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“A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and
American Hip Thrust Variations” by Contreras B et al.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics
© 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
Note. This article will be published in a forthcoming issue of
the Journal of Applied Biomechanics. The article appears here in
its accepted, peer-reviewed form, as it was provided by the
submitting author. It has not been copyedited, proofread, or
formatted by the publisher.
Section: Original Research
Article Title: A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG
Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and American Hip Thrust Variations
Authors: Bret Contreras1, Andrew D. Vigotsky2,3, Brad J. Schoenfeld4, Chris Beardsley5 , and
John Cronin1,6
Affiliations: 1Sport Performance Research Institute, Auckland University of Technology,
Auckland, New Zealand. 2Kinesiology Program, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ. 3Leon
Root, M.D. Motion Analysis Laboratory, Department of Rehabilitation, Hospital for Special
Surgery, New York, NY. 4Department of Health Sciences, CUNY Lehman College, Bronx, NY.
5Strength and Conditioning Research Limited, London, UK. 6School of Exercise, Biomedical
and Health Science, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia.
Journal: Journal of Applied Biomechanics
Acceptance Date: December 4, 2015
©2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/jab.2015-0091
“A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and
American Hip Thrust Variations” by Contreras B et al.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics
© 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
A comparison of gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, and vastus lateralis EMG amplitude for
the barbell, band, and American hip thrust variations
Bret Contreras, MA 1, Andrew D. Vigotsky 2,3, Brad J. Schoenfeld, PhD 4, Chris Beardsley 5 ,
John Cronin, PhD 1,6
1 Sport Performance Research Institute, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New
Zealand
2 Kinesiology Program, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA
3 Leon Root, M.D. Motion Analysis Laboratory, Department of Rehabilitation, Hospital for
Special Surgery, New York, NY
4 Department of Health Sciences, CUNY Lehman College, Bronx, NY, USA
5 Strength and Conditioning Research Limited, London, UK
6 School of Exercise, Biomedical and Health Science, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia
Funding: No funding was obtained for this study.
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: The authors report no conflicts of interest.
Correspondence Address: avigotsky@gmail.com
Running head: Hip thrust EMG
“A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and
American Hip Thrust Variations” by Contreras B et al.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics
© 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
Abstract
Bridging exercise variations are well researched and commonly employed for both rehabilitation
and sports performance. However, resisted bridge exercise variations have not yet been
compared in a controlled experimental study. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to
compare the differences in upper and lower gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, and vastus lateralis
electromyography (EMG) amplitude for the barbell, band and American hip thrust variations.
Thirteen healthy female subjects (age = 28.9 years; height = 164.3 cm; body mass = 58.2 kg)
familiar with the hip thrust performed ten repetitions of their ten-repetition maximum of each
variation in a counterbalanced and randomized order. The barbell hip thrust variation elicited
statistically greater mean gluteus maximus EMG amplitude than the American and band hip
thrusts, and statistically greater peak gluteus maximus EMG amplitude than the band hip thrust
(p ≤ 0.05), but no other statistical differences were observed. It is recommended that resisted
bridging exercise be prescribed according to the individual’s preferences and desired outcomes.
Keywords: bridging exercise, resistance training, hip extension, lower extremity,
electromyography
Word Count: 3,588
“A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and
American Hip Thrust Variations” by Contreras B et al.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics
© 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
Introduction
Bridging exercise variations are commonly employed for both rehabilitation1-3 and
enhancement of sports performance.4-6 For such purposes, both bodyweight and loaded bridging
exercise variations are performed. Consequently, bodyweight bridging exercises have frequently
been compared to one another in the literature. For example, unilateral bridges have been shown
to elicit about double the upper gluteus maximus electromyography (EMG) amplitude than
bilateral bodyweight bridges.7 However, despite their popularity for strength and conditioning,
no loaded bridges have been compared. Barbell exercises are a staple in strength and
conditioning programs around the world, and typically outperform machine exercises in muscle
activation.8,9 The barbell hip thrust, introduced in the literature by Contreras and colleauges10 is
loaded bridging exercise used to target the hip extensor musculature against barbell resistance. It
has recently been suggested that the barbell hip thrust can enhance speed, horizontal force
production, and gluteus maximus hypertrophy.10-13 Moreover, recent work from our lab found
that the barbell hip thrust elicited superior gluteus maximus and biceps femoris EMG amplitude
in comparison to the barbell back squat.14 This may be because the barbell allows the lifter to
maintain more consistent hip extension moment requisite throughout the entire range of motion.
In sports science research, exercises are commonly compared to one another to help
determine which exercise leads to more favorable changes in variables of interest. For example,
muscle activation is often compared between exercises.15-24 To the authors’ knowledge, no study
to date has examined bridging variations that utilize external resistance, nor has any study to date
compared one variation versus another.
“A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and
American Hip Thrust Variations” by Contreras B et al.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics
© 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
The American hip thrust is similar to the barbell hip thrust but involves posterior pelvic
tilt (PPT), which mimics hip extension.25 Research has shown that PPT can enhance gluteus
maximus activation,26,27 as our group has previously shown in the plank.28 It is therefore
plausible that combining PPT with hip extension during the hip thrust will promote greater
gluteus maximus activation. However, performing PPT during the hip thrust seems to involve a
greater degree of neuromuscular coordination, which some lifters have trouble mastering.
Bands have recently been shown to elicit similar levels of EMG activation compared to
free-weights,29,30 and to alter the moment-angle curve to require greater hip extension moments
at shorter muscle lengths.31,32 Because the gluteus maximus elicits the greatest amount of EMG
amplitude at end-range hip extension,33 it is plausible that the band hip thrust might outperform
the barbell in peak gluteus maximus EMG. However, since bands fail to maintain consistent
levels of resistance throughout the movement, some of the exercise range of motion is lacking in
adequate resistance.
The gluteus maximus muscle appears to be segmented into at least two subdivisions,
which may display different EMG amplitude in response to certain muscle actions. McAndrew
and colleagues34 used a laser-based mechanomyographic (MMG) technique to measure the mean
contraction time in six subdivisions of the gluteus maximus, both in the sagittal plane (superior,
middle, inferior) and in the frontal plane (medial and lateral). The superior region displayed the
longest contraction time followed by the middle region and then the inferior region. On the basis
of these findings, McAndrew and colleagues34 suggested that the superior region may contain
more slow twitch fibers and be more involved in postural tasks compared to the inferior region,
while the inferior region may contain more fast twitch fibers and be more involved in dynamic
tasks. This is further substantiated by the work of Lyons and colleagues35 and Karlsson and
“A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and
American Hip Thrust Variations” by Contreras B et al.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics
© 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
Jonsson36, who found differences between upper and lower gluteus maximus EMG during
functional movement; for example, load acceptance during stair ambulation better targets the
lower gluteus maximus,35 while hip abduction better targets the upper gluteus maximus.36
Therefore, it is plausible that the upper and lower gluteus maximus experience differential
activation patterns between different exercise variations.
The purpose of this investigation was to compare the EMG amplitude of the upper
gluteus maximus, lower gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, and vastus lateralis during the barbell,
band, and American hip thrust variations. It was hypothesized that barbell hip thrust would elicit
greater upper gluteus maximus, lower gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, and vastus lateralis
EMG amplitude than the band and American hip thrusts.
Methods
In order to help close the gender gap in exercise science and sports medicine research,37 a
homogenous sample of thirteen healthy women participated in this study. Subjects (age = 28.9 ±
5.1 years; height = 164.3 ± 6.3 cm; body mass = 58.2 ± 6.4 kg) had 7.0 ± 5.8 years of resistance
training experience and had a 10RM of 87.4 ± 19.3 kg in the barbell hip thrust. Inclusion criteria
required subjects to be between 20 to 40 years of age, have at least 3 years of consistent
resistance training experience training at least three times per week, and be familiar with
performance of the hip thrust exercise. All subjects were healthy and denied the existence of any
current musculoskeletal or neuromuscular injuries, pain, or illnesses. Subjects filled out an
Informed Consent and Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q). Any subject that
answered “Yes” to any of the questions on the PAR-Q was excluded from the study. Subjects
were advised to refrain from training their lower body for 72 hours prior to testing. To ensure
acceptable performance in the barbell hip thrust, subjects performed each movement using only a
“A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and
American Hip Thrust Variations” by Contreras B et al.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics
© 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
barbell while the lead researcher evaluated technique. If a subject reported pain, discomfort, or
failed to perform the movement correctly, she was excluded from participation. If, for any
reason, a subject could not complete a trial, her data was discarded. The study was approved by
the Auckland University of Technology Ethics Committee.
Subjects first performed a 10-minute general warm-up consisting of various dynamic
stretches for the lower body musculature. Afterwards, 3 progressively heavier specific warm-up
sets were performed for the hip thrust exercise. Next, subjects’ 10 repetition maximum (10RM)
in barbell, band, and American hip thrusts were calculated using the methods described by
Baechle and colleagues38, by performing as many repetitions with what each subject perceived to
be a moderately heavy load. Order of the testing was randomized.
Subjects were asked to wear appropriate clothing for access to the EMG electrode
placement sites. Before placing the electrodes on the skin, excess hair was removed with a razor,
and skin was cleaned and abraded using an alcohol swab. After preparation, self-adhesive
disposable silver/silver chloride pre-gelled dual snap surface bipolar electrodes (Noraxon
Product #272, Noraxon USA Inc., Scottsdale, AZ) with a diameter of 1 centimeter (cm) and an
inter-electrode distance of 2 cm were attached in parallel to the fibers of the right upper gluteus
maximus, lower gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, and vastus lateralis in concordance with the
recommendations of Hermens and colleagues39 and Lyons and colleagues35. After the electrodes
were secured, a quality check was performed to ensure EMG signal validity.
Ten minutes after 10RM testing, maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC)
testing was performed. For the gluteus maximus, two MVIC positions were tested. The first
involved a prone bent-leg hip extension against manual resistance applied to the distal thigh, as
utilized by Boren and colleagues40, and the second involved a standing glute squeeze. Pilot data
“A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and
American Hip Thrust Variations” by Contreras B et al.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics
© 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
from our lab revealed that a minority of subjects achieved higher levels of gluteus maximus
EMG amplitude with the standing glute squeeze than during the prone bent-leg hip extension
against manual resistance; thus, both conditions were recorded and EMG was normalized to
whichever contraction elicited greater EMG amplitude.41 Biceps femoris MVIC was determined
by having the subject lay prone and produce maximum knee flexion moment at 45º knee flexion
against manual resistance applied to the distal leg just above the ankle, as found to be superior by
Mohamed and colleagues42. Two vastus lateralis MVIC positions were used. The first had the
subject sit and produce maximum knee extension moment against manual resistance applied to
the distal leg just above the ankle at 90º hip flexion and 90º knee flexion, as found to be superior
by Kong & Van Haselen43, while the second used a 90º hip flexion and 180º knee position.
Whichever contraction elicited greater EMG amplitude was used for normalization. In all MVIC
positions, subjects were instructed to contract the tested muscle “as hard as possible.” These
methods are identical to those utilized by Contreras and colleagues.14,44
After ten minutes of rest following MVIC testing, subjects performed 10 repetitions
utilizing their estimated 10RM of the barbell, band, and American hip thrusts in a
counterbalanced, randomized order. In accordance with Contreras and colleagues10, the barbell
hip thrust was performed with the subjects’ backs on a bench, approximately 16 inches high. The
subjects’ feet were slightly wider than shoulder width apart, with toes pointed forward or slightly
outward. The barbell was padded with a thick bar pad and placed over the subjects’ hips. The
subjects were instructed to thrust the bar upwards while maintaining a neutral spine and pelvis
(Figure 1). A full range of motion was used for each repetition, beginning with the bar touching
the ground and ending in full hip extension. The American hip thrust was performed in a similar
fashion but the subjects were positioned on the bench such that the inferior angle of the scapulae
“A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and
American Hip Thrust Variations” by Contreras B et al.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics
© 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
rested on the bench. Subjects combined hip extension and posterior pelvic tilt in this variation,
which required a blend of anterior pelvic tilt and hip flexion during the eccentric portion of the
movement and posterior pelvic tilt and hip extension during the concentric portion of the
movement (Figure 2). The band hip thrust was performed identically to the barbell hip thrust but
with elastic resistance bands instead of a barbell (Figure 3). In each variation, hip range of
motion was kept consistent, which required that subjects reverse the movement in mid-air with
the American hip thrust, since the bar does not touch the ground during this variation. Subjects
were given 5 minutes of rest between sets. No pre-determined tempo was set so as to better
represent true training conditions.
Raw EMG signals were collected at 2000 Hz by a Myotrace 400 EMG unit (Noraxon
USA Inc, Scottsdale, AZ). Data was sent in real time to a computer via Bluetooth and recorded
and analyzed by MyoResearch 3.6 Clinical Applications software (Noraxon USA, Inc.,
Scottsdale, AZ). Signals of all 10 repetitions for the dynamic sets and for all 3 seconds of the
isoholds were rectified and smoothed with a root mean square (RMS) algorithm with a 100 ms
window. Mean and peak data were normalized to a mean peak of a 1000 ms window from the
MVIC trials; that is, the 1000 ms window with the greatest mean EMG amplitude.
Sphericity (Mauchly’s test) and normality (Shapiro-Wilk’s test) were checked before
performing one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures (parametric) or
Friedman’s test (nonparametric) to investigate if within subject, within muscle differences
existed between hip thrust variations. If data were parametric but did not meet sphericity
assumptions, Greenhouse-Geisser corrections to degrees of freedom were applied. For
parametric data in which a main effect was observed, paired samples t-tests were performed.
Non-parametric in which main effects were found were compared using Wilcoxon paired-
“A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and
American Hip Thrust Variations” by Contreras B et al.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics
© 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
samples signed-rank tests. Alpha was set to 0.05 and a Bonferroni correction was applied to post
hoc pairwise comparisons. Bonferroni-corrected p-values are presented in these cases.
Parametric effect sizes (ES) were calculated by Cohen’s d using the formula , where Md
is mean difference and sd is the standard deviation of differences.45-47 This method is slightly
different than the traditional method of calculating Cohen’s d, as it calculates the within-subject
effect-size rather than group or between-subject effect sizes. Cohen’s d was defined as small,
medium, and large for 0.20, 0.50, and 0.80, respectively.48 Non-parametric ES were reported in
terms of Pearson’s r (
r=z
n
). Pearson’s r was defined as small, medium, and large for 0.10,
0.30, and 0.50, respectively.48 Additionally, 95% confidence intervals (CI) of effect-sizes from
the pairwise comparisons were calculated and presented.
Results
The 10RM of the American hip thrust utilized was 91.9 ± 18.5 kg, and the 10RM of the
barbell hip thrust used was 87.4 ± 19.3 kg.
Friedman’s test revealed statistical differences between mean upper gluteus maximus
EMG amplitudes (χ2(2) = 12.462; p = 0.002). Bonferroni-corrected post hoc pairwise
comparisons revealed that the barbell hip thrust elicited statistically greater mean upper gluteus
maximus EMG amplitude than the American (t(12) = 3.016; p = 0.032; Cohen’s d = 0.84 (0.23,
1.44) and band (t(12) = 3.446; p = 0.014; Cohen’s d = 0.96 (0.35, 1.56)) hip thrust variations; no
statistical differences were found between the American and band hip thrust variations (t(12) =
2.159; p = 0.155; Cohen’s d = 0.60 (−0.01, 1.20)). No statistical differences between conditions
were found to be present for mean lower gluteus maximus (F(2,24) = 0.739; p = 0.488; η2 =
d=Md
sd
“A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and
American Hip Thrust Variations” by Contreras B et al.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics
© 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
0.024), biceps femoris (F(1.289, 15.474) = 0.760; p = 0.429; η2 = 0.024), or vastus lateralis (χ2(2)
= 2.627; p = 0.269) EMG amplitude (Table 1). The number of subjects that achieved the greatest
mean EMG amplitude in each variation is shown in Table 2.
Friedman’s test revealed statistical differences between peak upper gluteus maximus
EMG amplitudes (χ2(2) = 10.308; p = 0.006). Bonferroni-corrected post hoc pairwise
comparisons revealed that the barbell hip thrust elicited statistically greater upper gluteus
maximus EMG amplitude than the band hip thrust variation (t(12) = 2.892; p = 0.041; Cohen’s d
= 0.80 (0.020, 1.41)); no statistical differences were found between barbell and American hip
thrusts (t(12) = 1.600; p = 0.407; Cohen’s d = 0.44 (−0.16; 1.05)) or American and band hip
thrusts (z = 1.363; p = 0.519; Pearson’s r = 0.38 (−0.22, 0.77)). No statistical differences between
conditions were found to be present for peak lower gluteus maximus (χ2(2) = 2.000; p = 0.368),
biceps femoris (F(1.380, 16.561) = 0.585; p = 0.508; η2 = 0.016), or vastus lateralis (χ2(2) =
2.471; p = 0.291) EMG amplitude (Table 1). The number of subjects that achieved the greatest
peak EMG amplitude in each variation is shown in Table 2.
Discussion
Statistically greater mean upper gluteus maximus EMG amplitude was elicited in the
barbell hip thrust variation when compared to both the American and band hip thrust variations
(Table 1). Moreover, the barbell hip thrust was found to elicit statistically greater EMG
amplitude than the band hip thrust (Table 2). However, no further statistical differences in mean
or peak EMG amplitude were observed between any of the hip thrust variations, despite the
American hip thrust (91.9 ± 18.5 kg) utilizing slightly more load than the barbell hip thrust (87.4
± 19.3 kg). This may be because of the positioning in the American hip thrust, in that the lever
“A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and
American Hip Thrust Variations” by Contreras B et al.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics
© 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
arm from the bench to the hips is shorter, thus resulting in a smaller moment arm, so a larger
load would be needed to yield similar moment requisites.
Nevertheless, as expected, the barbell, band, and American hip thrust conditions all
displayed very high levels of mean EMG amplitude in the upper gluteus maximus (69.5 ± 32.6%,
49.2 ± 26.5%, and 57.4 ± 34.8%, respectively) and lower gluteus maximus (86.7 ± 27.0%, 79.2 ±
29.9%, and 89.9 ± 32.4%, respectively). These results show that all three exercises display
greater EMG amplitude in the lower gluteus maximus than the suggested threshold of 60% of
MVIC for the development of muscular strength and size and that the barbell hip thrust also
displays greater EMG amplitude in the upper gluteus maximus when compared to the American
and band hip thrust variations.49,50 Additionally, these findings demonstrate the mean EMG
amplitude elicited by loaded hip thrusts for the gluteus maximus is markedly greater than what
has been reported in an unloaded bridge.51 This is to be expected, as other unloaded exercises
have failed to elicit similar amplitudes compared to their loaded counterpart. For example, Paoli
and colleagues52 noted a 31% difference between vastus lateralis EMG in bodyweight and 70%
one-repetition maximum squats. In a wider context, this seems to be because intensity of load is
a key driver of muscle activation, as a recent study demonstrated in the leg press exercise,53 and
one view of unloaded exercises is that they are simply loaded exercises involving very low
intensity of load.
It should be noted that the barbell hip thrust offers potential advantages over the band and
American hip thrusts. Owing to strength curve alterations in elastic implements,31,32 the barbell
hip thrust provides a more consistent hip extension moment requisite throughout the movement
compared to band hip thrust. Moreover, the barbell hip thrust has a more graded learning curve
than the American hip thrust, as one does not have to learn pelvic control (PPT) in order to
“A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and
American Hip Thrust Variations” by Contreras B et al.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics
© 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
perform the barbell hip thrust. However, if increased biceps femoris EMG amplitude is desired,
then the American hip thrust appears to be a better option when compared to the barbell and
band hip thrust variations. While there were large inter-individual variations in terms of which
exercise elicited the greatest EMG amplitude in each muscle (Table 2), it is worth noting that 11
and 10 out of the 13 subjects exhibited the greatest mean and peak upper gluteus maximus EMG
amplitude, respectively, during performance of the barbell hip thrust.
A key limitation of our study was that because bands were used for the band hip thrust,
estimating subjects’ 10RM was not possible using the methods described by Baechle and
colleagues38. In the band hip thrust, the loads were estimated by equating loads used during the
barbell hip thrust with peak forces elicited during unpublished pilot data collection using a force
plate and slight adjustments were made based on feedback from the subjects. Therefore, loads
used during the band hip thrust elicited similar peak ground reaction forces to those used during
the barbell hip thrust. Thus, the 10RM utilized in the band hip thrust may not be equivalent in
terms of intensity of load to that during the barbell and American hip thrust conditions. Since the
EMG outcomes were similar and, subjectively, subjects tended to fatigue in a similar manner
during the band hip thrust trials, it is presumed that bands used were approximately, albeit not
exactly, 10RM. Nevertheless, if exact 10RM loads were used in comparing the barbell, band, and
American hip thrust conditions, it is conceivable that different results might have been obtained.
Another limitation of our study was that it was performed only in young, resistance-
trained female subjects. Thus, a very homogenous sample was used and caution is required in
extrapolating these results to other populations, including untrained individuals, males and the
elderly. Therefore, it seems advisable that this experiment should be replicated in different
populations.
“A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and
American Hip Thrust Variations” by Contreras B et al.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics
© 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
Finally, our study was limited in that the kinematic differences between the three loaded
hip thrust variations were not explored. By observation, it seems that barbell and band hip thrusts
involve a greater range of movement than the American hip thrust exercise variation.
Additionally, it may be the case that both EMG activities of the gluteus maximus and biceps
femoris and of the hip extension moment vary differently with changing hip angle between the
three exercise variations but since no measurement was taken of these variables with changing
hip angle, this remains unclear. Moreover, our study only considered the effect of 10RM and
different loads and set and repetition schemes should be examined. Finally, given emerging
evidence that combining free weight exercise with resistance bands enhances strength in the
bench press and back squat,54,55 it is conceivable that similar benefits could be achieved from a
combined approach in the hip thrust. This hypothesis also warrants further investigation.
Although greater upper gluteus maximus EMG amplitude was observed in the barbell hip
thrust, exercise selection should be made based on other factors, as well. Individuals with
extension-induced low back pain may prefer the American hip thrust, as it involves PPT, which
reduces the risk of lumbar hyperextension and therefore hyperextension-induced pathology, such
as spondylolysis.56 For some, band hip thrusts may be preferable to either the American hip
thrust or the barbell hip thrust, as bands can be more comfortable on the hips, are more
convenient due to their portable nature, or are more motivating, as some feel the gluteus
maximus activating to a greater degree with bands than with the barbell hip thrust, as evidenced
by those who experienced greater gluteus maximus EMG amplitude in the band hip thrust
variation.
Nevertheless, for developing the gluteus maximus, the barbell hip thrust may be the best
single option for a majority of lifters. It seems to provide the more constant hip extension
“A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and
American Hip Thrust Variations” by Contreras B et al.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics
© 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
moment requisites throughout the whole range of motion (which is not the case with the band hip
thrust), requires little motor learning with regards to pelvic control (which is not the case with
American hip thrust), was found to involve the greatest mean EMG amplitude in the upper
gluteus maximus and lower gluteus maximus in 11 out of 13 subjects in this study, and involved
mean EMG amplitude that was above the recommended threshold of 60% of MVIC for both the
upper gluteus maximus and lower gluteus maximus (which was not the case with the American
hip thrust and band hip thrust as both failed to achieve 60% MVIC in mean upper gluteus
maximus EMG amplitude). However, exercise prescriptions should revolve around individual
goals; therefore, the American hip thrust may be best to target the hamstrings, while the band hip
thrust may be best in conditions where a barbell is not accessible or comfortable.
“A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and
American Hip Thrust Variations” by Contreras B et al.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics
© 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
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“A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and
American Hip Thrust Variations” by Contreras B et al.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics
© 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
Figure 1. Barbell hip thrust technique.
“A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and
American Hip Thrust Variations” by Contreras B et al.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics
© 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
Figure 2. American hip thrust technique.
“A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and
American Hip Thrust Variations” by Contreras B et al.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics
© 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
Figure 3. Band hip thrust technique.
“A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and
American Hip Thrust Variations” by Contreras B et al.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics
© 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
Table 1. EMG (%MVIC) amplitudes in the barbell, band, and American hip thrusts.
Barbell
Band
American
Mean
Upper gluteus maximus
69.5 ± 32.6*†
49.2 ± 26.5
57.4 ± 34.8
Lower gluteus maximus
86.7 ± 27.0
79.2 ± 29.9
89.9 ± 32.4
Biceps femoris
40.8 ± 22.1
36.8 ± 18.0
44.2 ± 20.0
Vastus lateralis
99.5 ± 92.3
93.5 ± 70.9
87.3 ± 65.0
Peak
Upper gluteus maximus
172 ± 91.0*
120 ± 73.8
157 ± 126
Lower gluteus maximus
216 ± 83.8
185 ± 94.4
200 ± 71.1
Biceps femoris
86.9 ± 38.8
89.4 ± 40.4
98.7 ± 44.9
Vastus lateralis
216 ± 194
185 ± 139
177 ± 128
Italicized muscles were compared nonparametrically.
* denotes statistically greater than the band hip thrust
† denotes statistically greater than the American hip thrust
“A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and
American Hip Thrust Variations” by Contreras B et al.
Journal of Applied Biomechanics
© 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.
Table 2. Number of subjects (% of subjects) to achieve maximal activation in each exercise.
Barbell
Band
American
Mean
Upper gluteus maximus
11 (84.6)
1 (7.7)
1 (7.7)
Lower gluteus maximus
6 (46.2)
2 (15.4)
5 (38.5)
Biceps femoris
3 (23.1)
1 (7.7)
9 (69.2)
Vastus lateralis
6.5 (50.0)
3 (23.1)
3.5 (26.9)
Peak
Upper gluteus maximus
10 (76.9)
2 (15.4)
1 (7.7)
Lower gluteus maximus
5 (38.5)
4 (30.8)
4 (30.8)
Biceps femoris
3 (23.1)
5 (38.5)
5 (38.5)
Vastus lateralis
6.5 (50.0)
2 (15.4)
4.5 (34.6)
“Tied” values were “split”; e.g., if one subject achieved the same value in the barbell and band
hip thrusts, 0.5 were added to each.
