Muscles worked
The backpack hip thrust is the hip thrust for training at home. Your glutes do most of the work and work hardest at the very top of each rep. Your hamstrings help and do more the further forward your feet are, while your quads take more when your feet are close. A backpack rarely holds as much weight as a bar, so for most people this is an exercise for high reps, pauses and a slow tempo.
Common mistakes
- The backpack is packed unevenly. If the heavy items end up on one side, the bag pulls crooked and your hips twist without you noticing. Pack the heaviest things in the middle, such as books lying flat, and pull the straps tight so nothing shifts.
- You lean on something that moves. A chair can tip and a soft sofa gives way. Use a sturdy sofa or bench that stands against a wall.
- Your feet slide. In socks on a wooden or tiled floor your feet slip away as you push. Train barefoot, in trainers or on a mat that stays put.
Variations and alternatives
- The dumbbell hip thrust is the same movement when you have dumbbells and want more weight than the bag can hold.
- The single leg hip thrust is often the next step once the bag is not enough, since one leg carries the whole lift.
- The glute bridge is done on the floor and suits you when you have nothing stable to lean against.
- The backpack squat uses the same packed bag and gives your quads work in the same session.
Sets and reps
With a light or medium backpack, three sets of 12 to 20 reps works well. Pause for a couple of seconds at the top and lower slowly, so the weight goes further. The guide to sets and reps walks through choosing a range.
When the last rep of every set feels easy, pack more into the bag. If you weigh it on bathroom scales, you know what you are lifting and can log it. Once the bag is full, move to one leg at a time. Both are progressive overload without buying anything. It works well as an add-on to a home programme with no equipment.