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LegsBarbellIsolation — hip extension

Barbell Hip Thrust

Reviewed by Bryan Cortez, MS

Peak glute tension at full lockout — ribs down, squeeze, don't arch the back.

Rep Sweet Spot
8-15
Sets
3-4
sets
RIR
0-2

How to do it

Setup

  • Upper back on a bench, padded bar over the hips, feet flat so the shins are vertical at the top.

Execution

  • Drive through the heels, squeeze the glutes to full hip extension, ribs down (no arch), lower under control.

Common Errors

  • Hyperextending the lower back instead of locking the hips
  • Chin and ribs flaring up at the top
  • Feet too far out (hamstring takes over) or too close (quad takes over)
  • Partial range with no full glute squeeze

No-Fly Zone

under 5 reps (becomes a low-back/quad grind, not a glute move)

Programming

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The Evidence

Builds glute mass with heavy, direct tension at lockout. Does NOT train the stretched-position glute the way deep squats/lunges do — use both.

SFR — 1.2

Train with the system.

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What about supplements?

Train hard and hit your protein first — that's most of it. If the fundamentals are handled, two are worth it for building muscle:

Creatine

Monohydrate, 5 g/day. The most studied muscle supplement.

See it on Divine Wellness USA

Clean Whey protein

An easy way to hit your daily protein target.

See it on Divine Wellness USA

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.