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Bodyweight Glute Bridge

Lying on your back with your knees bent, you lift your hips until your body is a straight line. The simplest exercise for the buttocks.

beginnermat

Bodyweight Glute Bridge, start position
START
Bodyweight Glute Bridge, end position
END
BEFORE YOU START1
  1. Find a flat spot.
HOW TO DO IT

Get into position

  1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
  2. Put your heels close enough that you can just touch them with your fingertips.
  3. Rest your arms on the floor at your sides.

Check: Your knees are bent, your feet are flat and close to your buttocks, and your lower back is relaxed on the floor.

Lift your hips

  1. Squeeze your buttocks and push through your heels to lift your hips.
  2. Stop when your body is a straight line from shoulders to knees and hold for a second.

Check: Your body is a straight line from shoulders to knees, your buttocks are squeezed hard, and your ribs are not flared up.

Lower slowly

  1. Lower your hips slowly back to the floor.

Check: Your hips are back on the floor.

That is one rep. Repeat for your set.

Breathe out as you lift in about 1 second; squeeze at the top; breathe in as you lower over 2 seconds.

MUSCLES WORKED
Bodyweight Glute Bridge: muscles worked, front view
Bodyweight Glute Bridge: muscles worked, back view

gluteshamstringscore

Red marks the muscles doing the work; amber the assisting ones. Same body for every exercise, so guides compare at a glance.

COMMON MISTAKES3
  • Arching the lower back to get higher. Puts the work in the lower back instead of the buttocks. Fix: Stop at a straight line and squeeze the buttocks; tuck your ribs down.
  • Pushing through the toes. Fix: Press through the heels; lift your toes slightly if it helps.
  • Dropping the hips. Fix: Lower over 2 seconds.
SAFETY1
  • If you feel it in the back of your thighs more than your buttocks, move your feet a little closer.
RELATED EXERCISES

harder: single leg glute bridge, barbell hip thrust

variants: banded glute bridge, bodyweight frog pump

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