Legs · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Single Leg Hip Thrust
How to do the dumbbell single leg hip thrust, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Hinge
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Rest your upper back against a bench and hold a dumbbell on your hips. Plant one foot flat on the floor and extend the other leg out. Drive through the planted heel to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line, then lower under control.
- 1Drive through the working heel and squeeze that glute hard at the top
- 2Keep your hips level so one side doesn't dip
- 3Hold the dumbbell steady and brace your core throughout
Common mistakes
- Don't arch your lower back to gain height
- Avoid letting your hips rotate or drop on the free-leg side
- Don't push through your toes; keep the weight in your heel
Muscles worked
The dumbbell single leg hip thrust mainly works the glutes and hamstrings, with the lower back, lower abs, and quads assisting.
- GlutesPrimary
- HamstringsPrimary
- Lower BackSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- QuadsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell single leg hip thrust for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More glutes exercises
- How to do the agility ladder drill
- How to do the airdyne bike
- How to do the arc trainer
- How to do the assault bike
- How to do the medicine ball atlas stone lift
- How to do the b stance hip thrust
Last reviewed June 2026.