Glute Bridge
Hinge, bodyweight, glutes
The glute bridge lifts the hips from the floor while you lie on your back with the knees bent. It trains the glutes, with the hamstrings helping. It suits nearly everyone, beginners included, and is a good way to learn to use the glutes before the hip thrust.
Setting up
- Lie on your back on a mat with the knees bent and the feet flat, about hip width apart.
- Bring the heels close enough that your fingertips can almost touch them.
- Rest the arms on the floor by your sides, palms down.
- Start with body weight; a dumbbell held on the hips adds load later.
How to do a glute bridge
- Tighten the belly so the lower back stays flat on the floor.
- Press through the heels and lift the hips until the body is in one line from the shoulders to the knees.
- Keep the knees pointing forward, in line with the feet, all through the set.
- Squeeze the glutes at the top for a second or two.
- Lower the hips slowly back to the floor.
- Let the hips touch down lightly before the next rep.
Breathing. Breathe out as you lift the hips and breathe in as you lower them, keeping the belly gently braced the whole time.
Muscles worked
- Mainly
- Glutes
- Also
- Hamstrings
Common mistakes
- Arching the lower back instead of lifting with the hips. Then the hips rise without the glutes and the lower back takes the strain, so keep the ribs down and stop when the hips are level with the knees.
- Feet too far from the hips. The hamstrings then take over and may cramp, so walk the heels closer to the hips until the shins are nearly upright at the top.
- Pushing through the toes. It moves the work to the thighs, so keep the heels down and press through them as if pushing the floor away.
- Dropping down without control. The way down is half the work, so take about two seconds to lower and touch down lightly.
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