For glute growth
For glute growth, 45° back extension rates higher on our research criteria: more stretch, easier on the joints.
Barbell hip thrust keeps more of the work on the glutes.
Both are good choices, and they train the glutes differently. Using both across your week covers more of the muscle than either alone: in studies, varied exercises grew parts of a muscle that one exercise missed. (Fonseca et al., 2014; Costa et al., 2021)
The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work
45° Back Extension. Round the upper back slightly and the glutes take over.
Barbell Hip Thrust. Grew the glutes about as much as squats in a head-to-head trial, despite loading them mainly when shortened.
For cycling, 45° back extension rates higher on our research criteria: more injury protection. Barbell hip thrust carries over more directly to cycling.
For golf, the two are close. Barbell hip thrust rates slightly higher: more carry-over to golf. 45° back extension does more to prevent injuries.
For glute growth, 45° back extension rates higher on our research criteria: more stretch, easier on the joints. Barbell hip thrust keeps more of the work on the glutes. Both are good choices, and they train the glutes differently. Using both across your week covers more of the muscle than either alone: in studies, varied exercises grew parts of a muscle that one exercise missed.
About the same: both are easy to learn.
45° back extension needs a GHD or back-extension bench, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Barbell hip thrust needs a barbell and a bench, so for most people it’s a gym exercise.
45° back extension: it rates Excellent for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric, against Strong for barbell hip thrust.