Related guides: bench squat, burpee broad jump, goblet lunge, kneeling squat, reverse lunges, v squat
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What is b stance hip thrust?
The b stance hip thrust is exactly the same as a normal hip thrust barring one tweak with our feet. Instead of having both feet planted on the floor, one of our feet will touch the floor with its heel instead, in line with the toes of the planted foot. When completing the movement, we want most of the force to come from our planted foot with our other (heel planted) foot providing stability. Please watch the video below for more instructions:
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How to do a b stance hip thrust
B stance hip thrust workout
Ensure that you’re warmed up with some light cardio and dynamic stretching to begin with. We would recommend some jogging/cycling along with the world’s greatest stretch.
If you’re training for hypertrophy (size), perform 10 – 12 reps for 3 – 4 sets with a 1 – 2 minute rest.
If you’re training for strength, perform 1 – 5 reps for 3 – 4 sets with a 2 – 5 minutes rest.
If you would like to learn more about the differences between training for strength or hypertrophy, please view a post from Healthline here.
Related guides: bench squat, burpee broad jump, goblet lunge, kneeling squat, reverse lunges, v squat
B stance hip thrust benefits: why would you do a b stance hip thrust?
To work on isolating a single leg in the hip thrust movement. You may want to do this for a number of reasons:
- One leg (or glute) may be weaker than the other. Isolating legs in exercises like these can help to identify and fix the issue.
- You may find that focusing on one leg improves your form and contraction as there is less to think about. Some people do this to really dial into their range of motion.
- You may be recovering from an injury, requiring you to build one leg more than the other.
Drawbacks
We’ve discussed what’s good about this exercise but what should we be wary of?
The main point to bear in mind is that when we sacrifice stability in the hopes of isolating a particular glute, we’re unlikely to reach our maximum potential for progressive overload.
If you’re going to push your limits in terms of strength, you want to be at full force (two planted feet) if you’re going to reach your 1RM, as well as avoid injury. If we’re going to lift heavy weights we should be as stable as possible to ensure we’re being safe.
That being said, if you’re not looking to hit your 1 rep max and you have other goals for this exercise, this point is less applicable.
B stance hip thrust variations
B stance hip thrust with dumbbells
To perform this variation, hold the dumbbell over the hip of the working side (planted foot side) of the lift.
Barbell b stance hip thrust
You’ll want to use padding on the barbell for this variation to avoid hurting your hips. Whilst we’re working primarily on one side, we still want to keep the barbell central. This means our core is going to do more work keeping our hips straight or parallel to the floor.
B stance hip thrust muscles worked
Glute Maximus
This exercise is perfect for targeting the glute maximus. The way the exercise is designed ensures that this muscle is doing most of the work. It covers the majority of the posterior side of the pelvis and its function in this movement is hip flexion, essentially pushing the hips forward from a hinged position.
Gluteus Minimus & Medius (lateral hip)
These muscles do a great job of stabilising the hip joint during this movement, helping us to perform the lift with proper form.
What other muscles are involved?
The hamstrings, quads, core and abductors will also be activated throughout the movement.
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B stance hip thrust alternatives
Hip thrusts
You guessed it! If you find that the b stance doesn’t work for you for whatever reason, why not try the regular hip thrust. The added stability of having two planted feet makes completing the move much easier. Furthermore, if you’re planning on using a significant amount of weight with a dumbbell or barbell, the stability of the standard stance will help to avoid injury.
Glute pull-throughs
This interesting variation utilises a cable whilst standing whilst still activating the muscles we’re interested in. Furthermore, the use of a cable means that we can keep constant tension on our muscles throughout our sets.
Deadlifts
Deadlifts are a great way to build your glutes, hamstrings and posterior chain. If the deadlift isn’t part of your current workout program, you should add it in immediately. It’s one of the best movements you can perform for muscle growth and strength. The two alternatives above are very glute focused and whilst the deadlift gets great glute activation, expect to see muscle growth through your entire posterior.
Additional resources
- Barbell Hip Thrust, Muscular Activation and Performance: A Systematic Review
- A comprehensive biomechanical analysis of the barbell hip thrust
- Related guides: bench squat, burpee broad jump, goblet lunge, kneeling squat, reverse lunges, v squat
Olly is a CIMSPA accredited personal trainer with a BSc degree in sport management from Solent University. He has over 10 years experience helping clients reach their health & fitness goals.
