Legs · Barbell
Barbell Hip Thrust
How to do the barbell hip thrust, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Hinge
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Sit on the ground with your upper back against a bench, a barbell over your hips. Thrust your hips upward, squeezing your glutes at the top, then lower back down.
- 1Feel your glutes driving the barbell up as you extend your hips
- 2Keep your upper back on the bench and core engaged
- 3Squeeze at the top and pause before lowering
Common mistakes
- Avoid hyperextending your lower back or leaning your head forward
- Don't push through your toes; press through heels
- Avoid dropping your hips quickly; control the descent
Muscles worked
The barbell hip thrust mainly works the glutes, with the hamstrings, lower back, and quads assisting.
- GlutesPrimary
- HamstringsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- QuadsSupport
- Upper AbsMinor
Barbell Hip Thrust strength standards
See how your barbell hip thrust ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.
Bronzee1RM100 lb
Silvere1RM190 lb
Golde1RM315 lb
Platinume1RM450 lb
Diamonde1RM532.5 lb
Champione1RM602.5 lb
Find your rank
Enter your best set. We estimate your 1RM and match it to a tier.
Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.
Kovo programs the barbell 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 April 2026.