Glutes · Barbell

Barbell Single Leg Hip Thrust

One leg, double the glute demand.

Barbell Single Leg Hip Thrust exercise demonstration
GlutesSecondary: HamstringsBarbell

How to do it

  1. Sit with your upper back on a bench and roll a loaded bar over your hips.
  2. Plant one foot flat, knee bent, and lift the other leg off the floor.
  3. Brace your core and drive through the planted heel.
  4. Push your hips up until your body is flat, squeezing the glute hard.
  5. Lower under control and finish all reps before switching legs.

The one cue that matters

Keep your chin tucked and ribs down. Drive through the heel, not the toes.

Muscles worked

Taking one foot off the floor sends the entire barbell load through a single glute, which has to produce the drive and keep your pelvis level at the same time. Each side works alone, so the strong leg cannot quietly bail out the weak one, and the hamstring assists as the hip reaches lockout. It is the strictest test of one sided glute strength you can load with a bar.

FAQ

My hips twist as I press up, how do I fix it?

Drop the weight and slow down. Think about keeping both hip bones pointing at the ceiling, brace your core before the drive, and end the set the moment one side dips. A level pelvis is the standard for every rep that counts.

Single leg or B stance hip thrust, which should I do?

B stance is the stepping stone, the front heel gives you balance while one glute does most of the work. Go full single leg when B stance feels stable and you want maximum isolation. Running both across a week is fine.

Where should my planted foot be?

Flat on the floor, close enough that your shin is roughly vertical at the top of the rep. If your knee shoots forward or you feel it all in your quad, walk the foot out slightly and drive through the heel.

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