Barbell Hip Thrust

Barbell Hip Thrust

Get ready to blast your backside with this butt-burning move from Bret Contreras, MA, CSCS, and author of Advanced Techniques in Glutei Maximi Strengthening.

How to do it: Sit on the ground with your back against a bench, feet planted firmly in front of you, and a padded barbell in your lap. Keeping the lumbar spine and knees stable, raise the barbell by extending your hips and pushing the hips upward using the glutes. Rise until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees (full hip extension), and then slowly descend back to the ground.

Contreras recommends mixing up your reps and sets for this move and aiming for 3-4 sets of 6-20 reps. "Some days you can go heavy for lower reps, some days you can go lighter for higher reps, and some days you can do both. I will warn you though, high-rep hip thrusts are brutal. The booty-burn is excruciating!"