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Single Leg Hip Thrust

Difficulty: ⭐⭐ Intermediatehinge

Home Setup

Use a sturdy couch, chair, or coffee table as your elevated surface. Position yourself so your upper back rests on the edge with feet flat on the ground.

CouchSturdy chairCoffee tableBed edge

💡 Pro tip: Place a pillow or folded towel under your upper back for comfort, and use a yoga mat under your foot for better grip

Gym Setup

Standard weight bench or plyo box set at approximately knee height when seated

Safety: Ensure the bench is stable and won't slide. Keep your neck neutral and avoid hyperextending your lower back at the top position

💪 Muscles Worked

Gluteus MaximusHamstringsGluteus MediusErector SpinaeCore Stabilizers

⭐ Why This Exercise?

The single leg hip thrust is an excellent unilateral exercise that builds powerful glutes and hamstrings while addressing strength imbalances between sides. This movement enhances hip stability, improves athletic performance in running and jumping, and helps develop better balance and coordination through its single-leg demand.

Make It Easier

Regressions for building up strength

1. Glute Bridge (Two Legs)

floor + mat

Removes the elevation and uses both legs for support, reducing stability demands and overall difficulty

2. Elevated Glute Bridge (Two Legs)

bench + box

Adds elevation but maintains bilateral support, building strength before progressing to single leg

3. Single Leg Glute Bridge (Floor)

floor + mat

Introduces unilateral work without the increased range of motion from elevation

Make It Harder

Progressions for advanced athletes

1. Single Leg Hip Thrust with Pause

bench + box

Adding a 2-3 second pause at the top increases time under tension and strengthens the peak contraction

2. Deficit Single Leg Hip Thrust

bench + box + weight plate + step

Elevating the working foot on a platform increases range of motion and glute activation

3. Single Leg Hip Thrust with Band Resistance

bench + box + resistance band

Adding a resistance band around the hips increases load throughout the movement without requiring weights

↕️ Similar Movements

Bulgarian Split Squat
Another unilateral lower body exercise with elevated rear foot that complements hip thrust by adding knee flexion emphasis
Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
Unilateral hip hinge pattern performed standing that develops similar posterior chain muscles with balance challenge
Nordic Hamstring Curl
Advanced hamstring-focused exercise that pairs well with the glute emphasis of hip thrusts
Pistol Squat
Advanced single-leg movement that develops complementary quad strength and mobility
Step-Ups
Unilateral leg exercise that trains similar muscles in a vertical plane rather than horizontal

Form Checklist

✓Drive through your heel, not your toes, keeping foot flat on the ground
✓Squeeze your glute hard at the top and maintain a straight line from knee to shoulder
✓Keep your ribs down and core braced to avoid overarching your lower back
✓Extend the non-working leg straight out or bend at 90 degrees, keeping it stable throughout
✓Your shin should be vertical at the top position with knee over ankle

Common Mistakes

  • •Hyperextending the lower back at the top instead of achieving hip extension through glute contraction
  • •Pushing through the toes instead of the heel, which shifts emphasis away from glutes
  • •Allowing the hips to rotate or drop to one side, losing pelvic stability
  • •Placing the bench too high or too low, compromising optimal shoulder position
  • •Rushing the movement instead of controlling both the lifting and lowering phases

📈 When to Progress

Progress when you can perform 3 sets of 12-15 controlled reps per leg with a 1-second squeeze at the top, maintaining perfect form without hip rotation or lower back compensation. You should feel primary fatigue in the glute, not the lower back or hamstrings.