I recently came across an article in the Journal of Sports Science that described how adding Hip Thrust (HT) Training to your workout could result in strength gains of ~50 lbs. in 8 weeks. Now that's a pretty incredible claim, so let's take a look at the study!

The Gist of It

So basically what this study boils down to, is taking a group of 20 collegiate baseball players (side note- no indication was given as to whether or not these were actually collegiate level players, or just club players) and seeing how HT training would affect their squat strength.

To break down the group of participants a bit-

• All of the participants are collegiate baseball players.
• All of the participants have been squatting for at least a year. So the movement is well practiced at this point.
• None of the participants have any experience with HT training.
• The participants were randomly divided into two separate groups- HT Training and Non-HT Training (the control group).

Now that we know a little background about the participants, let's jump into this thing.

The Study

Prior to the start of the HT training, all of the participants measured their 1 rep squat max and their 3 rep HT max. Keep in mind, none of them had any experience with HT training. After these numbers were tested and measured, the squat movement was removed completely from the training of all participants for the duration of the study.

The control group went about their typical workouts that they would utilize for baseball, minus any squat movements.

The HT Training group added HT Training in lieu of squats for 8 weeks. The breakdown of that plan is as follows-

The Results

So the results were in after 8 weeks, and they were actually seriously impressive.

The Control Group:
Before the start of the study, the 10 individuals in the control group had an average 1 rep max squat of around 193 pounds. At the end of the study, they were able to improve that to 197 lbs. Not very impressive by any means for 8 weeks. Although, to their credit, they weren't allowed to do any squats.

HT Training Group:
Before the start of the study, the 10 individuals in the HT Training group had an average of 185 lbs on their 1 rep max squat. After 8 weeks, they improved that number to an average of 237 lbs! Those are some serious strength gains for two months.

My two cents:
Given the low beginning squat numbers, I'm guessing that these aren't actually college level athletes. Most of the ball players back in high school were easily putting up 185 for a 1 rep max on the squat. It's more likely that they pulled the pool of players from a club that doesn't take their training too seriously. With that being said, I've never done any HT Training myself, so I'm eager to start the program and see the kind of numbers that I end up.

Now, unlike the participants in this study, I will not stop squatting over the next 8 weeks. I'll continue to regularly include them in my leg day and add the HT as described in the study.

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SO HOW EXACTLY DO YOU DO THE HIP THRUST?

Source: WeightTrainingGuide

Starting position

1. Place a loaded barbell next to, and parallel to, a bench.
2. Slide your legs under the barbell and sit on the floor with your back against the side of a bench. The barbell should be over your hips.
3. Grasp the barbell at each side.
4. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, approximately shoulder-width apart.

Execution

1. Keeping your torso rigid, exhale as you raise the barbell by extending your hips until they are fully extended.
2. Hold for a count of two and squeeze your glutes.
3. Inhale as you lower the barbell by flexing your hips. Do not allow the barbell to touch the floor.
4. Repeat.

So there ya have it! Pretty impressive stuff. Honestly, I can't believe that I haven't read up on the benefit of the hip thrust prior to seeing this, but I'm glad I came across it.

Sources:
Journal of Sports Science
WeightTraining.Guide
Stack

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