If you're looking to sculpt that booty and build up a peach that anybody will be jealous of, then there are several exercises that you'll want to focus on. Two of these exercises include KAS glute bridge and the hip thrust.
On the surface, they may look like very similar exercises, but there are some significant differences between them that will determine which one of these you'll choose over the other. Let's figure out what makes the KAS glute bridge different from the hip thrust.
What is the KAS Glute Bridge?
The KAS glute bridge is named after a bodybuilder and fitness influencer, Kasia Kasperek, and it's an exercise that focuses heavily on activating your glutes more than a regular glute bridge.
To do this exercise, you place your upper back on a bench with your hips off the ground and extended fully.
You then thrust your hips up but don't lower them as far as a normal hip thrust as this exercise uses a smaller range of motion to focus the tension on your glutes.
What is a Hip Thrust?
We then have the hip thrust, which is one of the most popular glute exercises of all time.
The hip thrust generally involves having your back on an elevated surface or bench with your feet planted on the ground.
You would then drive your hips upward until full extension is achieved, and then lower them back down to the starting position.
Hip thrusts are often done with added weight, such as resistance bands or a barbell.
As you can tell just by their descriptions, the hip thrust and the KAS glute bridge are very similar, but as you'll see further below, there are big differences between them.
How to Do a KAS Glute Bridge (Step-by-Step)
Let's take a quick look at exactly how to do the KAS glute bridge.
- Sit with your back against a flat bench, keep your feet shoulder-width apart and flat on the ground, and bend your knees to a 90° angle. You can hold weight plates or a barbell for some added resistance.
- Make sure that your spine is neutral and that your core is engaged.
- By squeezing your gluteal muscles, drive your hips upward in a slow and controlled manner. You want to lift until your body ends up in a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
- Contract your gluteal muscles at the top of the motion, and then slowly lower your hips back down in a controlled manner. Remember to keep the range of motion very limited here. Your rear end should not be coming anywhere close to the ground on the downward motion of this exercise.
- Repeat this motion for anywhere between 8 and 12 repetitions.
How to Do a Hip Thrust (Step-by-Step)
Let's now take a quick look at exactly how to do a hip thrust. As you'll see, it's virtually the same as the KAS glute bridge.
- Start by sitting against a flat bench, your feet at shoulder width apart, and your feet on the ground. Your starting position should see your shoulders elevated on the bench with your knees bent at a 90° angle.
- Just like with the exercise above, make sure to keep your spine neutral and your core engaged.
- The motion here is very similar to the KAS glute bridge. Starting with your body being in a straight line from your knees to your shoulders, slowly lower your hips down until your rear end is almost touching the ground, and then use your glutes, quads, and hamstrings to drive back up to the starting position. There is a full range of motion here.
- Aim to do anywhere between 8 and 15 repetitions of this exercise.
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Main Differences Between KAS Glute Bridge and Hip Thrust
So from our descriptions of how to do each exercise above, you might think that they are exactly the same.
However, there are notable differences that will determine which of these exercises is best for you.
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Range of Motion
The biggest difference between these two exercises is that the hip thrust has you fully lowering your hips until your glutes are virtually touching the ground.
On the other hand, the KAS glute bridge features only a very limited range of motion.
Overall Muscle Activation
The next difference between the KAS glute bridge and the hip thrust has to do with the muscles being activated.
Hip thrusts, due to the wider range of motion, engage both your hamstrings and your glutes significantly.
However, as you might be able to tell by the name of it, the KAS glute bridge focuses very heavily on the gluteal muscles.
Pace
The other major difference between these two exercises is that the hip thrust is usually done in an explosive manner and with a good bit of speed.
On the other hand, the KAS glute bridge it's usually done in a more controlled and slower manner.
The main point of the KAS glute bridge is to maximize gluteal activation, which is why it's important to do it in a controlled manner.
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Similarities Between KAS Glute Bridge and Hip Thrust
Of course, there are some big similarities between these two exercises as well.
The Position and Motion
Overall, the setup for both exercises is the same, with you resting against a bench with your back and then elevating your upper body on that bench while your knees are bent at a 90° angle, with your hips thrusting up and down.
Muscles Targeted
Something else that makes these exercises similar is that they both target your gluteal muscles.
The gluteal muscles are the primary muscles targeted by both the KAS glute bridge and the hip thrust.
Both the lower back and the hamstrings are also activated to a certain degree, although more so with a hip thrust.
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Who Should Do the Hip Thrust and Who Should KAS Glute Bridge?
If your main goal is to isolate your gluteal muscles and to build a big glutes, then the KAS glute bridge is best for you.
This is also good exercise for people who have hamstring injuries, as this exercise doesn't put much strain on the hamstrings.
However, if you're looking to build overall lower body strength, you want to focus on both your hamstrings and your gluteal muscles, and you like lifting heavy weights, then it is the hip thrust that is likely better for you.
Rounding Up
At the end of the day, both the KAS glute bridge and the hip thrusts are excellent exercises for honing your glutes, with the hip thrust being slightly better for your hamstrings and the former being bad for your glutes.
