Hip Thrust vs Back Squat for Performance in Female Soccer Players: What the Research Shows

When it comes to building athletic performance in soccer players, the debate between hip thrusts and back squats comes up often in strength and conditioning discussions. Both exercises target the lower body and are commonly used in resistance training programs, but do they produce the same results? A study published in the journal Sports set out to examine exactly that question, focusing specifically on adolescent female soccer players. The findings offer useful insight for coaches, athletes, and anyone interested in evidence-based lower body training.

What This Study Examined

Researchers wanted to understand whether hip thrusts or back squats were more effective at improving athletic performance in young female soccer players. Rather than simply asking which exercise is "better" in a general sense, the study looked at whether the two exercises produced different outcomes across several performance measures.

The core research question was straightforward: does the choice between hip thrusts and back squats matter when the goal is improving sport-relevant physical qualities? And if there are differences, which exercise produces stronger results in which areas?

This kind of comparison is valuable because both exercises are popular in team sport training programs, yet they load the muscles of the lower body in meaningfully different ways. Understanding those differences can help coaches make more informed programming decisions.

How the Study Was Conducted

The study involved adolescent female soccer players who were divided into training groups. One group performed hip thrusts as their primary resistance exercise, while the other group performed back squats. The intervention lasted seven weeks, which is a relatively short but realistic timeframe for an in-season or pre-season training block.

Before and after the seven-week program, participants were tested on a range of performance measures commonly used in soccer-related research. These assessments were designed to capture different aspects of athletic ability, giving researchers a broader picture of how each exercise influenced performance rather than focusing on just one outcome.

The training protocol was structured around progressive resistance training principles, meaning participants worked with increasing loads over the course of the program. This is a standard approach in strength training research designed to promote adaptation over time.

By using a controlled comparison design — where both groups followed similar training structures but differed in exercise selection — the researchers were able to isolate the effects of exercise type on performance outcomes.

Key Findings

The study found that both hip thrusts and back squats led to improvements in athletic performance over the seven-week period. However, the results suggest that the two exercises produced some exercise-specific differences rather than identical outcomes across all measures.

Key takeaways from the findings include:

• Both exercises improved performance, indicating that either can be a valuable tool in a resistance training program for adolescent female soccer players.

• Exercise-specific differences were observed, meaning the type of exercise mattered when looking at particular performance outcomes — not just that resistance training in general was beneficial.

• The results suggest that hip thrusts and back squats may not be interchangeable if a coach has specific performance goals in mind, since each exercise appeared to influence certain qualities more than the other.

Because the abstract characterizes the findings as showing "exercise-specific differences," the study supports the idea that exercise selection is a meaningful programming variable — not just a matter of personal preference.

What This Means for Training

Taken together, these findings suggest that both hip thrusts and back squats have a place in resistance training programs for female soccer players, but they may not produce identical results. If the goal is to improve a very specific performance quality, the choice of exercise could influence how effectively that goal is reached.

For coaches and trainers working with soccer athletes, this research supports a thoughtful approach to exercise selection rather than defaulting to one movement over another. A well-designed program might include both exercises at different points in a training cycle, using each one strategically based on the qualities being prioritized at that time.

For individual athletes or recreational gym-goers who play soccer or participate in field sports, the takeaway is that adding structured lower body resistance training — whether built around hip thrusts, squats, or both — can support athletic development. The specific mix depends on individual goals, movement quality, and how the training fits into the broader program.

This is also a reminder that more is not always more. A focused seven-week block with appropriate exercise selection and progressive overload was enough to produce meaningful improvements, which is encouraging for anyone working within time constraints.

If you're training in Reno and want guidance on structuring a program around your specific sport or performance goals, working with a qualified personal trainer can help you apply research like this in a practical, individualized way. Atlas Personal Training connects athletes and fitness clients with vetted coaches available for both in-person and online training.

Limitations of the Study

As with any research, it's important to consider the context and constraints of the study before drawing broad conclusions.

• Specific population: The participants were adolescent female soccer players. The findings may not apply equally to adult women, male athletes, or individuals without a soccer training background.

• Short duration: Seven weeks is a relatively brief training period. Longer studies might reveal different patterns of adaptation or show whether the observed differences between exercises are sustained over time.

• Sample considerations: Studies involving youth athlete populations often involve smaller group sizes, which can limit how confidently the results generalize to a wider population.

• Abstract-level detail: Based on the information available from this study, specific numerical data and full methodological detail were not included in this summary. Readers interested in the complete findings are encouraged to review the full paper.

These limitations don't diminish the value of the research, but they do underscore the importance of interpreting findings within their appropriate context.

Conclusion

This study adds meaningful evidence to the ongoing conversation about exercise selection in athletic training. The results suggest that both hip thrusts and back squats can improve performance in adolescent female soccer players, while also highlighting that the two exercises are not entirely interchangeable — each appears to produce some distinct benefits.

For coaches and trainers, this reinforces the value of being intentional about exercise selection rather than treating all lower body movements as equivalent. Research like this helps inform how many coaches structure resistance training programs, particularly for young athletes looking to improve sport-specific physical qualities.

Whether you're a soccer player, a coach, or simply someone interested in lower body training, the evidence points toward a nuanced approach: use the tools that align with your goals, build progressively, and be willing to adjust based on what the research and your own results show. Working with an experienced personal trainer can help bridge the gap between research and real-world application.

Related Articles

• Hip Thrust vs Squat for Glute Growth

• Hip Thrust vs Front Squat for Athletic Performance

• Plyometric Training for Speed and Jump Performance in Soccer

Source

Contreras, B. et al. Effects of 7-Week Hip Thrust Versus Back Squat Resistance Training on Performance in Adolescent Female Soccer Players. Sports (MDPI). 2019.

Research Source: Effects of 7-Week Hip Thrust Versus Back Squat Resistance Training on Performance in Adolescent Female Soccer Players