The banded hip thrust is an easy, but effective, way to target your glutes. It also works other muscles including the hamstrings. Banded hip thrusts can be done in the gym but also at home making them a very effective and versatile exercise.
Equipment Needed
You will need an exercise band to perform these hip thrusts. There are many resistance levels of exercise bands which can increase the intensity of the movement.
If these are a new exercise for you, you can start with a lighter resistance band before moving up to the thicker, stronger ones.
Benefits of Banded Hip Thrusts
If you’re looking at physique development, the hip thrust is one of the best ways to grow and shape the glutes.
This is an exercise that also helps develop better strength and hip mobility while also targeting and strengthening the hamstrings.
Another benefit of this exercise is the functional strength gains you will get from it. Banded hip thrusts will help with jumping and running power, but also in day to day activities such as walking upstairs, or having to bend over to pick up heavier items.
Banded Hip Thrust Muscles Worked
We’ve mentioned how hip thrusts primarily target the glutes and hamstrings, but they work quite a few other muscles including:
- The upper glutes
- Lower glutes
- The lower back
- Quads
- Core muscles
- Hip flexors
- Obliques
How To Do Banded Hip Thrusts Step By Step
The first thing you need to do is set up your band properly. There are a few ways you can do this. If you’re in a gym, you can hook each end of the band to the bottom hooks on a squat cage.
You’ll want to make sure they are secure and maybe put a 45-pound plate against the end of each band to hold it in place.
Another way is to take two heavy dumbbells and loop each end of the band around each of the dumbbell handles. You would place a bench horizontally behind the dumbbells which should both be facing forward. From there:
- Start by sitting on the floor with the bench behind you
- Pull up the band to place yourself under it with the band lying across your hip bones
- Bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the floor
- Spread your arms outward across the bench so that your upper back is able to be in contact with it
- Inhale and drive your hips upward making sure to squeeze your glutes at the top of the motion
- Lower back under control to the starting position
Make sure to keep your upper body as straight as possible through the movement and make sure not to pull your head back or push your head and chin downward – everything needs to be kept straight.
It’s also helpful to keep your core contracted throughout the motion for proper abdominal engagement and to help with form.
Variations
Another option to make these banded hip thrusts as simple as possible is to loop the band around your thighs or knees to do them on the floor.
This time you will keep the upper part of your back and arms flat on the floor and drive your hips upward in the same way. You can also use a bench to do this too.
Another variation involves doing one leg at a time so as you would drive your hips up, one leg would leave the floor to continue to drive the knee upward. You would then repeat with the other leg to make up one repetition. These are a bit more difficult so you may need a lighter band for them.
You can also do your set amount of reps with each leg before moving on to the opposite, instead of alternating from leg to leg.
There is also the option to change your foot placement for this exercise. Place one foot farther ahead of the other to create a variation in the exercise and recruit the muscles in a different manner.
Tips & Tricks
- Make sure to use the hips to drive you upward and don’t use your upper body to push you up
- Drive through the heels as you move upward
- Keep the abs tight throughout the whole movement
- Squeeze the glutes at the top
- Exhale as you drive upward and inhale when you return to the starting position
- Get a full extension of the hips at the top of the movement
- Concentrate on pushing the knees outward and don’t let them collapse in
