Everyone wants stronger and more beautiful glutes for many reasons, including the fact that they are the largest and most powerful muscle group in the body. The gluteal muscle group consists of three muscles: Gluteus Maximus (Glute Max for short!), Gluteus Medius and Gluteus Minimus. Glute Max makes up the majority of your butt and its main function is to extend the hip and prevent the upper body from falling forward relative to the lower body and hip.
The most powerful exercise for targeting the Glute Max is the hip thrust, as it emphasizes the fully contracted position, allowing us to obtain the maximum activation of the Glute Max. Initially, hip thrusts, or glute bridges, can be performed on the floor, lying on the back with the knees bent 90%, lifting the hips up as far as possible (without arching the back!) and lowering them back down.
However, most people soon need more load than just body weight to continue making progress. This is where things get tricky, because loading this move is not easy or comfortable and can even be unsafe!
What most people do is place the back of their shoulders on a bench with the front facing up, knees bent and feet flat on the floor, then use a barbell across the hips. Not only is this very uncomfortable, it is also quite challenging to get into position without people handing you the loaded barbell. It also takes up a lot of space.
Another option is to wear something softer, such as a sandbag, over the hips, which is more comfortable, but still awkward and difficult to get enough load to perform the exercise properly.
Hip thrust machine
By far the best option for comfort, safety and effectiveness is to use a machine designed specifically for this exercise. Two great options are the Matrix Glute Trainer – see video here: https://youtu.be/Dl4_ECUA6Tg and the Abs Company Glute Lift – see video here:
https://youtu.be/GhuZld1gyEs?si=Gjnusw0jbEIYtGss
Man or woman, from beginner to Olympic athlete, they can all use this machine!
The hip thrust does NOT involve a large range of motion and the key is holding the top position and squeezing the glutes without arching the back. Try a few sets of 15 – 25 deliberate reps and you’ll immediately see why this is such a powerful glute exercise. It’s important NOT to arch your back and to get an idea of ​​exactly how to perform a Hip Thrust, check out this tutorial from Bret Contreras who literally put the Hip Thrust exercise on the map!: https://youtu.be/LM8XHLYJoYs
If you pair this with exercises that max out the glutes in the fully extended position, such as lunges, step-ups, and back foot raise split squats, you’ll get all the glutes you want. Then all you have to do is add hip abduction for a complete glute routine!
#great #hip #thrust