08/16/2026
B***y Builder was the first company to make a dedicated hip thrust machine, and from the very beginning, one of the key design considerations was the inclusion of a raised foot platform based on biomechanical principles of the exercise.
Testing and user feedback show that foot position changes which muscles work the most:
Feet in a lower position:
This position increases knee bend, which means the quads engage more during the lift. Because the quads take on more of the work, you are able to use heavier weights. However, this can slightly reduce how much the glutes are doing compared to the hips.
Feet in a raised position:
When the feet are elevated, the joint angles change and the force shifts more through the hips. This reduces quad involvement and places more emphasis driving through the glutes and hamstrings.
As a result, you usually don’t need as much weight to feel a strong glute-focused contraction.
From a training point of view, lifting heavier weight doesn’t mean better glute activation. If other muscles like the quads are doing more of the work or if the setup is uncomfortable and limits how well you can push, then the glutes are not going to get the best stimulus.
What matters most is where the tension is going, not just how much weight is on the machine.
This is the reason B***y Builder’s original design includes a raised foot platform: to help shift the movement toward more glute dominant hip extension and improve muscle targeting.
Original design. Built to prioritize the glutes.
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