Hip Thrust Machine

How to perform it

1. 1Preparation and positioning. Adjust the back support, belt/pad, foot platform, and start depth to fit the lifter. Verify the release and safety mechanism before loading.
2. 2Starting position. Place the upper back against the pad, feet fully supported, belt/pad centered over the hip crease, and ribcage controlled.
3. 3Concentric phase. Drive through the feet and extend the hips while keeping the knees aligned and the machine load centered.
4. 4Top position / lockout. Reach full hip extension with ribcage and pelvis stacked; do not create extra range through lumbar hyperextension.
5. 5Eccentric phase. Lower under control to the same bottom marker without letting the belt/pad shift or the stack crash.
6. 6Breathing and bracing. Brace before the rise, exhale near or after the hardest portion, and reset only when the carriage is stable.
7. 7Valid rep. A rep reaches repeatable hip-extension and bottom markers with stable feet, knees, and pad position and no bounce or lumbar overextension.

Common mistakes

• Lumbar overextension at the top

  Fix: Finish with ribs and pelvis stacked; do not chase height by arching.

• Feet too far or too close

  Fix: Adjust the feet so the top position is stable and the heels remain planted.

• Knees collapsing or drifting

  Fix: Track the knees with the feet through the full rep.

• Bouncing the bottom

  Fix: Lower to a repeatable marker and reverse under control.

Safety

• Adjust the machine to the user, verify the selector pin/attachment and safety stops, and keep hands, clothing, and other people clear of the moving lever, cable, and stack.
• Choose a load, range, and setup that permit a controlled return or exit; stop the set rather than compensating through sharp or progressively worsening symptoms.

Progressions & alternatives

• regressionBodyweight Hip Thrust— Reduce strength, balance, or coordination demand while rehearsing the key pattern before returning to Hip Thrust Machine.
• progressionSingle-leg Hip Thrust Machine— Increase load, range, instability, or skill demand after Hip Thrust Machine is repeatable through the planned volume with reserve and no technique drift.
• alternativeBarbell Hip Thrust— Train a similar primary pattern with a different stability, equipment, or joint-loading profile when Hip Thrust Machine is impractical or poorly tolerated.