Seated Hip Thrust

Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat, hands planted behind your hips for support. Drive through your heels and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips into a straight line from shoulders to knees, with no bench or bar needed. This bodyweight version is where to build the hip-driving pattern before loading it; most people who struggle with a loaded hip thrust are actually using their lower back instead of their glutes, and it's easier to feel that difference with no weight involved. Keep your ribs pulled down and avoid arching to gain the last bit of height; if your lower back is finishing the movement instead of your glutes, stop a little lower and reset the squeeze.