Glute Bridge

The glute bridge is a beginner-friendly strengthening exercise that targets the glute muscles while also engaging the hamstrings and core.

Exercise Overview

Detail	Information
Difficulty	Beginner
Equipment	None
Primary Muscles	Gluteus maximus
Secondary Muscles	Hamstrings, core
Exercise Type	Strength
Body Area	Lower body
Category	Strength Exercises

Purpose

The glute bridge strengthens the muscles responsible for hip extension, particularly the glutes. It is useful for developing lower-body strength and improving control of hip movement.

Target Muscles

Primary

• Gluteus maximus

Secondary

• Hamstrings
• Gluteus medius
• Abdominal and trunk muscles

Difficulty

Beginner

The basic glute bridge requires no equipment and can be performed on the floor, making it a good starting exercise before progressing to more demanding hip-strengthening exercises.

Equipment

None

Optional later progressions can use resistance bands, dumbbells, or other external resistance.

How to Do a Glute Bridge

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Place your feet approximately hip-width apart.
3. Keep your arms relaxed beside your body.
4. Brace your core gently.
5. Press your feet into the floor and squeeze your glutes.
6. Lift your hips until your shoulders, hips, and knees form a comfortable straight line.
7. Pause briefly at the top without excessively arching your lower back.
8. Lower your hips slowly and with control.
9. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Key cue:
Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips rather than trying to arch your lower back.

Common Mistakes

Overarching the lower back

Avoid lifting the hips by excessively extending the lumbar spine.

Pushing mainly through the toes

Keep the feet firmly grounded and drive through the whole foot.

Knees falling inward

Keep your knees tracking generally in line with your feet.

Moving too quickly

Use controlled movement rather than bouncing the hips.

Lifting too high

You don’t need to push the hips excessively upward. Focus on controlled hip extension and glute contraction.

Progressions

Once the basic glute bridge becomes easy, you can progress by changing the resistance, stability, or movement demands.

Progressions include:

• Banded glute bridge
• Weighted glute bridge
• Longer pause at the top
• Single-leg glute bridge
• Feet-elevated glute bridge
• Hip thrust

Regressions

If the standard glute bridge is difficult, start with a simpler variation:

• Short-range glute bridge
• Isometric glute squeeze
• Assisted glute bridge
• Reduced-repetition glute bridge

Focus on learning controlled hip movement before increasing repetitions or resistance.

Benefits

Regularly practicing glute bridges can help:

• Strengthen the glute muscles
• Improve hip-extension strength
• Develop lower-body muscular endurance
• Improve control of pelvic and hip movement
• Provide a foundation for more advanced hip-strengthening exercises

Contraindications & Precautions

The glute bridge is generally accessible, but pain is a reason to modify or stop the exercise rather than push through it.

Use additional caution or seek professional guidance if:

• The movement causes or significantly increases pain.
• You have a recent hip, pelvic, or spinal injury.
• You have been advised to restrict certain movements or loading.
• You cannot perform the movement comfortably despite reducing the range or repetitions.

Related Workouts

This section will eventually connect the exercise to actual MovePedia workout posts.

For now:

Related Workouts

• Beginner Lower Body Strength
• Glute Strength Workout
• Full Body Strength Workout
• Lower Body Strength & Mobility