Barbell Glute Exercises
If glute growth is the goal, the barbell hip thrust is the most direct exercise that exists: the load sits over the hips, the resistance is horizontal, and the hardest point of the rep is full hip extension where the glute is doing everything. It is also easily loaded to well over bodyweight, which no other glute exercise manages.
The hinge family does the other half of the work. Romanian deadlifts and stiff-leg deadlifts load the glutes and hamstrings in a deep stretch, and the deficit and snatch-grip deadlift variations extend that range further. The split squat and Zercher squat add a single-leg and a deep-squat option. The Olympic pulls and cleans are here because explosive hip extension is a glute action, but they are a poor first choice for growth, because the hip thrust and Romanian deadlift do that job better.
Beginner1
Intermediate11
Advanced6
Other equipment for Glutes
Frequently asked questions
Barbell hip thrust or squat for glutes?
The hip thrust, if you have to choose. It loads the glute hardest at full hip extension and keeps tension on it for the whole rep, while a squat's hardest point is at the bottom where the quads dominate. Squats still build glutes. They just are not as targeted.
How do I stop feeling Romanian deadlifts in my lower back?
Push the hips backward rather than bending forward, keep the bar in contact with your legs on the way down, and stop the descent when your hamstrings stop stretching rather than when the plates touch the floor. If the lower back is rounding, the range is too long for your current mobility.
How heavy should barbell hip thrusts be?
Heavier than most people expect, since trained lifters often thrust well above their squat. That said, load only counts if you reach full hip extension and pause there. Half-range thrusts with enormous weight train very little.