A hip-extension movement performed with the bar fixed on a Smith machine that primarily develops the gluteus maximus. You drive the hips upward from a supine bench position to extend the hips and open the pelvis.
How to do the Smith Machine Hip Thrust#
- Set a flat bench so your shoulder blades rest on it when seated on the floor and lower the Smith bar to sit across your hips.
- Sit with your upper back on the bench, feet flat and hip-width apart, knees bent about 90 degrees, and the bar padded across your hips.
- Brace your core and press through your heels to thrust your hips upward until your torso forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
- Squeeze the glutes at the top for a second, then lower the hips under control until they are just above the floor.
Muscles worked#
- Primary: Glutes (Gluteus Maximus)
- Secondary: Hamstrings (Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus & Semimembranosus), Abs (Rectus Abdominis)
Common mistakes#
- Overextending the lower back instead of driving from the hips.
- Placing the feet too far forward or too close, which reduces force production.
- Using a fast, bouncing motion rather than a controlled concentric and eccentric.
- Letting the bar rest on soft tissue without steady contact or padding.
