What am I doing wrong with hip thrusts?

Question

No matter how I do them I feel my back and quads, not just my glutes. I try to get full range of motion, keep my head up, back straight. However, i feel my whole back, the upper part too, especially the part in contact with the bench. As I try to go lower and get full ROM my quads kick in too. What am I doing wrong? I try to start with high reps and just the bar then add weight. I feel it at lower weight too.

Answer 1

Thatsamazing

Guru

You should be mindful of trying to actually push with your glutes and ONLY your glutes. Your back and quads shouldn't be engaged at all. Without actually seeing you do it though, it's hard to say. Maybe you're using too much weight on the bar? How much do you usually use?

emmily2396

1 y
I already said I feel the same with just the empty bar.
emmily2396

1 y
If I do enough reps
emmily2396

1 y
I can go anywhere from 14 kg to 64 kg. That id my max weight for 6-8 reps and I haven't been able to increase it in more than 6 months
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Thatsamazing

1 y
I dunno gal. It's mind-muscle connection. Just have to make yourself focus on "okay contract my glutes and only my glutes." Try squeezing your ass muscles just by themselves when you're just chilling at your desk at work over and over again, maybe that'll help? I dunno.

Answer 2

emmily2396

I already said I feel the same with just the empty bar.

Answer 3

emmily2396

If I do enough reps

Answer 4

emmily2396

I can go anywhere from 14 kg to 64 kg. That id my max weight for 6-8 reps and I haven't been able to increase it in more than 6 months

Answer 5

Thatsamazing

I dunno gal. It's mind-muscle connection. Just have to make yourself focus on "okay contract my glutes and only my glutes." Try squeezing your ass muscles just by themselves when you're just chilling at your desk at work over and over again, maybe that'll help? I dunno.

Answer 6

Anonymous

Are you getting the right mind muscle connection? Squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement? Really focus in your mind hip extension instead of knee extension, that should take your quads out of it. Other than that I dont know what to tell you.

emmily2396

1 y
I do squeeze my glutes, I try to stay up for about 2 seconds ormore (I don't count them). I getmore glute action with leg press than hipthrusts and my back doesn't feel sore after leg press

Answer 7

emmily2396

I do squeeze my glutes, I try to stay up for about 2 seconds ormore (I don't count them). I getmore glute action with leg press than hipthrusts and my back doesn't feel sore after leg press

Answer 8

Hans222

Master

Couldn't it be that by putting your head up, you force the movement to be un-natural? Try to let your head rest on something.
If a movement during exercise feels wrong, it generally is wrong and it can be a detail.

Answer 9

blutwolfe

Guru

Text book form isn't always great, where are you doing hip thrusts at? Are you resting your upper back on something?

Move your back up on said object and widen your stance out some, move your feet out further.

emmily2396

1 y
I do them like in the picture excepting that I always keep my head up. The part that always touches the bench gets sore too from rubbing against the bench. Widening my stance doesn't helpmuch, pushing with my heels doesn't help that much either. I do feel my glutes, but I feel the other 2 as well. I get more glute activation from leg press than hipthrusts. Even with squats I don't feel my back that much, I only use a belt if I am close to lifting my bodyweight.
blutwolfe

1 y
Yeah I meant move you back further up, there shouldn't be any rubbing your back should be pressed into it.

I didn't mean pressing your heels I mean moving your feet further out from your body.
emmily2396

1 y
I said the same thing with different words. Yes it presses into the bench/ rubs (because I move it and it can't stay 100% put) and yes moving my feet doesn't help
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blutwolfe

1 y
Sorry I take things a bit literal. It definitely sounds like a muscle imbalance. If you do hip thrusts and you feel it everywhere but your glutes, there's a chance everything else is behind, I can only critique stuff better if I see it inrl.

If your glutes take over the lift for leg press or squats, it's the dominant muscle so it's doing most of the work, that means the other ones are behind.

You shouldn't feel squats in your back, if your back is developed, I only recommend using belts/gear to people with injuries, otherwise you're not training your back to move the load fully.
emmily2396

1 y
I position my feet in such a way to feel my glutes on leg press.
I don't have a squat rack so i use the smith machine. I don't have back problems unless I am close to lifting my body weight. I could manage without a belt then, but for my safety it is better to use it.
And i do feel my flutes during hip thrusts, it is just that I feel the others too and a bit more than i should. Also, I don't get sore from hipthrusts anymore. I didn't manage to increase my weight in 6 months.

Answer 10

emmily2396

I do them like in the picture excepting that I always keep my head up. The part that always touches the bench gets sore too from rubbing against the bench. Widening my stance doesn't helpmuch, pushing with my heels doesn't help that much either. I do feel my glutes, but I feel the other 2 as well. I get more glute activation from leg press than hipthrusts. Even with squats I don't feel my back that much, I only use a belt if I am close to lifting my bodyweight.

Answer 11

blutwolfe

Yeah I meant move you back further up, there shouldn't be any rubbing your back should be pressed into it.

I didn't mean pressing your heels I mean moving your feet further out from your body.

Answer 12

emmily2396

I said the same thing with different words. Yes it presses into the bench/ rubs (because I move it and it can't stay 100% put) and yes moving my feet doesn't help

Answer 13

blutwolfe

Sorry I take things a bit literal. It definitely sounds like a muscle imbalance. If you do hip thrusts and you feel it everywhere but your glutes, there's a chance everything else is behind, I can only critique stuff better if I see it inrl.

If your glutes take over the lift for leg press or squats, it's the dominant muscle so it's doing most of the work, that means the other ones are behind.

You shouldn't feel squats in your back, if your back is developed, I only recommend using belts/gear to people with injuries, otherwise you're not training your back to move the load fully.

Answer 14

emmily2396

I position my feet in such a way to feel my glutes on leg press.
I don't have a squat rack so i use the smith machine. I don't have back problems unless I am close to lifting my body weight. I could manage without a belt then, but for my safety it is better to use it.
And i do feel my flutes during hip thrusts, it is just that I feel the others too and a bit more than i should. Also, I don't get sore from hipthrusts anymore. I didn't manage to increase my weight in 6 months.

Answer 15

COMMODOREII | 62 opinions shared on Sports topic.

Master

You might be bending your back too. You might want to be careful. You can hurt your back. Try to keep your back straight.

emmily2396

1 y
I already said I do
COMMODOREII

1 y
*hugs* lol cool
emmily2396

1 y
I basically do it like the guy in the picture. I just keep my head up at all time though
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COMMODOREII

1 y
It's easier to show you but yeah lol you might be bending your back if you feel that. Lol
emmily2396

1 y
I might have a bit anterior pelvic naturally, my bum was always sticking out. I am not sure if it has to do anything to do with it.
I don't have that much issues with deadlifts and squats though unless I go really heavy.
emmily2396

1 y
Also, wht do I feel my upper back to?
COMMODOREII

1 y
Well if you are bending your back you can pull on the upper back muscles.
emmily2396

1 y
Yeah. But I try my best to keep it straight so I am not sure that is even an issue
COMMODOREII

1 y
It's possible. 😎

Answer 16

emmily2396

I already said I do

Answer 17

COMMODOREII

*hugs* lol cool

Answer 18

emmily2396

I basically do it like the guy in the picture. I just keep my head up at all time though

Answer 19

COMMODOREII

It's easier to show you but yeah lol you might be bending your back if you feel that. Lol

Answer 20

emmily2396

I might have a bit anterior pelvic naturally, my bum was always sticking out. I am not sure if it has to do anything to do with it.
I don't have that much issues with deadlifts and squats though unless I go really heavy.