Hinges, bridges and glutes

Glute bridge

Muscles worked: Glutes · hamstrings · trunk

How to do it

1. Set up. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat. Keep your head and shoulders resting on the floor.
2. Move. Press through your feet and lift your hips until your shoulders, hips and knees form a controlled line. Avoid over-arching your lower back.
3. Finish. Pause for a second with your glutes squeezed, then lower your hips slowly to the floor and reset.

Form cues

• Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat and hip-width apart, heels about a hand’s length from your bum.
• Brace your stomach and press through your heels.
• Lift your hips until your knees, hips and shoulders are roughly in a line.
• Squeeze your glutes at the top for a second.
• Lower slowly.

Muscles worked

The glute bridge works your glutes, with your hamstrings helping and your stomach muscles keeping your lower back steady.

Easier and harder versions

Easier

• A smaller lift.
• A shorter hold at the top.

Harder

• A single-leg bridge.
• A weight across your hips, or a band just above your knees.
• A pause at the top. Then move on to the hip thrust.

Common mistakes

• Arching your lower back to get higher.
• Feet too far away, so your hamstrings take over.
• Pushing through your toes.
• Rushing the lowering.

Where it appears in the member plans

The 12-Week Home Plan: Bodyweight uses it twice a week, building from 3 sets of 10 to 15 to 3 sets of 12 to 20. It’s in most of our other plans too, from Beginner Reset to Walking & Hiking, and it’s the no-weight swap for Romanian deadlifts in the Run/Walk Starter Week and Cycling Fitness.

Glute bridge questions