Legs · Smith Machine
Smith Kneeling Hip Thrust
How to do the smith kneeling hip thrust, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Smith Machine
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Hinge
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Kneel on a pad with your upper back against a bench and the Smith machine bar racked across your hips. Unrack the bar, then drive your hips forward and up by squeezing your glutes until your thighs and torso form a straight line. Lower under control and repeat.
- 1Drive your hips up and feel your glutes powering the bar
- 2Drive through the front of your shins and squeeze hard at the top
- 3Keep your chin tucked and ribs down to feel tension across your hips and core
Common mistakes
- Don't arch your lower back or push your hips past lockout
- Avoid using your lower back to initiate; focus on the glutes
- Don't let your knees flare wide or cave in; keep them tracking forward
Muscles worked
The smith kneeling hip thrust mainly works the glutes, with the hamstrings, lower back, and quads assisting.
- GlutesPrimary
- HamstringsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- QuadsSupport
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
Kovo programs the smith kneeling 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.