set.
Keep your foot flat on the bottom and drive through the ground while raising your hips. You need to feel a robust contraction through the back of your left leg. Pause for one to 2 seconds before lowering your glutes to the ground. Perform all reps with one leg before switching sides.
Single-Leg Landmine Hip Thrust
One highly effective hip thrust alternative is definitely a straightforward hip thrust variation. The landmine permits you to shift the load to a single hip, as a substitute of bearing a protracted barbell across your entire hip area. This modified hip thrust may be more comfortable for the lifter, while the landmine’s pivoting base offers a novel training angle.
When to Use It
The only-leg landmine hip thrust may be programmed like every hip thrust movement, simply adjust the load as needed. Single-leg training is commonly missed in lots of training programs, so in case your current leg workout doesn’t involve any unilateral movements, consider making the single-leg landmine hip thrust a key player.
The way to Do It
Sit on the ground perpendicular to a flat bench along with your legs prolonged straight. Position the tip of a landmine above your left hip. Place your left foot flat on the bottom near your right knee. Rest your upper back and arms across the bench.
Raise your hips by driving through the ground along with your left foot. Brace your core and pivot your upper body across the bench. Pause briefly in the highest position — while you’ve reached a straight line out of your knees to your shoulders. Lower to the bottom under control, being careful to not bounce the load off the ground. Perform all reps with one leg before switching sides.
Advantages of Hip Thrust Alternatives
You’re not sacrificing results when you’ve opted out of the classic barbell hip thrust. In reality, there are a couple of specific explanation why a barbell hip thrust alternative might be the popular selection as a barbell hip thrust alternative.
Avoids Hip Discomfort
Many lifters find the bar’s position during hip thrusts to be too uncomfortable and never well worth the trouble. Since the hip thrust requires a barbell to be laid across your hip region, it’s not unusual on your hip bones to come back into contact with the load, especially if the bar shifts or slides during repetitions. Even on specially designed hip thrust machines, the load is supported directly across your hips via a belt or pad, which might still cause extreme discomfort as the load pulls down through your pelvis.
Credit: Maridav / Shutterstock
Nearly all of hip thrust alternatives don’t require weight to be loaded in your hips in any respect. The only-leg landmine hip thrust, particularly, supports the load on a single side and the angle of the landmine helps to offset the stress.
Increased Muscle Recruitment
The barbell hip thrust can require some technique, between setting your upper body on the bench, positioning your feet appropriately, and maintaining a neutral body position as your hips rise. Any errors in those steps can drastically reduce activation on the goal muscles, making the exercise less effective.
These barbell hip thrust alternatives are relatively more easy to master, while targeting the glutes and hamstrings more directly either by utilizing a single-leg emphasis or by reducing contributing muscles and dealing the goal muscles in isolation.
Decreased Lower Back Stress
Some lifters feel lower back strain in the course of the barbell hip thrust, as there may be some mobility requirements to securely and effectively perform the movement. Lots of the alternative hip thrust exercises reduce compressive strain on the lower back and don’t require as much hip mobility to perform, which might make the exercises more joint-friendly.
More Ways to Work the Posterior
The hip thrust is a comparatively popular exercise, but despite the hashtags, it’s not a compulsory movement for constructing a robust, muscular set of glutes and hams. The effective alternatives laid out above may be plugged into any training plan whether your goal is lower body strength, total-body muscle, or the type of glute and hamstring development that gets trending.
References
- Schoenfeld, B. J., & Grgic, J. (2020). Effects of range of motion on muscle development during resistance training interventions: A scientific review. SAGE open medicine, 8, 2050312120901559. https://doi.org/10.1177/2050312120901559
- Nunes, J. P., Grgic, J., Cunha, P. M., Ribeiro, A. S., Schoenfeld, B. J., de Salles, B. F., & Cyrino, E. S. (2021). What influence does resistance exercise order have on muscular strength gains and muscle hypertrophy? A scientific review and meta-analysis. European journal of sport science, 21(2), 149–157. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2020.1733672
- Speirs, Derrick E.1,2; Bennett, Mark A.3; Finn, Charlotte V.4; Turner, Anthony P.2. Unilateral vs. Bilateral Squat Training for Strength, Sprints, and Agility in Academy Rugby Players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 30(2):p 386-392, February 2016. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001096
- Lawrence, M. A., Somma, M. J., & Swanson, B. T. (2022). Effect of Load on Muscle Activity, Kinematics, and Force Production Through the Reverse Hyperextension Exercise. Journal of applied biomechanics, 38(5), 336–345. https://doi.org/10.1123/jab.2022-0046
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