Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Bench Hip Extension: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The bench hip extension is a bodyweight exercise targeting the glutes and hamstrings. It involves lifting the hips off a bench to form a straight line from knees to shoulders, emphasizing glute activation and hip extension strength.

Primary muscles
Glutes
Secondary muscles
Hamstrings
Equipment
Body Weight
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the bench hip extension
Front view: muscles worked by the bench hip extension. Primary: glutes. Secondary: hamstrings.
Back view: muscles worked by the bench hip extension. Primary: glutes. Secondary: hamstrings.
Primary Secondary

How to do the bench hip extension

  1. Step 1: Sit on a bench with your back against the bench and your feet flat on the ground.
  2. Step 2: Place your hands on the bench for support.
  3. Step 3: Engage your glutes and hamstrings, then lift your hips off the bench until your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
  4. Step 4: Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your hips back down to the starting position.
  5. Step 5: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the bench hip extension by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Bench Hip Extension alternatives

More exercises that train the glutes as their main target:

More glutes exercises

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.