For glute growth
For glute growth, the two are close. Barbell hip thrust rates slightly higher: easier to progress, more of the work on the glutes.
Step-up 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 Hip Thrust. Grew the glutes about as much as squats in a head-to-head trial, despite loading them mainly when shortened.
Step-Up. A high box puts the front glute under load from a deep hip bend. Light on the joints, capped by balance.
For cycling, step-up rates well ahead on our research criteria: more injury protection, easier to learn and fit in.
For running, step-up rates well ahead on our research criteria: more carry-over to running, easier to learn and fit in.
For glute growth, the two are close. Barbell hip thrust rates slightly higher: easier to progress, more of the work on the glutes. Step-up 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.
About the same: both are easy to learn.
Barbell hip thrust needs a barbell and a bench, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Step-up needs dumbbells and a plyo box, so for most people it’s a gym exercise.
Step-up: it rates Excellent for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric, against Strong for barbell hip thrust.