HIP THRUST

Lie on your back on a flat bench placed in the middle of a Smith machine. Place your feet on the bottom of the bar and roll the bar to unlatch the safety hook. Extend your legs straight up while supporting the bar with the soles of your feet. Your body should form an "L" in this position. Hold onto the bench or onto the sides of the Smith machine and use your lower abs to lift your legs straight up as high as you can go. Hold the top position for a second and then slowly lower your legs back down until your glutes are back on the bench.

Keep your left leg straight and bend the right leg so that your foot is flat on the floor and your knee angle is about 120 degrees. Use your glutes and hams to push your right foot into the ground to raise your glutes off the floor until your torso and thighs are in a straight line. Hold this position for a second as you contract the glutes and hams as hard as possible.Slowly lower to the start position and repeat for reps.Once you've completed all reps for the right side, immediately switch to the left side and complete as many reps as you can until failure. Switch back to the right side and do as many reps as you can, again until failure. Keep going in this manner until you've completed 3 sets per leg.

Instructions

Lay on the floor on bench with your one leg/foot planted on the ground. Simply raise upward with your hips squeezing the glutes at the top of the movement. Tips

You can also execute this exercise with both legs offering similar benefits.

START: Lie face-up on the ground with your hands extended at your sides with your feet up so that your legs are perpendicular to the ground.

MOVE: Raise your hips and glutes straight up off the ground by using your abdominals. Hold for a second in this position, then lower your hips back to the start positionStep 2Step 3