Execution form
- EquipmentSmith machine
- PatternHinge
- Reps8 to 20 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
How to do the Smith Machine Hip Thrust
Set up. Place a bench beside the Smith machine. Sit with your upper back on the bench, the padded bar over your hips and your feet flat.
- Unhook the bar and drive your hips up through your heels.
- Finish level with your knees and shoulders.
- Squeeze, then lower under control.
- Hook the bar back after the set.
Form cues
- Tuck the chin.
- Keep the shins vertical at the top.
- Pad the bar.
Common mistakes
- Arching the lower back.
- Placing the bench where the bar path is awkward.
Muscles worked
Main target: Glutes. The glutes are the three muscles of the buttock. They extend the hip, standing up out of a squat or finishing a hinge, and keep the pelvis level on one leg.
On the way: Hamstrings.
Its other side: Quads, in the knees and hips pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Smith Machine Hip Thrust, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Hack Squat Superset partner: it trains the other side of the knees and hips pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Seated Calf Raise Same legs session: it trains the calves.
- Cossack Squat Same legs session: it trains the adductors.
- Hip Abduction Often left out: it trains the abductors, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
5 movements, the Smith Machine Hip Thrust first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Smith Machine Hip Thrust 3 × 8 to 20 reps
- Hack Squat 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Seated Calf Raise 3 × 10 to 25 reps
- Cossack Squat 3 × 5 to 15 reps
- Hip Abduction 3 × 12 to 25 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Glute Bridge
Bodyweight
Gym or cable swap
Cable Pull-Through
Cable
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Hip Thrust.
Other variations of the Hip Thrust: Glute Bridge, Cable Pull-Through, B-Stance Hip Thrust and Hip Thrust Machine.
Do before it: Glute Bridge (same movement, lighter), Single-Leg Glute Bridge (same movement, lighter) and Banded Lateral Walk (glutes switched on).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Smith Machine Hip Thrust is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Smith Machine Hip Thrust?
Set up: Place a bench beside the Smith machine. Sit with your upper back on the bench, the padded bar over your hips and your feet flat. Steps: 1. Unhook the bar and drive your hips up through your heels. 2. Finish level with your knees and shoulders. 3. Squeeze, then lower under control. 4. Hook the bar back after the set. Form cues: Tuck the chin. Keep the shins vertical at the top. Pad the bar. Common mistakes: Arching the lower back. Placing the bench where the bar path is awkward.
What muscles does the Smith Machine Hip Thrust work?
It trains the glutes as its main target and works the hamstrings on the way.
What can I do instead of the Smith Machine Hip Thrust?
At home: Glute Bridge. In a gym: Cable Pull-Through. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Smith Machine Hip Thrust with?
Good partners in the same workout are Hack Squat, Seated Calf Raise, Cossack Squat and Hip Abduction.
How heavy should the Smith Machine Hip Thrust be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.