How to Do the Hip Lift: Tips, Technique, Benefits and More

The hip lift is an abdominal exercise that engages major abdominal muscles, oblique abs, hip flexors and inner thighs. It provides a variety of benefits, making it a good exercise to add to your workout regimen. This includes strengthening core muscles, improving balance and coordination, and firming the backside of your body.

It is important to get a good technique to do the hip lift exercise correctly. Read on to learn what the hip lift is, how to perform this exercise, and how to avoid common mistakes when doing a hip lift.

How to Do the Hip Lift with the Correct Form

To perform a hip thrust

Set yourself up with your back against a raised surface (such a bench or a box), knees bent, and feet flat on the ground.
The bench should be about shoulder-width below your shoulder blades, and your feet should be about shoulder-width apart.
Rest your elbows.
Keeping your chin tucked, push through your heels until they reach parallel to the floor — your legs should form at 90-degree angle.
Squeeze your glutes at the top, then return to start.

After you master the hip lift from the floor, progress by doing a single-leg variation or adding weight (you can use a barbell, plate, or dumbbell for this).

Note: Hip lifts are similar to glute bridges, but they aren’t quite the same. Glute bridges are performed from the floor, and they target the quads more and the hamstrings less than hip thrusts do.

Tips & Techniques for the Hip Lift Exercise

If you're a beginner, try for three sets of 12 reps, gradually increasing to 20 with body weight.

This exercise should be done on a mat or other soft surface.
Roll back until your back and head are comfortable resting on the ground to get into the beginning position.
Place your arms at your sides, with your palms facing up or down.
Raise your legs straight up toward the ceiling, perpendicular to your chest, and your knees should be positioned above your hips.
You can do this exercise with bent knees, but if you straighten them, you will also stretch your hamstrings. Your feet can be flexed or neutral, depending on your preference.
Many people find that placing their toes up toward the ceiling helps them concentrate during the lift.
The starting position for your legs and torso is now reached. At the end of each repetition, they will return to this position.

Benefits of Hip Lift Exercise

The rectus abdominis, or "six-pack" muscle that pulls your ribs to your hips, is the key muscle engaged in this exercise.
It engages the obliques, which run down the sides of your torso, as well as the deep transverse abdominis, which stabilizes your spine and core.
Other core workouts are particularly difficult to target this deep ab muscle.
Strengthening your core can help improve your posture, stabilize movements, and increase sports performance in a variety of ways.
Through the slow and controlled motions of this exercise, you build muscles that give you that sought-after six-pack.
The American Council on Exercise has identified this as the seventh most effective core workout.

Common Mistakes

Not moving through the entire range of motion

If you fail to bring your thighs toward parallel, your glutes will not be fully activated. This can be fixed by making sure that your legs are at a 90-degree angle.

Positioning the feet incorrectly

Your hamstrings will feel the hip lift more if your feet are too far forward. You'll receive more quad involvement if they're too close to your body. To feel the hip thrust primarily in the glutes, you'll need to locate the "just right" foot posture.

Not checking lower back alignment

You won't attain full hip extension for glute activation if your ribs are up and your lower back is arched — or hyperextended — at the start of the action. To attain full hip extension, make sure your ribs are down and your lower back is neutral.

Rising to your toes

At the top of the push, some people have a tendency to rise up onto the balls of their feet. This can happen if your foot positioning is incorrect or if you are quad-dominant.

Make sure you're placing your feet correctly, and keep your legs at a 90-degree angle at the top of the exercise. Focus on making heel contact throughout the exercise.

Takeaway

Overall, the hip lift is a powerful tool to help you build muscle, bulk and increase strength. But if you're looking for something that can really change your physique, you need to make sure that you are executing this exercise with correct form. With enough practice, you will be able to feel the burn in your glutes as they grow and become stronger!

How to Do the Hip Lift: Tips, Technique, Correct Form, Benefits and Common Mistakes