Whole days sitting behind a screen, car journeys, evenings slumped on the sofa: the glutes often spend their time crushed. Over time, they become numb, become soft, sometimes downright flat, even if we do a series of squats and lunges to compensate. On the networks, however, another movement is establishing itself as a reference for reshaping the rear end: the hip thrust.
This pelvic raise, performed on the ground or with your back supported on a bench, is unanimous among coaches for working on the curve of the buttocks in a very targeted way. According to , it allows you to use nearly 80% of the gluteal muscles, where squats and lunges only recruit 30 to 50%. Once the classic version of the hip thrust is well mastered, three variations then allow you to restart the progression and sculpt the buttocks even more. It remains to be seen which ones to include in your next session.
Why the buttock hip thrust makes a difference on the shape
In the ranking of the best bodybuilding exercises for the buttocks, the hip thrust comes in the top 3 of the most effective movements for working this area, underlines. Unlike squats or lunges, it isolates the glutes more while limiting the participation of the quadriceps and lower back. A large part of the work thus focuses on the gluteus maximus, which provides volume, and on the gluteus medius, responsible for the slight hollow on the side of the pelvis.
For sports coach William Chanconie, this movement is ideal when jeans no longer really highlight the buttocks. , he assures in . He reminds us that this pelvic lift focuses mainly on the gluteus maximus, the largest and the one which creates the rounded effect, while also soliciting the gluteus medius on the side.
Hip thrust buttocks: master the classic version
Before embarking on the variations, it remains essential to lock in the classic hip thrust technique. The exercise requires a weight bench or, failing that, a sofa or bench, as detailed by William Chanconie. Sit on the floor, back against the edge of the seat, knees bent and feet flat, slightly turned outwards to fully open the hips during the movement. The shoulders then come to rest on the edge, the elbows open to the sides to stabilize the upper body.
Once the posture is in place, we place a load on the pelvis: bar in the gym, dumbbell, water pack or backpack filled with books at home. The hips rise towards the sky, pushing hard into the heels, the bust covered, until forming a horizontal line between knees, hips and shoulders. , warns William Chanconie, because the column must remain protected. The coach advises starting without weights to master the movement, then gradually increasing the load. To gain volume and accentuate the curve, he suggests working dynamically, on 4 to 5 series of 8 to 15 pelvis lifts. For pure strengthening, he talks more about 4 to 5 series with 4 to 6 lifts, while for already round buttocks that you want to firm or lift, he focuses on 30 to 40 repetitions with a very light load, even empty.
3 variations of the hip thrust to develop the curve of the buttocks
Once the basic hip thrust is in place, the desire quickly arises to complicate the work of the glutes. The most obvious solution is to add weight to the pelvis. To break the routine and stimulate the muscles differently, we also highlight several variations of the hip thrust that are easy to integrate into a session, provided you maintain a controlled movement and good pelvic stability.
- Single-leg hip thrust: advanced variation where you lie on the ground, one knee bent at 90°, the other leg extended towards the ceiling. By pushing on the heel of the foot on the ground, the pelvis rises, the leg in the air remaining straight. At the top of the movement, squeeze your glutes strongly for 1 to 2 seconds before going back down. The raised leg creates a real balance challenge and strengthens pelvic stability.
- Hip thrust with elevated feet: here, the feet rest on a raised support, like a step, while the knees remain bent at 90°. The pelvis rises and falls in a controlled movement. With the feet higher than the ground, the amplitude of the lift increases and the glutes, but also the hamstrings, are more used. Weights can be added to make the exercise more demanding.
- Hip thrust with resistance band: an elastic band is placed around the thighs, just above the knees. When going up, you should push your knees slightly outwards against the band to maintain constant tension, which increases the activation of the glutes, particularly the gluteus medius.
Does the hip thrust replace squats and lunges to strengthen the glutes?
Sources point out that hip thrust strongly targets the buttocks, with around 80% work of the gluteal muscles, while squats and lunges only use 30 to 50%. The latter remain more global exercises, which mobilize a set of muscle groups of the lower limbs, while the hip thrust focuses more on the curve of the buttocks.
Can you do glute hip thrust without weight training equipment?
Yes, William Chanconie explains that you can use a sofa or a bench instead of a bench, and replace the bar with a dumbbell, a water pack or a backpack filled with books, placed on the pelvis. He also specifies that you can start without weights to master the movement before adding a load.
How many sets of hip thrusts should you do to shape your glutes?
To gain volume and accentuate the curve, the coach advises working dynamically, with 4 to 5 series of 8 to 15 pelvic raises. To firm or lift already round buttocks, he suggests focusing on 30 to 40 repetitions with a very light load, or even empty. These benchmarks can apply to classic hip thrust as well as to its variants.
Does the hip thrust work muscles other than the glutes?
According to , the hip thrust is a multi-joint exercise that involves the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and abdominals. Even if the main objective remains the shape of the buttocks, the exercise also helps to strengthen the lower body and the abdominal core.
Is hip thrust suitable if you have flat glutes?
William Chanconie points out that if you find your buttocks soft, drooping or flat, the hip thrust is presented as the exercise par excellence for targeting this area. He insists on the fact that the movement focuses mainly on the gluteus maximus, the largest, the one which gives the desired rounded effect.
