“Each glute bridges and hip thrusts goal the glutes, however the positioning and tools are totally different,” says Ellen Thompson, CPT, a private coach with Blink Health. Whereas glute bridges are carried out on the ground, typically with out tools, hip thrusts use a bench and, usually, weights.
So, which method is best on your glutes? We tapped just a few health specialists to search out out every little thing you have to know in regards to the glute bridge versus the hip thrust.
Glute Bridges
The glute bridge is an easy and efficient solution to isolate your glutes. Different decrease physique workouts, corresponding to squats and deadlifts, additionally work your glutes, however require extra enter out of your legs and core to keep up posture and coordinate the motion.
“If I’m mendacity on the ground, I don’t need to do any of that,” says Steve Stonehouse, CPT, vice chairman of programming and training at BFT. You possibly can merely deal with concentrating on the glutes.
do them with appropriate type each time
Lindsay Ogden, CPT, a private coach with Life Time in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, breaks down the best way to carry out a glute bridge step-by-step:
- Lie in your again along with your knees bent and your toes flat on the ground, about hip-width aside. Your toes must be shut sufficient to your hips that in the event you attain one hand at a time towards every heel, you would simply contact it along with your fingers.
- Relaxation your higher arms and elbows on the ground and make a fist along with your arms.
- Tuck your tailbone barely. Squeeze your glutes and core, then press your heels into the bottom to drive your hips up towards the ceiling till you type a diagonal line from knees to hips to chest.
- Squeeze your glutes on the prime of the train and pause for a second.
- Then slowly decrease your hips again right down to the ground.
- Repeat.
Start with three to 4 units of 10 to twenty reps of body weight glute bridges and add resistance with a band or dumbbell in your hips as you progress.
You too can carry out glute bridges along with your arms down by your sides if that is extra snug for you.
Muscle tissues labored
“Because the title suggests, the glute bridge primarily targets the glutes, particularly the gluteus maximus,” Ogden says. Nonetheless, there are different muscle tissue concerned within the train.
These are the muscle tissue which might be labored in a glute bridge, in line with Ogden:
- Gluteus maximus: The gluteus maximus (additionally referred to as the glute max) is the meatiest a part of your butt and the most important muscle in your physique. It’s a serious contributor to strolling, operating, and leaping, and helps stabilize your hips and pelvis.
- Hamstrings: This group of three muscle tissue is positioned on the again of your thigh, out of your hip to only beneath your knee. They assist straighten your hips on the prime of the glute bridge and bend your knees as you come back your hips to the ground.
- Calves: The calves include three muscle tissue behind your decrease leg. They activate to push your toes into the bottom in the course of the glute bridge.
Execs
The glute bridge is usually thought of a newbie glute train. “You’re mendacity on the bottom, which limits the vary of movement,” Stonehouse says. In different phrases, you may’t raise your hips very excessive throughout a glute bridge in comparison with a hip thrust, so your glutes don’t need to work as laborious. This makes the glute bridge an efficient solution to ease into glute coaching.
Glute bridges are additionally ultimate for individuals who work out at house or lack entry to quite a lot of health tools as a result of you are able to do them anyplace you may lie flat on the ground.
Cons
Whereas glute bridges are a fantastic possibility for novices, their restricted vary of motions means intermediate and superior exercisers might not discover them difficult sufficient to strengthen or develop their glutes.
Progressing glute bridges might be tough. You possibly can strive single-leg glute bridges or add resistance with a band round your knees or a dumbbell in your hips. Nonetheless, there comes a degree when the resistance received’t be sufficient. “The glutes are very highly effective muscle tissue, so you may often load up on the burden and push it simply tremendous,” Stonehouse says.
Even utilizing a barbell might not provide sufficient of a problem. Relying on the dimensions of the burden plates, chances are you’ll have to raise your hips just a few inches off the ground to even make contact with the bar, which suggests you received’t press the burden very far, Stonehouse explains.
“Each glute bridges and hip thrusts goal the glutes, however the positioning and tools are totally different.” —Ellen Thompson, CPT
Hip Thrusts
The hip thrust is one other glute isolation train, although elevating your shoulders makes it extra advanced—and difficult—than the glute bridge.
“As a result of the shoulders are elevated on a field or bench, there is a better bend on the hips, leading to a extra important stretch of the glutes because of the elevated vary of movement,” Ogden explains.
do them with appropriate type each time
Carry out a correct hip thrust with these directions from Ogden:
- Seize a sturdy field or bench that’s knee-height (or barely shorter). Place the field or bench towards a wall or place a heavy weight behind it to make sure it doesn’t transfer in the course of the train.
- Sit on the ground going through away from the field or bench and bend your knees, putting your toes flat on the ground, about hip-width aside (or barely wider). Inch your self again towards the field or bench till you’re capable of set your again (just below your shoulder blades) on the sting. Your glutes might be lifted off the ground.
- Push into your toes to drive your hips up, conserving your gaze trying previous your knees.
- Squeeze your glutes and push your hips ahead on the prime whereas sustaining a impartial backbone. Your torso must be parallel to the ground.
- Launch your hips towards the ground.
- Repeat.
Freshmen ought to begin with three to 4 units of 10 to twenty reps of body weight hip thrusts. Intermediate and superior exercisers can incorporate resistance by including a band across the knees or putting a barbell on prime of the hips.
Muscle tissues labored
Hip thrusts primarily work the glutes, however different muscle tissue kick in to assist with the motion.
In response to Ogden, these are the first muscle tissue focused in a hip thrust:
- Gluteus maximus: That is the principle muscle concerned in urgent your hips up throughout a hip thrust.
- Hamstrings: Your hamstrings assist raise your glutes and return them to the beginning place.
- Quadriceps: This group of muscle tissue on the entrance of your thigh runs from above your knee to beneath your hip. Your quadriceps (also referred to as the quads) have interaction as you straighten your knees (even when they don’t lock out) and preserve your knees aligned along with your ankles in the course of the train.
- Hip adductors: These muscle tissue within the internal thigh assist stabilize your hips as you press them up. Your hip adductors additionally contribute to strolling, operating, and leaping.
Execs
Since you elevate your shoulders, hip thrusts permit you to achieve a better hip vary of movement, making them more practical for strengthening or rising your glutes. “Think about doing a biceps curl and ranging from a place the place you’re 30 p.c of the way in which there, versus going all the way in which down and all the way in which up,” Stonehouse says. Shifting your muscle tissue by means of that further 30 p.c vary of movement solely makes them stronger.
The flexibility to maneuver by means of a better vary of movement additionally makes it simpler so as to add resistance to hip thrusts, Stonehouse says. Many individuals go for a barbell however you can too use free weights or bands. In any case, you’ve gotten many choices for making the hip thrust more difficult, so you retain seeing glute good points.
Cons
The hip thrust requires extra effort to arrange: It’s essential to discover a field or bench and safe it so it doesn’t slide throughout the ground. When you’re utilizing a barbell, you need to set it up and situate it comfortably in your hips (many individuals use a barbell pad for cushioning). This difficult setup makes the hip thrust much less accessible and approachable for many individuals, Stonehouse notes.
And, as a result of the hip thrust is usually carried out with weight, correct type is much more essential. You threat ache or harm in the event you get sloppy along with your type or use extra weight than you may raise with the right approach.
Freshmen, specifically, might wish to begin with extra simple glute workouts such because the glute bridge, or maintain off on hip thrusts till they’re capable of work with a health skilled who can present them the right type.
Glute bridge vs. hip thrust: the underside line
The glute bridge and hip thrust are two efficient workouts for isolating the glutes. Each contain mendacity in your again and lifting your hips whereas conserving your toes flat on the ground, although glute bridges are carried out on the ground and hip thrusts are achieved along with your shoulders elevated.
Every motion affords perks, however the hip thrust is the higher butt train.
“Extending the vary of movement and including weight will increase your skill to get stronger,” Stonehouse explains.
Nonetheless, the glute bridge is efficient and stands out as the ultimate possibility for novices and people with restricted entry to tools.
