Single-Leg Hip Thrust

HOW TO DO IT

1. 1Sit on the floor with your upper back against a stable bench.
2. 2Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground.
3. 3Lift one foot off the floor and extend that leg, keeping the thigh roughly in line with your torso.
4. 4Drive through the heel of the planted foot to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knee.
5. 5Squeeze the glute of the working leg hard at the top and hold for one second.
6. 6Lower your hips back down with control until they nearly touch the floor, then repeat for the target reps before switching sides.

COMMON MISTAKES

• Letting the hip on the free-leg side drop, which turns it into a twisting movement.
• Hyperextending the lower back instead of using the hips.
• Lifting the head and looking forward.
• Placing the planted foot too far from the glutes.
• Rushing the descent and bouncing off the floor.
• Pushing through the toes of the planted foot and losing heel contact.

TIPS

• Keep the pelvis level; imagine a glass of water on each hip bone and do not let it tip toward the free leg.
• Drive through the mid-foot and heel of the planted foot, not the toes.
• Keep the chin tucked and the ribs down so the movement comes from the hips, not the lower back.
• Hold the free leg still rather than letting it drift or swing.
• Pause for one second at the top to maximize muscle activation.

SAFETY

• Stop if you feel pinching at the front of the hip or the lower back takes over.
• Regress to the two-legged version if the pelvis cannot be kept level.
• Avoid if you have an acute lower-back or hip injury.

DETAILS

Muscles

Glutes

Equipment

Bodyweight

Type

Strength Training

Difficulty

Advanced

Tracked as

Weight & Reps

TECHNIQUE

Load position

On the hips

Legs

One