GymDroidGlute bridge from every angle
Glute Bridge: How to Do It Right
The glute bridge is a floor exercise where you lie on your back with your knees bent and lift your hips toward the ceiling.
- Works
- Gluteus maximus
- Also works
- Hamstrings, Core
How to do a glute bridge, step by step
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, about hip width apart.
- Move your heels until your fingertips can just touch them with your arms at your sides.
- Rest your arms on the floor, palms down. If you use a dumbbell, hold it across your hip crease.
- Brace your core and tilt your pelvis slightly so your lower back stays flat on the floor.
- Push through your heels and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top for one to two seconds.
- Lower your hips slowly until they almost touch the floor. Repeat.
Common glute bridge mistakes
- Feeling it mostly in the hamstrings. Your feet are too far away. Bring your heels closer to your hips.
- Arching the lower back at the top. Stop at a straight line. Keep your ribs down and think of tucking your tailbone slightly.
- Knees falling in or flaring out. Keep your knees in line with your feet. A light band just above the knees helps you feel it.
- Rushing the reps. Pause at the top and lower slowly. Fast bridges let momentum do the job.
- Pushing through the toes. Drive through your heels. Lift your toes off the floor for a rep or two if you need the cue.
Alternatives: with a bench, a cable or dumbbells
Same muscles, different equipment.
Good to know
Glute bridge from every angle
It needs no equipment, so you can do it at home, at the gym or as a warm up. Once bodyweight gets easy, rest a dumbbell or a barbell across your hips. Below you will find how to do a glute bridge step by step, the muscles worked, the mistakes that move the work into your hamstrings or back, and how it compares to the hip thrust.
Muscles worked
The gluteus maximus lifts your hips and does most of the work. The hamstrings help, and you will feel them more if your feet are far from your hips. The core keeps your ribs down and your lower back neutral at the top.
Sets and reps for glute growth
With bodyweight, do 3 sets of 15 to 25 reps with a two second squeeze at the top. When that feels easy, add load: a dumbbell or a barbell across your hips for 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps. Train them two or three times a week. A single leg glute bridge is another way to make it harder without any weight.
Glute bridge vs hip thrust
Both lift the hips with the glutes. In the glute bridge your upper back is on the floor, so the hips travel a shorter distance and the move is easy to learn and set up anywhere. In the hip thrust your upper back is on a bench, so you get a longer range and can load much more weight. Start with the bridge, learn to feel your glutes, then add the hip thrust once the bridge gets easy or you have a bench.
Alternatives: with a bench, a cable or dumbbells
Want it harder at home? Try a single leg glute bridge or put your feet up on a couch. A band above the knees adds work for the sides of the hips. In the gym, these moves train the same muscles.
Plans with the glute bridge
The glute bridge is the swap for the hip thrust on Day A and Day C of Curves & Confidence, and it is part of the Glutes and legs at home workout. Log your reps in GymDroid and see the move from every angle before you start. On iPhone and Android.
Full Body Foundation · Curves & Confidence · Dumbbell Home Essentials
Do glute bridges make your glutes bigger?
They can, especially with added weight and enough reps close to failure. Bodyweight bridges alone get easy fast, so add load or move to the hip thrust over time.
Why do I feel glute bridges in my hamstrings?
Your feet are probably too far from your hips. Move your heels closer and push through them.
Why do glute bridges hurt my lower back?
You may be lifting too high and arching. Stop at a straight line and keep your ribs down. If the pain stays, stop and see a professional.
Can I do glute bridges every day?
Bodyweight bridges are light enough for most people to do often. With added weight, two or three times a week gives your glutes time to recover.
How many glute bridges should I do?
Three sets of 15 to 25 with bodyweight, or 10 to 15 with a dumbbell or barbell, is a solid start.
Plans with the glute bridge
The glute bridge is the swap for the hip thrust on Day A and Day C of Curves & Confidence, and it is part of the Glutes and legs at home workout.
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