15 Best Hip Thrust Alternative Exercises That Can Help Build Your Glutes

The hip thrust exercise targets the glutes and thighs. And they’re the best for stabilizing the hips and maintaining good balance. But they require a barbell to perform.

Not everyone can afford a barbell or can have access to one. That’s why I have gathered 15 of the best hip thrust alternative exercises that target your hip and hamstring muscles for you to try at home.

What Is Hip Thrust?
Hip thrusts are ideal for developing strength in the quads and activating the glutes. It also helps stabilize the pelvis.

Key Benefits

• Strengthens the glutes and quadriceps.
• Helps stabilize the hips.
• Stabilizes the lower back and knees.
• Good for aligning knee joints.

Muscles Worked

• Glutes (i.e. gluteus maximus and gluteus medius)
• Hamstrings
• Can also target your quads, hip adductors, and core

Limitations

This exercise requires a barbell, which not many people have. But there are many hip thrust alternative exercises that require minimal equipment.

Best hip thrust alternative exercises to target your glutes

Bodyweight Hip Thrusts

The bodyweight hip thrust is an ideal alternative for hip thrust in case you don’t have a barbell.

Level: Beginner.

Equipment Required:

• Exercise mat (optional).
• Low-height box or workout bench.

Steps to follow

• Look for a soft padded bench or a box just a few inches high.
• Place your back on the box or bench and lie down so that your knees are bent and your feet flat on the floor. Keep your head up and your hips down.
• Now, while driving the heels into the ground, thrust the hips up so that your spine is perfectly straight.
• Hold for a few seconds and then lower the hips.
• Repeat for up to 15 reps.

Bodyweight Bridges

Bodyweight bridges burn a lot of fat from your glutes and are low-impact exercises too. They are also one of the most effective hip thrust alternative exercises that require you to use no fitness equipment.

Level: Beginner.
Equipment Required: Exercise mat (optional).

Steps to follow

• Lie down on your mat, or a soft surface with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Your arms should be lying by your side.
• Now, brace your abs and glutes and lift your hips from the floor. You’ll need to drive your heels into the ground to give you more support.
• Gradually lower your pelvis to the floor.
• Repeat for 12-15 reps.

Lunges

Lunges require no equipment and are perfect for freeing up your hip muscles. You don’t need any gym equipment for the exercise. Thus, you can do the hip thrust alternative exercise at home or wherever you want.

Level: Intermediate.
Equipment Required: None.

Steps to follow

• Stand with your feet about hip-width apart.
• Step one leg forward and bend the knees at a 90-degree angle. As you do so, the other leg should also bend down. Your front leg’s shin should be perpendicular to the ground, while the back leg’s shin should be parallel to it. Your arms should be by your side.
• Using your front foot, spring yourself back up and go back to your starting position.
• Repeat for 8-10 reps.

Good Mornings

Good mornings are great hip thrust alternative exercises for engaging your glutes and hamstrings.

Level: Intermediate.
Equipment Required: Free weights (barbell or set of dumbbells) (optional).

Steps to follow

• Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
• Push your pelvis out behind you and hinge at the torso.
• Lower your torso so that it’s parallel to the ground.
• Push your hips forward and spring back up to your starting position.
• You can modify this by holding a dumbbell in both hands close to your chest. Or you can place a barbell on your shoulders.
• Repeat for 10-12 reps.

Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts

The single-leg Romanian deadlift is an ideal hip thrust alternative. It targets the posterior chain. You can perform the exercise without any gym equipment. But you can use a dumbbell to make it more challenging

Level: Intermediate.
Equipment Required: Dumbbells (optional).

Steps to follow

• Keep your feet hip-width apart and stand up straight.
• Grab a dumbbell in each hand and hold it with an overhand grip.
• With a slight bend in one leg, hinge at your torso and bring the dumbbell down to the ground. Your spine should be straight and your arm completely extended. Push the other leg behind you so that its toes touch the floor and it’s in line with your spine.
• Return to your starting position by bracing your glutes. Repeat for 8-10 reps, then switches to the other leg.

Bulgarian Split Squat

The Bulgarian split squat involves using one leg for the movement. That help to target your quads much better, compared to other compound lower-body exercises. You need to have good balance and coordination for the exercise. That helps to target your core quite well.

Level: Intermediate.
Equipment Required: Chair, table, or workout bench.

Steps to follow

• Place a chair or table behind you or any other platform at the same height as your knees.
• Stand 2 feet in front of the chair and face away from it.
• Place a foot on the chair so that the calf is parallel to the ground and your spine is straight.
• Now, bend your other leg at the knee and squat until the knee of your back leg almost touches the floor. In this position, the thigh of your working leg should be parallel to the floor.
• Push yourself back up, keeping your spine straight, and repeat for 8-10 reps.
• Switch legs and repeat.

Kettlebell Swings

The kettlebell swing is another effective hip thrust alternative exercise. It also doubles as a full-body exercise.

Level: Beginner.
Equipment Required: Kettlebell.

Steps to follow

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and keep a kettlebell on the ground between your legs.
• Bend your knees slightly and grab the kettlebell with both hands.
• Pull the weight between your legs and use the resulting force to drive it up into the air in front of you.
• Keep lifting the kettlebell until it’s at your shoulder height.
• Now, swing it back between your legs, your body moving along with it.
• Repeat for 15-20 reps.

Single-Leg Hip Thrust

The single-leg hip thrust stands as a good alternative to the hip thrust as it engages the same muscle groups.

Level: Intermediate.
Equipment Required: Padded bench (optional).

Steps to follow

• Find a padded bench that is at the same height as your knees.
• Rest your upper back on the bench and bend your knees to bring your feet close to your hips.
• Start by lifting your non-dominant leg from the floor. Lift the leg at the hip, maintaining the knee bend while also lifting the pelvis.
• Place the foot back down on the floor and repeat 10-12 reps.
• Switch the legs and repeat.

Dumbbell Hip Thrust

The dumbbell hip thrust is an ideal hip thrust alternative exercise for stabilizing your glutes and your body.

Level: Intermediate.
Equipment Required: Dumbbell (50 pounds or higher), workout bench, step, or box.

Steps to follow

Find a bench and place a heavy dumbbell on the ground next to it.
With your upper back on the bench, bend your knees in front of you. Your calves should be perpendicular to the ground. Keep your feet flat on the floor and your pelvis on the floor.
Pick up the dumbbell and place it on your lap.
Gradually lift the pelvis so that your spine is straight.
Bring the hips back down and repeat for 10-12 reps.

45-Degree Back Extensions

Although this exercise requires equipment, it can be done without any.

Level: Intermediate.
Equipment Required: Dumbbell, Sturdy bar.

Steps to follow

• Get your setup ready. Find a bar that is jutting out from the wall and below your hip line. Pad it with a towel or foam and place a dumbbell a few feet away from it.
• Rest your hips close to the bar and extend your legs back until they meet the dumbbell. Your body should be at a 45-degree angle by now.
• Keeping your legs steady, start with your back straight and in line with the rest of your body.
• Then, hinge at the torso and lower your chest to the floor. Keep your arms tucked on your chest.
• Keep going down until you can no longer do so, then gradually come back up.
• Repeat for 10-12 reps.

Reverse Hyperextension

This alternative exercise to hip thrust works out the same muscles as the hip thrust

Level: Beginner.
Equipment Required: Sit-up Bench.

Steps to follow

• Get a low bench and lie on it face down. Your hip should rest just on the edge of the bench.
• Grab the sides of the bench and slightly bend your knees—Tuck your ankles against each other.
• In this position, extend the legs back and raise them until they’re almost in line with the rest of the body.
• Hold for a few seconds and return to your starting position.
• Repeat for 10-12 reps.

Single-Leg Dumbbell Hip Thrust

This exercise is the best hip thrust alternative for people who want to add a bit more weight to their exercise.

Level: Intermediate.
Equipment Required: Padded bench, Dumbbell.

Steps to follow

• Get a padded bench and rest your upper back on it.
• Bend your knees so that your feet are tucked into your pelvis.
• Place a dumbbell onto your lap.
• Start by lifting your non-dominant leg and your hips simultaneously. Your leg should remain bent as you lift it so that the thigh is perpendicular to the ground. Your hips should be in line with your body. Make sure the dumbbell doesn’t fall.
• Push the hips back down and repeat for 8-10 reps.
• Repeat with the other leg.

Single-Leg Banded Hip Thrust

The single-leg banded hip thrust engages one leg at a time, allowing you to focus more on your muscles.

Level: Intermediate.
Equipment Required: Padded bench, Resistance band, Band pegs.

Steps to follow

• Get a padded bench and rest your upper back on it with your knees bent and feet near your hips.
• Secure one end of the resistance band on a peg on the floor. Cross the other end over your body and secure it on the peg too. The band should be at your hip Level: or lower.
• Raise your non-dominant leg (while it’s still bent) until the thigh is perpendicular to the floor. Also, raise your hips so that they’re in line with your body.
• Lower your hips and your leg and repeat for 8-10 reps.
• Switch to your dominant leg and repeat.

Final Words from Livelife

Hip thrusts are crucial if you want to strengthen your glutes and quads. But since they require a barbell, not everyone can conveniently do the exercises in the comfort of their home

The best alternative hip thrust alternative exercises we have discussed in this article are all bodyweight exercises. These do not require any gym equipment. Thus, you can do them at home. But you can use some equipment to make the exercises more challenging if you want.

We hope the article will inspire you and help you build your glutes for a healthy body