Single Leg Hip Thrusts
Description
The single leg hip thrust is a unilateral glute exercise where you perform a hip thrust with one foot on the floor and the other leg extended in the air. Training one glute at a time exposes left-right imbalances and significantly increases the demand on each working glute compared to two-legged thrusts.
Muscle Group
Equipment Required
Single Leg Hip Thrusts Instructions
- Sit with your upper back against a bench and feet flat on the floor.
- Lift your right leg off the floor and extend it straight in front of you, parallel to the floor.
- Plant your left foot firmly. This is your working leg.
- Drive through your left heel and squeeze your left glute to lift your hips.
- Continue until your body forms a straight line from your left knee to your shoulders. Keep your right leg lifted.
- Squeeze your left glute hard at the top for one to two seconds. Keep hips level — do not let the right side drop.
- Lower under control. Complete all reps on the left, then switch.
- If too difficult, place the non-working foot lightly on the floor for assistance.
Single Leg Hip Thrusts Form & Visual
Single Leg Hip Thrusts Benefits
- Builds unilateral glute strength
- Exposes and corrects left-right imbalances
- More challenging than two-legged thrusts at the same bodyweight
- Trains anti-rotation core stability
- Carries over to single-leg athletic performance
- No equipment needed beyond a bench
Single Leg Hip Thrusts Muscles Worked
- Gluteus maximus (working leg)
- Gluteus medius (hip stability)
- Hamstrings
- Core (anti-rotation)
- Hip flexors (lifted leg, isometric)
Single Leg Hip Thrusts Variations & Alternatives
- Hip Thrusts (two-legged)
- Dumbbell Single-Leg Glute Bridge
- Barbell Hip Thrust
- B-Stance Hip Thrust
- Weighted Single-Leg Hip Thrust (plate on hip)
- Single-Leg Hip Thrust with Pause
