Barbell hip thrust
The barbell hip thrust is a weighted hip thrust that works your hips and the back of your thighs. It helps you build strength for movements such as standing up, climbing stairs and lifting from the floor, and suits you if you want to move beyond the bodyweight version.
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Building on the bodyweight hip thrust, this version places a barbell across your hips to add resistance as you raise and lower them. You should feel the main effort through your buttocks, with support from the back of your thighs. Your upper body stays supported while the movement comes from your hips.
The single change is the barbell added across your hips. Its resistance makes your hips and the back of your thighs work against more load through the same lifting motion, so the effort feels more substantial than in the bodyweight version. Choose it when you are comfortable with the regular hip thrust and want a load you can adjust.
Choose this movement to build strength around your hips for everyday actions such as rising from a chair, using stairs and picking things up. It may suit you if you enjoy stable, floor-based strength work and have access to a barbell. You will also want to be comfortable getting down to the floor and having the bar rest across your hips.
It fits naturally into a lower-body session when you want to give extra attention to your hips. Because the barbell adds setup and resistance, you may prefer to do it while you still feel fresh enough to stay controlled. If you do not have a barbell, the regular bodyweight hip thrust is the direct equipment-free alternative.
How to do it
Sit on the floor with your legs extended and the barbell resting across your hips.
Lie back with your shoulders on the floor, keeping the barbell centred across your hips.
Bend your knees until your feet are flat on the floor, about hip-width apart.
Hold the barbell with both hands to keep it steady across your hips.
Press through your feet to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
Lower your hips until they return gently to the floor, keeping the barbell steady.