Glutes exercise
Glute BridgeHow to do it, with form in numbers
- Main muscles
- Glutes
- Also works
- Hamstrings
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Level
- Beginner
How to do it
How do you do the Glute Bridge?
- Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat, hip-width apart.
- Rest your arms by your sides, palms down.
- Press through your heels and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips.
- Stop when your shoulders, hips and knees form a straight line.
- Lower slowly until your hips just touch the floor.
Cues
- Squeeze your glutes at the top.
- Ribs down, lower back flat.
- Knees in line with your feet.
Common mistakes
- Arching your lower back to lift higher.
- Letting your knees fall in or out.
- Pushing through your neck instead of your heels.
Form in detail
What does good form look like?
Starting position
Lie on your back on a mat, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Feet hip-width apart (about 25 cm between heel centres), toes pointing forward, away from you. Place the feet so the heels will sit under the knees at the top; with the hips down that leaves the heels about a forearm's length from the buttocks. Arms on the floor at the sides, palms down. Head resting on the floor, chin slightly tucked. Gently brace the stomach so the lower back is flat, not arched.
The movement
Press the whole foot into the floor, weight towards the heels, and squeeze the glutes to lift the hips. The pelvis rises until the shoulders, hips and knees form one straight line. The shoulder blades and upper back stay on the floor and carry the weight; the neck and head do not push. Ribs stay down and the pelvis stays level side to side. The knees stay over the feet. Lower the hips under control until the buttocks just touch the floor, keeping the glutes switched on, then go again.
End position
Top: hips at neutral extension (0°), a straight line from shoulders to knees, knees bent about 90°, shins about vertical. A straight line from the shoulders (about 10 cm up) to the knees then rises at about 25°, which puts the hips about 20 cm higher than at the start.
Tempo
About 2 s up, 1 s hold at the top, 2 s down, a short touch at the bottom without relaxing. (Matches the 2 s up, 1 s hold, 2 s down protocol in [4].)
Form in numbers
What are the angles and distances?
| Measure | Target | Good range | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stance width (heel centres) | 25 cm (hip-width) | 20–35 cm | [1][2] |
| Toe angle | 0° | 0–15° out | [1] |
| Hip extension at the top | 0° | −5° to +5° (no lumbar arch) | [1][3] |
| Shoulder-hip-knee line at the top | straight | within 5° of straight | [2] |
| Knee flexion at the top | 90° | 80–100° | [2][4] |
| Upper back | shoulder blades on the floor | no weight on the neck | [3] |
| Pelvis side to side | level | under 5° tilt | [3] |
The targets our 3D demo was built to, from the references below. Bodies differ, so treat the ranges as a guide for your own build.
For coaches
Use this demo in your clients’ programs
The Glute Bridge is in Trainaq’s exercise library. Add it to a workout, and your client sees this demo in the free Trainaq app above the sets they log.
Sources
