For glute growth
For glute growth, Smith machine hip thrust rates higher on our research criteria: 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
Smith Machine Hip Thrust. A hip thrust on rails: stable and simple to load, with the glutes working mostly at the top.
Step-Up. A high box puts the front glute under load from a deep hip bend. Light on the joints, capped by balance.
For glute growth, Smith machine hip thrust rates higher on our research criteria: 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.
Smith machine hip thrust needs a Smith machine 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.
About the same: both rate Excellent for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric.