It's your FAVOURITE lower body exercise: THE HIP THRUST! Scroll down to learn the PROPER SQUAT FORM and to learn ALL THE MUSCLES in this exercise!
Let’s work those hips the RIGHT way!
1. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider
2. Relax your arms and let them hang down (DON’T YOU DARE move them! I’m watching you…)
3. Push your hips back slightly. Your knees may also slightly bend and that’s okay, just remember to focus on the hips here (It’s called HIP THRUST, people! Not knee thrust… whatever that is).
4. To thrust your hips, push your HIPS forward! Think of pushing your butt forward… this is how you contract your glute muscles.
5. Your arms should fly up, but NOT go far above your shoulders. (Remember, the muscles in your arms aren’t active in this exercise, so you shouldn’t be “controlling” its movement here)
6. To return to starting position, push your hips back, allow your hands to “fall” and knees should bend slightly
TIPS!
*Focus on the HIPS only! Try to keep your back as "straight" (neutral) as possible throughout the exercise.
*Muscles in the knee and arms should be inactive the whole time and only move as a result of thrusting the hip.
*You should be feeling this exercise in your hips and butt (glutes).
Hip Thrust is the perfect exercise for targeting your hips (which means, your glutes as well!). Let's break down the primary lower body muscles and how they create the Hip Thrust movement!
The GLUTES and HAMSTRING muscles are the primary targeted muscles in this exercise. As you push your hips forward (or in other words, "thrust" your hips), your GLUTES contract to help you stay in a "standing" position. Your HAMSTRINGS also help out your GLUTES in this "standing" position (however, your HAMSTRINGS are stronger as "knee flexors" and Knee Flexion is their primary function, rather than being "hip extensors.")
In the "standing" position, your QUADRICEPS also "straighten" your knees out.
In the "bent" or starting position, your primary hip flexor, the antagonist to the GLUTES, called the ILIOPSOAS muscle, works to hold your hips in that position. Your HAMSTRINGS, (which seem to be working at all times) also work at the knees to keep them "bent" or "flexed" in the starting position.
MUSCLE BREAKDOWN:
The Hip Muscles:
GLUTES (Gluteus Maximus) - "straightens" the hip (Hip Extension)
ILIOPSOAS - "bends" or "flexes" the hip (Hip Flexion)
HAMSTRINGS - "straightens" the hip, alongside the Glutes (Hip Extension)
The Knee Muscles:
QUADRICEPS - "straightens" the knee (Knee Extension)
HAMSTRINGS (All Hamstrings) - "flexes" the knee (Knee Flexion)
Stay tuned for more variations of the Hip Thrust exercise! If you still need any help in doing this exercise or would like to learn more about it, contact DANCE CUBE on the Join the Cube page!