Glute Bridge vs. Hip Thrust: Which Exercise is Better?

When it comes to sculpting the perfect butt, there are a plethora of exercises to choose from. However, two of the most popular exercises for targeting the glutes are the glute bridge and hip thrust. Both exercises have gained popularity in recent years and are often incorporated into workout routines. However, the question remains: which exercise is better for building a stronger and more toned butt?

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the glute bridge vs. hip thrust debate, examining the differences between the two exercises and helping you decide which one is right for you. Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast looking to switch up your routine or a beginner trying to find the best exercises for your goals, this article will provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision.

What is a Glute Bridge?

A glute bridge is a popular exercise that primarily targets the gluteus maximus, the largest muscle in the glutes. It is a simple exercise that can be done with or without equipment and is often used in warm-up routines or as a standalone exercise to strengthen and tone the glutes.

To perform a glute bridge, start by lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your arms at your sides, palms facing down. Engage your core and glutes, and lift your hips up towards the ceiling until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Pause briefly at the top, then slowly lower your hips back down to the starting position.

The glute bridge can be modified to increase or decrease the difficulty level. To make the exercise more challenging, you can place a resistance band around your thighs or hold a weight across your hips. Alternatively, to make the exercise easier, you can place your feet closer to your body or keep them flat on the ground throughout the movement.

The glute bridge offers several benefits, including improving hip mobility, reducing lower back pain, and enhancing athletic performance. Additionally, it is a great exercise for beginners, as it is simple to perform and requires little equipment. Incorporating glute bridges into your workout routine can help strengthen your glutes, which can lead to improved posture, better balance, and increased power in activities such as running, jumping, and lifting weights.

What is a Hip Thrust?

A hip thrust is an exercise that primarily targets the glutes, specifically the gluteus maximus, and is often used in strength training and bodybuilding programs to build a stronger and more toned butt. The exercise involves lifting the hips off the ground while keeping the upper back and shoulders pressed against a bench or other stable surface.

To perform a hip thrust, start by sitting on the ground with your upper back against a bench or step, knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place a barbell or weight across your hips, or use a resistance band for added resistance. Engage your core and glutes, and push your hips up towards the ceiling until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Pause briefly at the top, then lower your hips back down to the starting position.

The hip thrust can also be performed without weight or equipment, using just bodyweight or a resistance band for added resistance. To increase the difficulty level, you can use a heavier weight or perform the exercise on a single leg.

The hip thrust offers several benefits, including improved glute strength and muscle definition, increased hip mobility and flexibility, and reduced risk of lower back pain. It is also a great exercise for athletes and fitness enthusiasts who want to improve their performance in activities such as running, jumping, and lifting weights.

Which exercise is better, the hip thrust or the glute bridge?

Glute Bridge vs. Hip Thrust

A study was conducted comparing the two exercises to see which is better. The purpose of the study was to compare the hip thrust with the glute bridge.

The question being evaluated was if either of the exercises is better than the other for stimulating overall hip extension strength and gluteus maximus strength, as measured by EMG (electromyography).

The researchers concluded that the hip thrust is superior to the glute bridge when it comes to building the gluteus maximus.

1. Glute bridges are great for beginners because they are able to focus all of their energy on the glutes, without having to worry about stabilizing muscles. On an EMG test, powerlifters were shown to get more muscle activation with the hip thrust than the glute bridge.

2. The glutes are the biggest muscles in the body, so they need to be worked with heavyweights. The glute bridge does not effectively work the glutes because most people do the exercise wrong. They do not thrust their hips high enough and they let the weight rest on their legs, which reduces the effectiveness of the exercise. The hip thrust helps people not only work the glutes but also the hamstrings and quads.

The glute bridge is a great exercise to do first in a workout, but the hip thrust is a better overall exercise to help people gain size and strength.

The decision between hip thrusts and glute bridges seems to be one of personal preference. In other words:

  • If you are unable or unwilling to perform the glute bridge then hip thrusts are a suitable alternative.
  • If you need to train the glutes at home then either exercise would be fine, although it has been shown that the hip thrust is better for training power.
  • If your goal is to increase maximum hip extension torque then hip thrusts would be better, as it’s been shown that the glute bridge doesn’t increase with greater levels of hip extension ROM.
  • Finally, if your goal is to train the glutes with heavier loads then hip thrusts are recommended.

Conclusion

The hip thrust and glute bridge are two different exercises that can be used to train the glutes.

They have been shown to effectively activate the glutes, produce similar levels of strength increases, and offer similar training effects. The hip thrust has been shown to transfer better to sprint performance, whereas the glute bridge offers more versatility as it can easily be performed at home. If you are unable or unwilling to perform the glute bridge then hip thrusts are a suitable alternative.

If your goal is to increase maximum hip extension torque then the hip thrust is recommended, whereas if your goal is to train the glutes with heavy loads then hip thrusts are recommended.

It appears as though both exercises produce similar levels of glute soreness. Thus, the bottom line is that you need to experiment with both exercises in order to determine which one works best for your personal goals and preferences.

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