Glute Bridges and Hip Thrusts May Look Similar, But Which One Is *Actually* the Better Butt Exercise?

“Each glute bridges and hip thrusts goal the glutes, however the positioning and tools are totally different,” says Ellen Thompson, CPT, a private coach with Blink Health. Whereas glute bridges are carried out on the ground, usually with out tools, hip thrusts use a bench and, usually, weights.

So, which strategy is best to your glutes? We tapped a couple of health consultants to seek out out all the pieces you might want to know concerning the glute bridge versus the hip thrust.

Glute Bridges

The glute bridge is a straightforward and efficient approach to isolate your glutes. Different decrease physique workouts, equivalent to squats and deadlifts, additionally work your glutes, however require extra enter out of your legs and core to take care of posture and coordinate the motion.

“If I’m mendacity on the ground, I don’t need to do any of that,” says Steve Stonehouse, CPT, vice chairman of programming and training at BFT. You’ll be able to merely deal with concentrating on the glutes.

do them with right type each time

Lindsay Ogden, CPT, a private coach with Life Time in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, breaks down carry out a glute bridge step-by-step:

1. Lie in your again along with your knees bent and your toes flat on the ground, about hip-width aside. Your toes must be shut sufficient to your hips that if you happen to attain one hand at a time towards every heel, you can simply contact it along with your fingers.
2. Relaxation your higher arms and elbows on the ground and make a fist along with your arms.
3. Tuck your tailbone barely. Squeeze your glutes and core, then press your heels into the bottom to drive your hips up towards the ceiling till you type a diagonal line from knees to hips to chest.
4. Squeeze your glutes on the high of the train and pause for a second.
5. Then slowly decrease your hips again right down to the ground.
6. Repeat.

Start with three to 4 units of 10 to twenty reps of body weight glute bridges and add resistance with a band or dumbbell in your hips as you progress.

Muscular tissues labored

“Because the identify suggests, the glute bridge primarily targets the glutes, particularly the gluteus maximus,” Ogden says. Nevertheless, there are different muscular tissues concerned within the train.

These are the muscular tissues which can be labored in a glute bridge, in response to Ogden:

• Gluteus maximus: The gluteus maximus (additionally referred to as the glute max) is the meatiest a part of your butt and the most important muscle in your physique. It’s a significant contributor to strolling, operating, and leaping, and helps stabilize your hips and pelvis.
• Hamstrings: This group of three muscular tissues is positioned on the again of your thigh, out of your hip to only under your knee. They assist straighten your hips on the high of the glute bridge and bend your knees as you come back your hips to the ground.
• Calves: The calves encompass three muscular tissues behind your decrease leg. They activate to push your toes into the bottom throughout the glute bridge.

Execs

The glute bridge is commonly thought-about a newbie glute train. “You’re mendacity on the bottom, which limits the vary of movement,” Stonehouse says. In different phrases, you’ll be able to’t elevate your hips very excessive throughout a glute bridge in comparison with a hip thrust, so your glutes don’t need to work as exhausting. This makes the glute bridge an efficient approach to ease into glute coaching.

Glute bridges are additionally ultimate for many who work out at house or lack entry to a wide range of health tools as a result of you are able to do them wherever you’ll be able to lie flat on the ground.

Cons

Whereas glute bridges are an amazing choice for learners, their restricted vary of motions means intermediate and superior exercisers could not discover them difficult sufficient to strengthen or develop their glutes.

Progressing glute bridges might be tough. You’ll be able to strive single-leg glute bridges or add resistance with a band round your knees or a dumbbell in your hips. Nevertheless, there comes a degree when the resistance gained’t be sufficient. “The glutes are very highly effective muscular tissues, so you’ll be able to often load up on the burden and push it simply high-quality,” Stonehouse says.

Even utilizing a barbell could not supply sufficient of a problem. Relying on the dimensions of the burden plates, chances are you’ll must elevate your hips a couple of inches off the ground to even make contact with the bar, which suggests you gained’t press the burden very far, Stonehouse explains.

“Each glute bridges and hip thrusts goal the glutes, however the positioning and tools are totally different.” —Ellen Thompson, CPT

Hip Thrusts

The hip thrust is one other glute isolation train, although elevating your shoulders makes it extra complicated—and difficult—than the glute bridge.

“As a result of the shoulders are elevated on a field or bench, there is a better bend on the hips, leading to a extra important stretch of the glutes because of the elevated vary of movement,” Ogden explains.

do them with right type each time

Carry out a correct hip thrust with these directions from Ogden:

1. Seize a sturdy field or bench that’s knee-height (or barely shorter). Place the field or bench towards a wall or place a heavy weight behind it to make sure it doesn’t transfer throughout the train.
2. Sit on the ground dealing with away from the field or bench and bend your knees, putting your toes flat on the ground, about hip-width aside (or barely wider). Inch your self again towards the field or bench till you’re capable of set your again (just below your shoulder blades) on the sting. Your glutes will probably be lifted off the ground.
3. Push into your toes to drive your hips up, conserving your gaze trying previous your knees.
4. Squeeze your glutes and push your hips ahead on the high whereas sustaining a impartial backbone. Your torso must be parallel to the ground.
5. Launch your hips towards the ground.
6. Repeat.

Learners ought to begin with three to 4 units of 10 to twenty reps of body weight hip thrusts. Intermediate and superior exercisers can incorporate resistance by including a band across the knees or putting a barbell on high of the hips.

Muscular tissues labored

Hip thrusts primarily work the glutes, however different muscular tissues kick in to assist with the motion.

In response to Ogden, these are the first muscular tissues focused in a hip thrust:

• Gluteus maximus: That is the principle muscle concerned in urgent your hips up throughout a hip thrust.
• Hamstrings: Your hamstrings assist elevate your glutes and return them to the beginning place.
• Quadriceps: This group of muscular tissues on the entrance of your thigh runs from above your knee to under your hip. Your quadriceps (also referred to as the quads) have interaction as you straighten your knees (even when they don’t lock out) and hold your knees aligned along with your ankles throughout the train.
• Hip adductors: These muscular tissues within the interior thigh assist stabilize your hips as you press them up. Your hip adductors additionally contribute to strolling, operating, and leaping.

Execs

Since you elevate your shoulders, hip thrusts let you achieve a better hip vary of movement, making them more practical for strengthening or rising your glutes. “Think about doing a biceps curl and ranging from a place the place you’re 30 p.c of the way in which there, versus going all the way in which down and all the way in which up,” Stonehouse says. Transferring your muscular tissues by way of that further 30 p.c vary of movement solely makes them stronger.

The power to maneuver by way of a better vary of movement additionally makes it simpler so as to add resistance to hip thrusts, Stonehouse says. Many individuals go for a barbell however you can even use free weights or bands. In any case, you could have many choices for making the hip thrust more difficult, so you retain seeing glute features.

Cons

The hip thrust requires extra effort to arrange: You will need to discover a field or bench and safe it so it doesn’t slide throughout the ground. In case you’re utilizing a barbell, it’s essential to set it up and situate it comfortably in your hips (many individuals use a barbell pad for cushioning). This difficult setup makes the hip thrust much less accessible and approachable for many individuals, Stonehouse notes.

And, as a result of the hip thrust is commonly carried out with weight, correct type is much more essential. You danger ache or damage if you happen to get sloppy along with your type or use extra weight than you’ll be able to elevate with the proper method.

Learners, particularly, could need to begin with extra easy glute workouts such because the glute bridge, or maintain off on hip thrusts till they’re capable of work with a health skilled who can present them the right type.

Glute bridge vs. hip thrust: the underside line

The glute bridge and hip thrust are two efficient workouts for isolating the glutes. Each contain mendacity in your again and lifting your hips whereas conserving your toes flat on the ground, although glute bridges are carried out on the ground and hip thrusts are finished along with your shoulders elevated.

Every motion provides perks, however the hip thrust is the higher butt train.

“Extending the vary of movement and including weight will increase your capacity to get stronger,” Stonehouse explains.

Nonetheless, the glute bridge is efficient and stands out as the ultimate choice for learners and people with restricted entry to tools.