Addition of The Barbell Hip Thrust Elicits Greater Increases in Gluteus Maximus Muscle Thickness in Untrained Young Women

Background: Although the barbell hip thrust exercise is widely performed in resistance training programs, evidence on its effectiveness to inducing glutes muscle hypertrophy is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the effects of performing 45º leg press and stiff-leg deadlift (L-S) vs. performing 45º leg press, stiff-leg deadlift plus barbell hip thrust (L-S-BHT) on gluteus maximus muscle size. Methods: The participants were 33 untrained young women randomly separated into 2 resistance training groups: L-S (n = 15) and L-S-BHT (n = 18). The muscle thickness of the gluteus maximus was assessed through B-mode ultrasound before and after 30 resistance training sessions. The resistance training program was carried out over 10 weeks, 3 days week-1. Results: Both training regimens elicited significant increases in gluteus maximus muscle thickness from pre to post-training (P < 0.001). Notably, L-S-BHT had superior augments (L-S-BHT = +9.3% vs. L-S = +6.0%, P = 0.016). Conclusion: The current results suggest that performing barbell hip thrust, in addition to 45º leg press and stiff-leg deadlift, enhances muscle hypertrophy of the gluteus maximus compared to performing exclusively 45º leg press and stiff-leg deadlift.