For glute growth
For glute growth, hip thrust machine rates higher on our research criteria: easier on the joints, more of the work on the glutes.
Barbell back squat gives more stretch.
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
Barbell Back Squat. Deep squats grew the glutes about three times more than half squats in one study.
Hip Thrust Machine. Puts the glutes first with a stable setup and easy loading, though most tension comes at the top, where they’re short.
For glute growth, hip thrust machine rates higher on our research criteria: easier on the joints, more of the work on the glutes. Barbell back squat gives more stretch. 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.
Hip thrust machine is easier: it’s easy to learn, while barbell back squat takes some practice.
Barbell back squat needs a barbell and a squat rack, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Hip thrust machine needs a machine, so for most people it’s a gym exercise.
Hip thrust machine: it rates Excellent for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric, against Fair for barbell back squat.