The Dumbbell Single Leg Hip Thrust is a intermediate-friendly dumbbell strength exercise that targets the glutes, with the hamstrings and abdominals working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesGlutes
Secondary musclesHamstrings, Abs
EquipmentDumbbell
LevelIntermediate
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Dumbbell Single Leg Hip Thrust
Sit with your upper back against the long edge of a bench.
Rest a dumbbell across the crease of your hips and hold it in place.
Plant one foot flat with the shin vertical under the knee.
Lift the other leg and hold the hip at roughly 90 degrees.
Drive the planted foot into the floor until your torso is parallel with the floor.
Lower your hips under control without letting them rotate, then repeat.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Loads one glute at a time without needing a barbell or a rack.
Finds and trains weak sides that bilateral thrusting hides.
Adds a pelvic stability demand on top of straightforward hip extension.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Letting the hips drop or rotate toward the free leg, which loses the unilateral load.
Arching the lower back at lockout instead of finishing with the glutes.
Feeling the movement in the lower back, which signals the pelvis is not tilting under.
Loading it before the bilateral version is solid, which just shifts work to the hamstrings.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Dumbbell Single Leg Hip Thrust, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
