A hip thrust, or bridge, exercise involves extending the hips, pulling them forward to a neutral position with the spine. This movement works your core muscles: the glutes, hamstrings, and low back and abdominal muscles. You can do hip thrust exercises on the floor or for more of a balance challenge, on a stability ball.
Basic Hip Thrust
You do not need any extra equipment to do the basic hip thrust exercise. Lie on your back on a mat with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Relax your arms on the floor along your sides with your palms facing down. Engage your abdominal muscles by pulling your navel down toward the floor. Squeeze your glute muscles and lift your hips until your body is a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. MayoClinic.com recommends holding the bridge for three deep breaths.
Single-Leg Hip Thrust
Increase the difficulty of the basic hip thrust by working one leg at a time. Start in the same position as you do for the basic hip thrust. Pull your left knee in toward your chest and hold your thigh with both hands. This eliminates the left leg from the exercise. Pushing only through the right leg, lift your hips until they are in line with your shoulders and knees. Exhale as you press up, and inhale as you lower your hips.
Stability Ball Hip Thrust
Use a stability ball to increase the difficulty and balance challenge of the hip thrust exercise. Lie on the floor on your back and place your lower legs on top of a stability ball. Lift your hips off the floor until your body is in a straight line from your ankles to your shoulders. You are lifting more of your body weight during this version of the hip thrust because your legs are extended.
Ball Hip Thrust Variations
Adjust the intensity of the ball hip thrust exercise by shifting your body position. Pull your arms close to your sides to make balancing yourself more difficult. Spread them out away from your body to make balancing yourself easier. Once you are holding the bridge, lift one leg off the stability ball to increase the difficulty of the exercise. On any hip thrust exercise variation, do not lift your hips too high. This does not make the exercise more difficult, but rather it arches your low back, placing undue stress on this area.
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