This new study shows us that the standard barbell hip thrust variation produces greater upper gluteus maximus activation compared to either the band - resisted hip thrust or the American (posterior pelvic tilt) hip thrust variations. (strengthandconditioningresearch.com)
After a few months of barbell hip thrusts, I've seen sprinters get faster, and exhibiting better mechanics at the end of races, as their glutes are able to stay coordinated and powerful longer, which keeps them from recruiting too many accessory movers and losing movement quality. (blog.trainheroic.com)
When comparing hip thrust variations, Contreras et al. (2015d) reported that both mean and peak gluteus maximus EMG amplitudes were greater in the standard barbell hip thrust than in the band hip thrust and American hip thrust variations. (strengthandconditioningresearch.com)