Sometimes exercises allow you to use different equipment options for different effects. Find out whether Bosu Ball hip thrusts are a good idea.
Bosu Ball hip thrusts are a variation of hip thrusts where you do the exercise with your upper back on the round part of a Bosu Ball. You still hold a weight on your hips.
The first thing to note about this is that Bosu Balls have weight limits. You may not be able to use enough pressure to grow the strong glutes and hamstrings.
That being said, if you can do Bosu Ball hip thrusts safely and without issues, using a Bosu Ball instead of the floor allows your glutes and hamstrings to go through a slightly larger range of motion.
Additionally, you get a tiny bit more core muscle engagement to keep your back straight and in position.
So Bosu Ball hip thrusts can be more effective than a regular weighted glute bridge for some people.
At the same time, it is worth mentioning that a weight bench or similar alternatives that allow you to do hip thrusts at home can be more effective too.
How to do a Bosu Ball hip thrust
The Bosu Ball is a start but you likely also need some type of hip thrust equipment, more specifically resistance, to make the Bosu hip thrusts challenging enough.
Once you have the gear requirements, take the following steps to do a Bosu Ball hip thrust:
- Put the Bosu Ball flat on the ground.
- Sit in front of the Bosu Ball with your back toward it.
- Lie down on the Bosu Ball with your upper back on the highest point of the dome. Put your feet flat on the ground and slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. You want to put them at a distance where your lower legs will be about vertical in the next step.
- If you have not done so yet, hold your weight on your hips.
- Slowly raise your hips until your body is in about a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
- Lower your hips back to the ground in a controlled motion.
People who don’t have a lot of weight available can also consider doing a one-legged Bosu Ball hip thrust.
In that case, you don’t want to forget to do the same number of repetitions on each side.
You can also do Bosu Ball “hip thrusts” with your feet on the ball too.
However, that way the exercise becomes more of a hamstring bridge with a heavier focus on balance.
Muscles worked with Bosu Ball hip thrusts
Bosu Ball hip thrusts mainly work your glutes (butt), hamstrings (back thighs), and erector spinae (lower back) muscles.
The muscles this variation works are mostly similar to the regular version but the Bosu Ball does engage your core muscles just a bit more than a weight bench.
It is also worth mentioning that the extra range of motion the Bosu Ball offers over weighted glute bridges on the floor is typically good for muscle growth and strength progress.
One important thing you do want to keep in mind is that you typically do weighted hip thrusts with a lot of weight because of how strong the glutes and hamstrings are.
However, the weight capacity of the Bosu Ball is not always high enough for everyone.
For example, the more standard at-home Bosu Ball has a 300 lbs weight capacity. Your individual model could potentially be able to carry less.
Benefits of Bosu Ball hip thrusts
If the capacity of the Bosu Ball is high enough for your current strength level, Bosu Ball hip thrusts offer nice benefits. Some examples are:
- Stronger muscles: By doing enough Bosu Ball hip thrusts with enough resistance you can grow and strengthen your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back.
- May improve athletic performance: The muscles Bosu Ball hip thrusts power a lot of your running speed. Growing and strengthening them can improve your athletic performance in many sports.
- Can make daily activities easier: Another benefit of strengthening your muscles with Bosu Ball hip thrusts is that daily activities like walking around and climbing stairs can become easier.
- Compacter storage: A weight bench is not always an option at home due to its more bulky construction. You may find a Bosu Ball with or without a good Bosu storage rack more convenient in this area.
Bosu Ball hip thrusts are not the only option to get these benefits but they can be helpful enough to implement anyway.
Bosu Ball hip thrust alternatives
The benefits above still apply but you could conclude that Bosu Ball hip thrusts are just not perfect for you.
In that case, you can also consider some of the following Bosu Ball hip thrust alternatives:
- Other hip thrust variations
- Cable glute kickbacks
- Donkey kicks
- Lunges
- (Romanian) deadlifts
- Step-ups
- Bulgarian split squats
What muscles you want to work, what equipment you have available, and what you like doing are details that influence your decision between these Bosu Ball hip thrust alternatives.
Are Bosu Ball hip thrusts a good exercise?
For resistance training beginners and intermediates, Bosu Ball hip thrusts can be a good at-home variation to work their glutes and hamstrings.
That being said, you want to keep in mind that even the best Bosu Balls don’t have the highest weight capacities.
You may not be able to use enough resistance to train the strong glutes and hamstrings enough.
Additionally, if you do have a weight bench available, this will typically offer a larger range of motion in a more stable way. These things tend to offer more training results.
Lastly, there are also other at-home-friendly glute exercises with weights.
You may like these and their muscle engagement just as much or more than Bosu Ball hip thrusts.
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FAQ
Can you use a Bosu ball for hip thrusts?
If the weight you use is not too heavy for the weight limit, you can use a Bosu ball for hip thrusts. More advanced lifters may need something sturdier.
