To get the most out of your workout and give your training the edge, alongside lifting straps and mastering compound exercises, every weightlifter worth her salt will have a barbell pad stored in her gym bag. There's definitely a 'tough guy' stigma surrounding not using pads. It's worth pointing out that the most elite olympic and powerlifters do not use pads," explains Gibson. Another durable option, I also like the J Bryant barbell pad because it’s not arched. More importantly for hip thrusts, this one will withstand heavy weight. Now, keep in mind, we wanted to include various styles and types so you can get a spectrum of what’s available, so “best” can mean many things. It’s a blend of quality, cost, comfort, and more. You can see our “How We Ranked” section for more on this. However, if you’re planning to challenge your limits while doing hip thrusts, you should consider an option with straps.

9 Best Barbell Pads for Strength Training, According to

Hi Bret. thanks for your effort. I recommended and applied hip thrust in my athletes. It responded very good. YOU'RE STEPPING into the gym, ready to unleash your inner beast and build that iron-clad strength. But hold up—do you need a barbell pad for your workout? It's time to get the lowdown on these babies and figure out when you might want to use them, and when you definitely don't. Pausing for a moment at the top of the hip thrust increases time under tension and ensures proper tempo and control throughout the movement. How to:David is a writer and strength coach and co-owner of Roman Fitness Systems. In addition to helping run RFS, he's also the head editor for To avoid injury and maximise efficiency, make sure your barbell pad is secure. 'Exposed barbell pads slide on and off the bar, and there's no way to secure the pad to the barbell,' explains Campus. There are various ways to secure or attach the pad to a barbell. The choice here depends mainly on the weight you’ll lift rather than opting for a hassle-free design. If you don’t mind splurging a little more to invest in a serious bar pad that offers high quality in terms of materials and features, consider this one from Plan4U. The hip thrust is likely the most rapidly rising exercise in terms of popularity in strength & conditioning. It is performed by physique athletes, strength athletes, and sport athletes alike. Hip thrusts can be performed with bodyweight, barbell, or resistance band loading. The barbell hip thrust lends itself well to heavy loads, which is precisely why it’s mandatory to execute the exercise properly and master bodyweight first. Here are ten steps to the perfect hip thrust. 1. Push Through the Heels

10 Best Barbell Hip Thrust Pads: Pros, Cons, Reviews

As you can see, these pads are a must-have piece of gym accessory if you do hip thrusts as well as alternative exercises, such as lunges and squats, to a lesser extent.

Most of these barbell pads are designed with a bit of slip resistance, thanks to the external material, whether it’s foam or leather. The downside with the straps is that it’s annoying to take on and off and definitely adds time to each set. If you don’t carry a lot of heavy weight on your barbell when doing the hip thrust but still want to avoid bruising, you might want to consider a model that’s quite easy to put on and off to save yourself time and hassle. The top options do a much better job of this, and in particular the Rogue Abmat, because, as we’ve said, this is the only thing it was made to do. Does it Hold Up with Heavy Weights?

Saddle Anti-Thrust Cushion | Performance Health Saddle Anti-Thrust Cushion | Performance Health

The company offers the pad in both 15.7 and 11.8, so you can choose the most suitable one. However, I recommend that you go for the longer one in that case. Hip thrusts and glutes bridges are one of the best categories of exercises out there. They strengthen the often weak glutes and hamstrings. They’re easy to load and relatively hard to hurt yourself doing, especially compared to other exercises like squats and deadlifts. Tough guy stigma aside, pads can help reduce discomfort and pressure on your hips, allowing you to focus on squeezing those glutes without the distraction of barbell-induced discomfort. (You can even use them in hip thrust machines.) While Delgado-Lugo doesn’t recommend using a barbell pad during squats (it’s better to go for a lighter weight on the bar, she says), she does recommend them for hip thrusts. “In this case, the cushion is in fact protecting bone without inhibiting the muscle action or contraction,” she says. Here at PowerliftingTechnique, we’re a team of expert passionate powerlifters and coaches with years of combined experience in powerlifting and strength training. We’ve used our knowledge and professional experience to offer up-to-date, accurate information about the best powerlifting and weightlifting products on the market so you can find the most suitable fitness equipment for your home gym. How We Chose the Best Barbell Hip Thrust Pads

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Not everyone needs a barbell pad, so we've included some versatile alternatives too. It's all about finding the right balance between comfort and functionality.

Hip Thrust - Bret Contreras 10 Steps to the Perfect Hip Thrust - Bret Contreras

This one uses quality synthetic leather to stabilize the barbell and prevent it from slipping out of the pads. It’s also durable and affordable, which makes it a great value for its price. One thing you need to always keep in mind while you’re in a gym is that the equipment there isn’t always clean. A lot of hands touch these barbells, and you land them on your body. Pushing through the heels as opposed to through the balls of your feet shifts muscle activation away from the quadriceps and onto the glutes and hamstrings. How to: Moreover, the hip thrust pad dimensions are designed according to the female body dimension, making them easier to use.

Moreover, it doesn’t use straps or velcro tape to secure the barbell. Instead, you only need to slip the barbell in, and you’re good to go! This pad comes with straps, but they completely slide off, so it gives you an option. This is nice because sometimes you may need the extra stability, for extra heavy or challenging sets. Other times, you can leave the straps off. Full hip extension is where the glutes achieve their highest level of activation. Failing to reach this range of motion will lead to diminished tension on the glutes. How to: