What are these thrust moves I see people doing in the gym? And are they worth the potential awks?

They’re called hip thrusts and if you want a round, lifted posterior then yes, you’d better bulldoze through the blushes and work them into your routine. ‘Hip thrusts are so effective because they activate the glutes without putting pressure on the spine,’ explains Sarah Lindsay, former Olympian and PT at Roar Fitness (roar-fitness.com). Gains-wise, this means you’ll build your booty, not your thighs. To get started, sit on the floor with your back against a bench, knees bent and a barbell across your hips. ‘Lift your hips until your thighs are parallel with the floor, squeezing your glutes and pushing your hips up at the top of the movement,’ says Lindsay. ‘From there, slowly lower your hips to the ground, without touching down – that’s one rep.’ Feel a cringe coming on? Repeat Lindsay’s mantra: ‘Do what you have to do to get the job done.’ Or, er, face the wall.