Muscle HypertrophyHTSNCT07760220
Hip Thrust Versus Back Squat Training in Untrained Adults
A study testing Resistance training in people with Muscle Hypertrophy and Muscle Strength, run by Auburn University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This study compared the effects of two lower-body resistance training exercises - the barbell back squat and the barbell hip thrust - on muscle growth and strength in untrained young adults. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 30 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Muscle Hypertrophy, Muscle Strength
- What is being tested?
- Resistance training
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 39 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 20 Jan 2023to 17 Jan 2024
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 30 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Age 18-30 years
- Body mass index (BMI) less than 30 kg/m²
- Minimal resistance training experience, defined as averaging ≤1 day per week of resistance training over the preceding 5 years
- Willing and able to provide written informed consent.
Who cannot join
- Participation in structured endurance training (e.g., running or cycling) more than 2 days per week over the past 6 months
- Known overt cardiovascular or metabolic disease
- Use of supplemental creatine and/or hormone-altering agents (e.g., testosterone boosters, growth hormone boosters) within the past 2 months
- Any medical condition that would contraindicate participation in an exercise program
- Any condition precluding MRI scanning (e.g., medically implanted devices)
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Hip Thrust and Back Squat Training Elicit Similar Gluteus Muscle Hypertrophy and Transfer Similarly to the Deadlift
This study compared the effects of two lower-body resistance training exercises - the barbell back squat and the barbell hip thrust - on muscle growth and strength in untrained young adults. Thirty-four participants were randomly assigned to train using either the back squat or the hip thrust, two times per week for nine weeks. Muscle size (via MRI) and strength (via weightlifting tests) were measured before and after training to determine whether one exercise produced greater improvements than the other, particularly in the gluteal muscles. Muscle activity during the first training session was also measured using surface electromyography (sEMG) to see whether early muscle activation could predict later muscle growth.
- Conditions
- Muscle Hypertrophy, Muscle Strength
- Being tested
- Resistance training
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Resistance trainingBehavioural
Participants performed training twice per week (non-consecutive days) for 9 weeks, totaling 15-17 supervised sessions. Training volume progressed weekly: 3 sets in week 1, 4 sets in week 2, 5 sets in weeks 3-6, and 6 sets in weeks 7-9, matching the set-volume scheme used in the hip thrust group. Each set consisted of 8-12 repetitions performed to volitional muscular failure (defined as the inability to complete another repetition with proper form); load was adjusted as needed to keep repetitions within this range. Repetitions were performed with a controlled tempo (~1-second concentric, ~2-second eccentric). All training sessions were supervised by study personnel. Participants were instructed to refrain from any other lower-body resistance training for the duration of the study.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Hip thrust (HT) | Experimental | Participants performed barbell hip thrust training only for 2 sessions per week for 9 weeks. Receives: Behavioral: Resistance training |
| Back Squat (SQ) | Active comparator | Participants performed barbell back squat training only for 2 sessions per week for 9 weeks. Receives: Behavioral: Resistance training |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Hypertrophy
Cross-sectional area of the upper, middle, and lower gluteus maximus was measured via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at baseline and following the 9-week training intervention. T1-weighted transverse images were obtained using a 3T MRI scanner, and muscle borders were manually traced using ImageJ software by a single investigator blinded to group allocation. Bilateral (left + right) mCSA values were summed at each of three standardized anatomical sites (upper, middle, and lower gluteus maximus) to assess site-specific hypertrophic response to training.
Measured: Baseline and 9 weeks
Secondary outcomes (2)
3RM strength testing
Dynamic lower-body strength was assessed via 3-repetition maximum (3RM) testing for the barbell hip thrust, barbell back squat, and barbell deadlift at baseline and following the 9-week training intervention
Measured: Baseline and 9 weeks
One-bout EMG gluteal maximus recordings
Surface electromyography (sEMG) was used to assess muscle excitation of the right upper, middle, and lower gluteus maximus and the right gluteus medius during a single 10-repetition-maximum (10RM) set of both the barbell back squat and barbell hip thrust exercises, performed during participants' first training session. Wireless sEMG electrodes were placed at standardized anatomical sites, and signals were sampled at 1000 Hz, rectified, filtered, and smoothed before being normalized to each participant's maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) for the corresponding muscle. Mean and peak sEMG amplitudes were calculated for each muscle site during each exercise and compared between the back squat and hip thrust conditions.
Measured: Single training session within the first week of the intervention.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted12 Aug 2026
- Study start20 Jan 2023
- Primary completion29 Apr 2023
- Study completion17 Jan 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Muscle HypertrophyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 39 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Auburn University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Michael Roberts, Auburn University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07760220
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- protocol #: 22-588
- Acronym
- HTS
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 7 Aug 2026
- Last updated
- 12 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: De-identified individual participant data related to the primary and secondary study outcomes will be shared upon reasonable request. This includes individual-level MRI-derived muscle cross-sectional area measurements (gluteus maximus, gluteus medius/minimus, quadriceps, adductors, and hamstrings) at baseline and post-intervention; individual strength testing results (3-repetition maximum for back squat, hip thrust, and deadlift; isometric wall push force); and surface electromyography (sEMG) amplitude data collected during the first training bout. Requests should be directed to the corresponding author.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 12 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Hip Thrust and Back Squat Training Elicit Similar Gluteus Muscle Hypertrophy and Transfer Similarly to the Deadlift
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07760220
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- HTS / protocol #: 22-588
- Conditions
- Muscle Hypertrophy, Muscle Strength
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 39 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Auburn UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 20 Jan 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 29 Apr 2023 (actual)
- Study completion
- 17 Jan 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 12 Aug 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study compared the effects of two lower-body resistance training exercises - the barbell back squat and the barbell hip thrust - on muscle growth and strength in untrained young adults. Thirty-four participants were randomly assigned to train using either the back squat or the hip thrust, two times per week for nine weeks. Muscle size (via MRI) and strength (via weightlifting tests) were measured before and after training to determine whether one exercise produced greater improvements than the other, particularly in the gluteal muscles. Muscle activity during the first training session was also measured using surface electromyography (sEMG) to see whether early muscle activation could predict later muscle growth.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Hip thrust (HT) | Experimental | Behavioral: Resistance trainingParticipants performed barbell hip thrust training only for 2 sessions per week for 9 weeks. |
| Back Squat (SQ) | Active comparator | Behavioral: Resistance trainingParticipants performed barbell back squat training only for 2 sessions per week for 9 weeks. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 30 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Age 18-30 years
- Body mass index (BMI) less than 30 kg/m²
- Minimal resistance training experience, defined as averaging ≤1 day per week of resistance training over the preceding 5 years
- Willing and able to provide written informed consent.
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Participation in structured endurance training (e.g., running or cycling) more than 2 days per week over the past 6 months
- Known overt cardiovascular or metabolic disease
- Use of supplemental creatine and/or hormone-altering agents (e.g., testosterone boosters, growth hormone boosters) within the past 2 months
- Any medical condition that would contraindicate participation in an exercise program
- Any condition precluding MRI scanning (e.g., medically implanted devices)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Resistance trainingParticipants performed training twice per week (non-consecutive days) for 9 weeks, totaling 15-17 supervised sessions. Training volume progressed weekly: 3 sets in week 1, 4 sets in week 2, 5 sets in weeks 3-6, and 6 sets in weeks 7-9, matching the set-volume scheme used in the hip thrust group. Each set consisted of 8-12 repetitions performed to volitional muscular failure (defined as the inability to complete another repetition with proper form); load was adjusted as needed to keep repetitions within this range. Repetitions were performed with a controlled tempo (~1-second concentric, ~2-second eccentric). All training sessions were supervised by study personnel. Participants were instructed to refrain from any other lower-body resistance training for the duration of the study. | Behavioural | Back Squat (SQ), Hip thrust (HT) |
Primary outcome
Hypertrophy
Time frame: Baseline and 9 weeks
Cross-sectional area of the upper, middle, and lower gluteus maximus was measured via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at baseline and following the 9-week training intervention. T1-weighted transverse images were obtained using a 3T MRI scanner, and muscle borders were manually traced using ImageJ software by a single investigator blinded to group allocation. Bilateral (left + right) mCSA values were summed at each of three standardized anatomical sites (upper, middle, and lower gluteus maximus) to assess site-specific hypertrophic response to training.
2 secondary outcomes
3RM strength testing
Time frame: Baseline and 9 weeks
One-bout EMG gluteal maximus recordings
Time frame: Single training session within the first week of the intervention.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 12 Aug 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. De-identified individual participant data related to the primary and secondary study outcomes will be shared upon reasonable request. This includes individual-level MRI-derived muscle cross-sectional area measurements (gluteus maximus, gluteus medius/minimus, quadriceps, adductors, and hamstrings) at baseline and post-intervention; individual strength testing results (3-repetition maximum for back squat, hip thrust, and deadlift; isometric wall push force); and surface electromyography (sEMG) amplitude data collected during the first training bout. Requests should be directed to the corresponding author.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Resistance training in people with Muscle Hypertrophy and Muscle Strength, run by Auburn University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 12 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Hypertrophy (time frame: Baseline and 9 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 12 Aug 2026.