Health Shots caught up with fitness coach and Fit India Ambassador Vanita Ashok, who tells us effective ways to add hip thrusts to your fitness regime. She also explains in detail the different variations of the hip thrust as well as common mistakes.
How to add hip thrusts to your routine?
- If you’re looking for ways to strengthen your glute muscles, hip thrusts are a great way to do so. You may want to start with just your body weight and add weights and variations later. “Start with low repetitions and sets. For example, you can start with 2 sets of 8 reps and gradually increase it,” she says.
How to do hip thrust correctly?
- Use a yoga mat or towel to support your back
- Sit on a yoga mat with your upper back and shoulders pressed into the fat, feet flat on the ground hip-width apart and knees bent
- Engage your glutes and lift your hips up toward the ceiling, squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement.
- Lower your hips back to the starting position, keeping your glutes engaged throughout the movement.
- Repeat this movement
As you progress, you can increase the weight or reps to further challenge your glutes. But there are some things worth remembering. “It is very important to warm up before starting any exercise routine. If you want to get clarity on possible injuries, you can also consider consulting a certified personal trainer or healthcare provider,” says Ashok.
What are the most common hip thrust mistakes?
Here are some of the most common mistakes when doing hip thrusts.
1. Arching your back
Keep your spine in a neutral position and avoid arching your back during the movement.
2. Not involving your glutes
Focus on squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement to make sure you’re targeting the right muscles.
3. Raise too high
Avoid raising your hips too high, as this can put unnecessary pressure on your lower back.
4. Using your lower back
Make sure you’re using your glutes to lift your hips, rather than relying on your lower back.
5. Not using enough weight
To see results, you need to challenge your muscles with enough weight. As you get stronger, gradually increase the weight.
6. Letting Your Knees Collapse
Keep your knees in line with your feet throughout the movement to avoid injury.
7. Not breathing properly
Exhale as you lift your hips up and inhale as you lower them back down. This will help you maintain proper form and engage your core.
Can weight be added for hip thrust?
If you’re wondering how you can make your hip thrusts more effective, it’s important to note that weight can be added. “Adding weight is a good idea. This will increase resistance and further challenge the glutes. This can be done using barbells, dumbbells or resistance bands. “It’s important to start with a light weight and gradually increase the weight as you become stronger and more comfortable with the exercises,” explains Ashok.
7 variations of hip thrust
Trying different variations will help keep the routine more engaging. Ashok tells us different ways to do hip thrust.
1. Single-Leg Hip Thrust
This variation involves applying hip thrust by lifting one leg off the ground, which increases activation of the glutes and challenges balance and stability.
2. Banded Hip Thrust
Adding a resistance band around the thighs or above the knees can increase tension and activation of the glutes.
3. Barbell Hip Thrust
Using a barbell on the hips can add significant resistance and challenge to an exercise.
4. High hip thrust
Elevating your legs on a bench or stairs can increase the range of motion and activation of the glutes.
5. Weighted hip thrust
Adding weight to exercises with dumbbells, kettlebells or barbells can increase resistance and further challenge the glutes.
6. Frog Pump
This variation involves lying on your back with your legs together and knees out to the sides, then lifting and lowering your hips to target the glutes and inner thighs.
7. Glute Bridge March
This variation involves lifting one leg at a time while keeping a bridge position, which increases activation of the glutes and challenges stability.
