Here’s How to Do a Glute Bridge With Correct Form, According to the Pros
If you find yourself unsure of what exercises to include in your workout and checking out what other gym-goers are doing for inspiration, don’t sweat it—you’re definitely not alone. One of the best butt-lifting and core-strengthening workouts you can do is a glute bridge, but with so many different variations, it can be tricky to find one that’s right for you and helps you feel the burn.
A glute bridge has many benefits, but the primary muscle groups that you work when you do the workout are your gluteus maximus and your abdominal wall, says Tiffany Daniels, certified fitness instructor and star on Nickelodeon’s comedy series “That Girl Lay Lay.” She adds that in addition to your abs and booty, your hamstrings are also “secondary muscles worked.”
If you want to start stabilizing your core and toning your glutes, we’re here to tell you how to do a glute bridge like a pro, so the other gym-goers will be looking for you for guidance! Read on for a comprehensive breakdown of how to do a glute bridge and all its variations, according to fitness experts.
What is a glute bridge?
A glute bridge activates the glutes which can be performed from anywhere laying flat on your back, says Frankie Alvarado, fitness expert, NASM certified trainer, and founder of the training app Peachgainz.
“A glute bridge, or the sexy booty pump as I like to call it, is a compound exercise that primarily targets both your glutes & core muscles increasing strength and stabilization as you lie on your back with bent knees and gently raise your hips upward,” explains Daniels.
How to do a glute bridge
The best thing about a glute bridge is that you can do this workout virtually anywhere, with no equipment necessary. So once you find a comfortable place to lay flat on your back, perhaps on your favorite yoga mat, set a goal for a number of reps you want to complete and start feeling the burn! Here’s a step by step breakdown, according to Daniels:
Begin by finding a comfortable position lying on your back
Bend your knees so that your fingertips are able to graze the back of your heels
Place your feet about hip distance apart
Remove the arch in your back by actively pressing your lower back to the floor, engaging at your belly button pulling in to your lower back
Keep your eye-line straight up towards the ceiling
Press your body weight into your heels enough so you can almost lift your toes off of the floor
Start by squeezing your hips and ab muscles, thrust your hips upward from the floor as high as they can go without creating an arch in your back, and lower your body back down to finish
Repeat until that glutes starts to burn or your personal goal set is complete
“Be sure to come flat to the ground every rep so that you reset the pelvic tilt (this is the range of motion that activates the glutes),” says Alvarado.
Glute bridge benefits
When you’re working your glutes, abs and hamstrings, you’ll soon see long-term benefits from this exercise as well. Glute bridge benefits include, but aren’t limited to “glute growth, core strength, [and] lower back strength,” says Alvarado.
Daniels adds that “the benefits of consistent glute bridge exercises include improved core stabilization, stronger glute muscles, and an increase in compliments in that favorite pair of jeans!”
Glute bridge variations
The standard glute bridge is a great place to start for beginners, but if you wanna take it up a notch, you can try any of the following variations to reap even more butt-sculpting benefits:
Raised Glute Bridge
Potentially the easiest way to kick your workout up a notch is to take the original glute bridge, and simply lift your heels. For this variation, Daniels advises you to lift your heels off the ground before raising and lowering your hips.
Resistance Glute Bridge
For this variation, keep the same original form of the glute bridge, but “add a resistance band around the lower thighs just above the knees, keeping tension in the band as you raise and lower your hips,” says Daniels.
Weighted Glute Bridge
If you want to add some extra weight training to your workout, try holding dumbbell weights (of your choice) on your hip bone area as you raise and lower your hips, suggest Daniels.
One-Legged Glute Bridge
When working with his clients, Alvarado says, “I always recommend just starting out with two legs down on your glute bridges as a beginner and then have a goal to get to a single leg because then we can isolate the glute muscle even more!”
This variation requires a bit more balance: try lifting one leg off the ground as high as it can go, then raise and lower your hips similarly to the standard bridge. If you’re just getting started with glute bridges, try this form with caution! Daniels claims that “this one leg option destroys me, every. time.”
The Butterfly Glute Bridge
“And if you really wanna get fancy,” Daniels says this variation is “a real booty burner…so you have officially been warned!”
“Starting from the standard glute bridge position, bring feet and legs together to touch, open your leg position at the knees creating a wide diamond shape, keeping the bottom of your feet pressed together, and pressing all the lower body weight into the floor through the sides of your feet. Proceed with your hip raises from this position.”
You Might Also Like
