We hear a lot about squats and squat challenges, but are squats the best way to grow your bum? Both the hip thrust, and the glute bridge are just as effective - if not more effective - as squats, and both are designed to shape and form your glute muscles, build muscle, and create tone. But how do you do glute bridges and hip thrusts correctly? And what is the best exercise for building your bum?
by CHLOE ALEXANDER on
December 5, 2021
If your goal is to give yourself the round, perky, perfect bum that you’ve always wanted, you might be wondering what exercises will give you the fastest and best results for your glutes.
To put it simply, both exercises are great for building and shaping the glute muscle, but each exercise is intended for a different level of fitness experience. The glute bridge is a great butt-building exercise for beginners – as you can do it on a mat at home without any resistance – whereas the hip thrust requires a bench and (for optimal results) a weighted barbell.
What’s the Difference Between a Glute Bridge and a Hip Thrust?
Both these bum-building exercises are similar, and both involve lifting your lower body off the floor and squeezing your buttocks in order to engage the glute muscle: this creates shape and tone, and mass when performed with weights or resistance.
Glute bridges can be done without any equipment at home (although preferably with a mat!) whereas the hip thrust requires a solid bench or exercise box in order to be performed correctly, and for optimal results, you need a barbell. Both these exercises work by isolating it during the move, making it easier to grow your booty muscles without adding unwanted mass to your thighs and calves.
These exercises are also especially effective at lifting and toning the bum, and according to expert trainer Gabrielle Kassel, these clever moves are more effective than squats for building a bigger, rounder bum!
So, what is a Glute Bridge?
A glute bridge is an exercise move often used in yoga to work the glute muscles, hamstrings, and core. Whilst it targets many muscles, the glute bridge is fantastic for growing your bum, as the move is one of the only exercise moves to hit all three glute muscles (the gluteus maximus, medius and minimus).
When performed correctly, the move can also completely isolate the glute muscles, allowing you to grow your bum without adding unnecessary mass to your thighs and hamstrings.
How to do a glute bridge, step-by-step:
The glute bridge is a relatively easy, low-impact exercise move to perform, and ideal for beginners. Make sure to use an exercise mat and exercise socks/shoes so that your feet don’t slip during the movement.
Begin by laying on your back with your feet on the floor and your hands at your side, with your palms up or palms down depending on what is most comfortable for you.
To make sure that your legs are placed correctly, try to touch the back of your heels with your palms – you should be able to just reach them. Adjust your feet placement if you can’t touch your heels.
Without overarching your back, slowly lift your lower body towards the ceiling. When lifting your lower body, your knees should align perfectly with your ankles, and you should press your lower back into the mat to fire your core.
Lower your body and lightly graze the mat when you come down. Use a controlled movement to lower and raise your lower body and do as many repetitions as feels comfortable: begin with 20 and work your way up to 30.
How to do an advanced glute bridge, step-by-step:
This advanced move helps fire your core and lift your bum – but try to master the classic glute bridge before moving onto this one!
Begin by laying on your back with your feet on the floor and your hands at your side, with your palms up or palms down depending on what is most comfortable for you.
To make sure that your legs are placed correctly, try to touch the back of your heels with your palms – you should be able to just reach them. Adjust your feet placement if you can’t touch your heels.
Without overarching your back, slowly lift your lower body towards the ceiling. When lifting your lower body, your knees should align perfectly with your ankles, and you should press your lower back into the mat to fire your core.
Whilst lifting your glutes, raise one leg with a pointed toe to the ceiling, and continue your repetitions.
Glute Bridge Benefits
There are numerous benefits to incorporating glute bridges into your exercise routine, especially if you’re looking to grow your bum:
The most significant benefit of the glute bridge is that it targets all three glute muscles (gluteus maximus, medius and minimus) at the same time, which is great if you’re looking to not only to grow your bum, but shape, lift and tone it too!
Isolates the glute muscles – if one of your major booty-building problems is that you develop thicker thighs instead of a bigger bum, you might be overdoing the squats and not incorporating enough exercises that isolate the glute muscle. The glute bridge is ideal for combatting this problem.
Helps alleviate back pain – Okay, so this one is not exactly booty-centric – but, having a strong back and core is essential to being able to do all these exercises, so it counts!
A great way to speed up your results is to add weights or resistance to your glute bridges: add a dumbbell across your hips or place a resistance band around your legs to help isolate your glutes and build your bum quicker. If you’re a beginner, keep at a low weight whilst you get used to the move, and focus instead on controlling the movement in order to really isolate the glute muscles.
You should feel the burn primarily in your glutes – if you only feel it in your thighs or hamstrings, you need to work on your feet placement. Even without adding weights, the glute bridge is a great exercise for a beginner or those in need of low-impact exercise moves.
How many glute bridges should I do a day?
Glute bridges without weight resistance are fairly low-impact exercises, meaning you can do as many as feels comfortable until you feel your glutes burning. Start off by attempting to reach 10, then 20. If you’re adding weight to your glute bridges, you should do less repetitions in a single session when starting out. Make sure to control your movements when using weighted resistance to optimise your results.
What is a hip thrust?
Moving onto the hip thrust. The good news is that the hip thrust is just like the glute bridge, but intended for those with a little more experience in the gym. Whilst it may be more difficult, the results from hip thrusts are also usually superior! So, what is a hip thrust? A hip thrust is an exercise that fires all the muscles in the glutes using a bench and a barbell, and can help you build a strong, bigger round bum even faster.
How to do a hip thrust, step-by-step:
Make sure to use a steady bench or box, and choose a barbell suited to your fitness level.
Step 1: Begin seated on the floor, with your upper back leaning against your bench and your knees bent, both feet placed firmly on the ground, around shoulder-width apart.
Step 2: Press your upper back against the bench whilst bending your knees at the same time. Keep your feet flat on the floor during this step.
Step 3: Place your weighted bar across your hips. Make sure to select a weight that is challenging but still manageable for your fitness level, so that you can do several repetitions.
Step 4: Lift your hip area off the floor until your back is directly parallel to the floor, and your hips in line with your shoulders and knees. Squeeze your glutes when you reach the top.
Step 5: Slowly lower the weighted bar until your hips are a couple of inches off the floor. Pause for a few seconds and return to the starting position to begin new repetitions.
Benefits of Hip Thrusts
Adding a round of hip-thrusts into your lower body workout is a great way to start building bum mass and getting that round, shapely peach of your dreams! Here are just some of the benefits of hip thrusts:
Improved Posture – a great bum always looks even better when paired with a straight back and good posture!
Increasing your glute mass – Growing your glute mass with weighed hip thrusts is the quickest way to give yourself that Kim K derriere!
Weightlifting burns calories – If you’re looking for the teeny-waist-shapely-bum combination, the hip thrust is a great way to burn calories (trimming your waist) whilst not losing mass where it matters – your peach!
Lifting your bum – when you burn calories and create muscle in your bum, your bum shape will lift and change too!
How many hip thrusts should I do a day?
Hip thrusts with weight resistance are fairly advanced exercises, meaning you should only do as many as feels comfortable until you feel your glutes burning. Start off by attempting to reach 10, then 20. Whenever you add heavier weights to your hip thrusts, you should do less repetitions in a single session to let your body get used to the extra weight. Make sure to control your movements when using weighted resistance: throwing your upper body in the air will only cause injuries, and controlled movements offer better results.
So, what’s the better move? Glute bridge Vs Hip thrust?
As we already pointed out, both these exercises will help you build your bum and give you a posterior worthy of a St. Tropez advert! The key is to adapt your exercise routine to your fitness level. If you’re a beginner and not used to lifting weights, start off with glute bridges, slowly adding weights until you can do 30 weighted reps and really feel the burn in your glutes.
If you’re more experienced with weightlifting, try out the hip thrust with a weight that is manageable to your fitness level. Remember: treat weightlifting as a progressive exercise. If you immediately go for the heaviest weight on day one, you’re going to burn out your muscles and your glutes will have nowhere to progress to. Start small and slow and increase the weight as your form improves. Your bum will thank you in the end!
When should I choose glute bridges instead of hip thrusts?
Glute bridges are the best choice for building your bum if:
You’re a beginner
You want to focus on toning and lifting your bum
You don’t have a gym membership or a home bench or box
You’re recovering from an injury and need low-impact exercises
You aren’t experienced in weightlifting or resistance exercises
When should I choose hip thrusts instead of glute bridges?
Hip thrusts are the best choice for building your bum if:
You want to focus on building muscle in your bum
You have a gym membership or a home bench
You’re experienced in lifting weights
You’ve already mastered the glute bridge!
Glutes bridges vs Hip thrusts – what’s the verdict?
Both hip thrusts and glute bridges are great exercises for shaping, forming and growing your bum. However, it’s important, as with any exercise, to take your time when starting a new programme and go at your own pace. As explained above, rushing to lift the heaviest weights without any experience will only damage your muscles, cause painful injuries and prolong your fitness journey unnecessarily.
The same rule applies when it comes to repetitions: don’t burn yourself out trying to do 30 or 40 repetitions right away. Start with small groups of repetitions before increasing to a number that challenges you. The best way to approach these moves is to adapt them according to your capabilities and fitness level. If that means sticking to glute bridges for 3 months before moving onto hip thrusts, so be it! Go slow, and your body will thank you for it in the long run. Don’t forget to make sure to consult your doctor before undertaking any new fitness regime or exercise programme.
Authors
I’m Chloe – a body confidence writer here at House of Peach! I help women to feel fabulous in the body they’re in and feel amazing in gym wear – regardless of their body shape and type. Unleash Your Peach.
If your goal is to give yourself the round, perky, perfect bum that you’ve always wanted, you might be wondering what exercises will give you the fastest and best results for your glutes.
To put it simply, both exercises are great for building and shaping the glute muscle, but each exercise is intended for a different level of fitness experience. The glute bridge is a great butt-building exercise for beginners – as you can do it on a mat at home without any resistance – whereas the hip thrust requires a bench and (for optimal results) a weighted barbell.
What’s the Difference Between a Glute Bridge and a Hip Thrust?
Both these bum-building exercises are similar, and both involve lifting your lower body off the floor and squeezing your buttocks in order to engage the glute muscle: this creates shape and tone, and mass when performed with weights or resistance.
Glute bridges can be done without any equipment at home (although preferably with a mat!) whereas the hip thrust requires a solid bench or exercise box in order to be performed correctly, and for optimal results, you need a barbell. Both these exercises work by isolating it during the move, making it easier to grow your booty muscles without adding unwanted mass to your thighs and calves.
These exercises are also especially effective at lifting and toning the bum, and according to expert trainer Gabrielle Kassel, these clever moves are more effective than squats for building a bigger, rounder bum!
So, what is a Glute Bridge?
A glute bridge is an exercise move often used in yoga to work the glute muscles, hamstrings, and core. Whilst it targets many muscles, the glute bridge is fantastic for growing your bum, as the move is one of the only exercise moves to hit all three glute muscles (the gluteus maximus, medius and minimus).
When performed correctly, the move can also completely isolate the glute muscles, allowing you to grow your bum without adding unnecessary mass to your thighs and hamstrings.
How to do a glute bridge, step-by-step:
The glute bridge is a relatively easy, low-impact exercise move to perform, and ideal for beginners. Make sure to use an exercise mat and exercise socks/shoes so that your feet don’t slip during the movement.
How to do an advanced glute bridge, step-by-step:
This advanced move helps fire your core and lift your bum – but try to master the classic glute bridge before moving onto this one!
Glute Bridge Benefits
There are numerous benefits to incorporating glute bridges into your exercise routine, especially if you’re looking to grow your bum:
A great way to speed up your results is to add weights or resistance to your glute bridges: add a dumbbell across your hips or place a resistance band around your legs to help isolate your glutes and build your bum quicker. If you’re a beginner, keep at a low weight whilst you get used to the move, and focus instead on controlling the movement in order to really isolate the glute muscles.
You should feel the burn primarily in your glutes – if you only feel it in your thighs or hamstrings, you need to work on your feet placement. Even without adding weights, the glute bridge is a great exercise for a beginner or those in need of low-impact exercise moves.
How many glute bridges should I do a day?
Glute bridges without weight resistance are fairly low-impact exercises, meaning you can do as many as feels comfortable until you feel your glutes burning. Start off by attempting to reach 10, then 20. If you’re adding weight to your glute bridges, you should do less repetitions in a single session when starting out. Make sure to control your movements when using weighted resistance to optimise your results.
What is a hip thrust?
Moving onto the hip thrust. The good news is that the hip thrust is just like the glute bridge, but intended for those with a little more experience in the gym. Whilst it may be more difficult, the results from hip thrusts are also usually superior! So, what is a hip thrust? A hip thrust is an exercise that fires all the muscles in the glutes using a bench and a barbell, and can help you build a strong, bigger round bum even faster.
How to do a hip thrust, step-by-step:
Make sure to use a steady bench or box, and choose a barbell suited to your fitness level.
Step 1: Begin seated on the floor, with your upper back leaning against your bench and your knees bent, both feet placed firmly on the ground, around shoulder-width apart.
Step 2: Press your upper back against the bench whilst bending your knees at the same time. Keep your feet flat on the floor during this step.
Step 3: Place your weighted bar across your hips. Make sure to select a weight that is challenging but still manageable for your fitness level, so that you can do several repetitions.
Step 4: Lift your hip area off the floor until your back is directly parallel to the floor, and your hips in line with your shoulders and knees. Squeeze your glutes when you reach the top.
Step 5: Slowly lower the weighted bar until your hips are a couple of inches off the floor. Pause for a few seconds and return to the starting position to begin new repetitions.
Benefits of Hip Thrusts
Adding a round of hip-thrusts into your lower body workout is a great way to start building bum mass and getting that round, shapely peach of your dreams! Here are just some of the benefits of hip thrusts:
How many hip thrusts should I do a day?
Hip thrusts with weight resistance are fairly advanced exercises, meaning you should only do as many as feels comfortable until you feel your glutes burning. Start off by attempting to reach 10, then 20. Whenever you add heavier weights to your hip thrusts, you should do less repetitions in a single session to let your body get used to the extra weight. Make sure to control your movements when using weighted resistance: throwing your upper body in the air will only cause injuries, and controlled movements offer better results.
So, what’s the better move? Glute bridge Vs Hip thrust?
As we already pointed out, both these exercises will help you build your bum and give you a posterior worthy of a St. Tropez advert! The key is to adapt your exercise routine to your fitness level. If you’re a beginner and not used to lifting weights, start off with glute bridges, slowly adding weights until you can do 30 weighted reps and really feel the burn in your glutes.
If you’re more experienced with weightlifting, try out the hip thrust with a weight that is manageable to your fitness level. Remember: treat weightlifting as a progressive exercise. If you immediately go for the heaviest weight on day one, you’re going to burn out your muscles and your glutes will have nowhere to progress to. Start small and slow and increase the weight as your form improves. Your bum will thank you in the end!
When should I choose glute bridges instead of hip thrusts?
Glute bridges are the best choice for building your bum if:
When should I choose hip thrusts instead of glute bridges?
Hip thrusts are the best choice for building your bum if:
Glutes bridges vs Hip thrusts – what’s the verdict?
Both hip thrusts and glute bridges are great exercises for shaping, forming and growing your bum. However, it’s important, as with any exercise, to take your time when starting a new programme and go at your own pace. As explained above, rushing to lift the heaviest weights without any experience will only damage your muscles, cause painful injuries and prolong your fitness journey unnecessarily.
The same rule applies when it comes to repetitions: don’t burn yourself out trying to do 30 or 40 repetitions right away. Start with small groups of repetitions before increasing to a number that challenges you. The best way to approach these moves is to adapt them according to your capabilities and fitness level. If that means sticking to glute bridges for 3 months before moving onto hip thrusts, so be it! Go slow, and your body will thank you for it in the long run. Don’t forget to make sure to consult your doctor before undertaking any new fitness regime or exercise programme.