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Deadlift vs hip thrust [Article]

Posted by Pascal Landshoeft

Mar 19, 2019 9:30:00 AM

Deadlift vs hip thrust

Deadlift vs hip thrust

The deadlift is one of the main staples of strength. In most scenarios, it will be the better option than the hip thrust for overall fitness. The hip thrust can be used as accessory work. 

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What is your why 

 

Before we go into the differences between the deadlift and the hip thrust let me ask you some questions: 

 

  • Why do you compare the deadlift and the hip thrust? 
  • Why do you want to train your lower back? 
  • Why do you want to get stronger?
  • Why do you want to build muscle
  • What happens if you do? 
  • What happens if you don’t? 

 

These questions might seem trivial or obvious to you, however, they are detrimental for your long-term success. Most people focus on what they want rather than on the way they want it. The thought pattern is: 

 

  • What do you want? 
  • How do you get it? 
  • Why do you want it? 

 

This thought pattern is natural as it is mostly reactive. You react to what is around you and adjust what you want accordingly. You are hungry, ok let’s eat. You see a nice dress you can afford, all right let’s try it on. The challenge with this thinking is that you will look for instant gratification. When it comes to diet and finances rewards for current behavior are usually delayed to a later stage. Many people stop too early to see the benefits. 

 

This is why you would do good in changing your pattern to: 

 

  • Why do you want something 
  • How do you get it 
  • What do you need to do to get it 

 

Hammering out your motivation and reasoning will get you long-term results. Connecting it to a deeper why will connect your goals to something that makes a difference and thus will also make it easier to convince others of your mission. 

 

Let’s take my goals as an example I could get about them like this: 

 

  • I want to be strong 
  • I will train hard 
  • Because I want to be a good husband and dad 

 

That is ok however if you change the order it becomes more powerful 

 

  • I want to be the best husband and dad I can possibly be to make my wife happy
  • I have to be strong and smart to be a good role model 
  • I need to work hard and improve every day 

 

It is a slight and very important change. If you are not convinced yet check out Simon Sinek's TED talk on the golden circle. He makes a very compelling case telling the story of the Wright brothers. 

 

Deadlift 

 

The deadlift is one of the most iconic lifts you can do in the gym. It is an expression of pure strength an some of the heaviest loads have been moved this way. If you want to see some impressive pulls look up

 

  • Ed Coan
  • Eddie Hall 
  • Dan Green 
  • Frank Duffin 
  • Andy Bolton 

 

To get a bit of insight into very heavy pulling. 

 

The deadlift mainly trains the hamstrings, quads, lower back, and traps. Compared to the squat it puts more emphasis on the back rather than the front of your legs. When we talk about the deadlift the general public mainly refers to the conventional deadlift. Variations are:

 

 

The deadlift is usually considered one of the core components of a strength based program. Other lifts to consider would be

 

  • Barbell squat
  • Barbell bench press 
  • Overhead press 
  • Clean and jerk 
  • Snatch 

 

Depending on your goals. The deadlift itself is more popular than the squat with beginners. Most likely because there is no risk of getting buried under the bar. To perform a good deadlift follow these steps: 

 

  1. Place your midfeet under the bar 
  2. Grip the bar in a mixed or hook grip 
  3. Lower yourself to the bar 
  4. Squeeze your elbows inwards as if you wanted to squash lemons in your armpits 
  5. Be patient off the floor, make the bar bend 
  6. Initiate the pull by pushing the floor away from you, make footprints with your feet 
  7. Pull the bar upwards and towards you 
  8. Squeeze your glutes 
  9. Make your hips pop forward 
  10. Lockout and set down the bar

 

Rinse and repeat. 

 

The biggest advantages of the deadlift are that you can load it very heavy and that it is primal movement. There is something very satisfying about completing a very heavy deadlift. 

 

The biggest disadvantages of the deadlift are its strain on the lower back and that it is not really suited for bodybuilding purposes. Use machines if you want to go for high reps for your lower back. 

 

Hip Thrust 

 

The hip thrust is considered an accessory movement compared to the deadlift. Other lifts in this category would be

 

  • Good morning 
  • Close grip bench press 
  • Skull crushers 
  • Spoto presses 
  • Coan deadlifts

 

The hip thrust is performed by setting up a bench or box. You lean your back against it while being on the floor. Your body is under the barbell. The goal is to straighten up your hips against the resistance of the barbell

 

The hip thrust is usually not loaded very heavy and done for higher repetitions. Depending on your goals it can either be used to build explosiveness from the hips or sculpt your glutes. 

 

The big advantages of the hip thrust are that it loads a partial movement of the deadlift which otherwise is hard to train. You can also benefit for butt lifting purposes of you squeeze really hard at the top. Just don’t poop your pants, please. 

 

The biggest disadvantages of the hip thrust are that the setup is really awkward and that it can’t be loaded that heavy. Unless you are a fan of breaking yourself in half. 

 

Should you do the deadlift or hip thrusts 

 

It depends on what your goals are. Most bodybuilders will get away without doing hip thrusters. Same goes for powerlifters and weightlifters. They are probably better off investing their time into good mornings than into hip thrusters. 

 

If you are a wrestler or martial artist who wants to build grappling and groundwork strength, the hip thrusters might be for you. Same goes for female models who want to build a bubble butt. 

 

The deadlift is the go-to lift for anyone who is mainly about strength. There is no way around it and the hip thrusters can be a good accessory lift depending on individual goals, strengths, and weaknesses. 

 

Further reading 

 

 

Topics: Lift stronger, Deadlift, Fitness, Strength, Powerlifting, Bodybuilding