The Glute Bridge is one of the best exercises for stretching your hips, activating your glutes, tightening and toning your thighs. When done correctly, the move can also improve core stabilization by targeting the lower back, abs, and hip muscles. No matter what your goals are, you should incorporate a bridge variant in your lower body workout plan.
The bridge exercise is made up of several different variations and progressions. As with other traditional bodyweight exercises, there is no single agreed-upon “standard” form of the bridge. We’ve got a few variants to help you get the most out of this classic pose. The Variations listed below can be done as a warm-up or as a workout routine. Some exercises, such as Weighted Glute Bridge and Barbell Hip Thruster, can even be used as your main lifts.
Bridge Hold
The bridge holds isolates and strengthens the gluteus and hamstring muscles, which make up the posterior chain. It’s a static variation of the bridge exercise in which you get into a full bridge and hold it for a fixed period or until you’re exhausted. This is probably the most common bridge variation.
Extend your arms straight into the air, or put your feet on an unstable surface to make it more difficult by reducing stability.
Lie on your back with your hands at your sides (palms down), knees bent, and feet flat on the ground. Lift your hips off the ground until you create a straight line from your knees to shoulders, Keeping your glutes tight. Hold the position for 30 seconds, then return to your starting position. Repeat for as many sets as desired.
Single-Leg Glute Bridge Hold
The single-leg bridge exercise is excellent for isolating and strengthening the buttocks and hamstrings. If you practice this exercise correctly, it can also be a highly effective core strengthening exercise.
Begin in the same posture as you would for a regular glute bridge, but this time raise one leg off the ground toward the ceiling. Squeeze your abs and glutes and drive your hips into the air, making sure they don’t fall to one side. Return to the starting position after a brief pause at the top.
Banded Glute Bridge
The banded glute bridge is a more difficult but effective bridge variant. The glutes and other secondary muscles are more precisely targeted, and worked against increasing resistance.
Wrap an exercise band over your thighs for further resistance. Lie on your back with your hands at your sides (palms down), knees bent, and feet flat on the ground. Lift your hips off the ground until you create a straight line from your knees to shoulders, Keeping your glutes tight. Hold the position for 30 seconds, then return to your starting position. Repeat for as many sets as desired.
Barbell Hip Thruster
The barbell hip thruster is becoming more well recognized as one of the most effective exercises to incorporate into your routine. It strengthens the hip, glutes, and quadriceps muscles, and helps stabilize the pelvis, lower back, and knees. If you want to develop exceptional glute power and strength, you must include the Barbell Hip Thrusters in your glute workouts.
Sit your butt on the ground with your legs straight and your upper back on the bench. Place the barbell over your hips and firmly plant your feet on the ground. Lean back on the bench with your shoulders, squeeze your glutes and drive the barbell up and off the ground by pressing your hips up as high as possible. Hold for a few seconds, then return to the starting position and repeat.
Barbell Glute Bridge
The barbell glute bridge is a weighted variation of the glute bridge. It allows you to build gluteal muscle strength and endurance. This exercise can also be done with different types of weights, such as dumbbells or kettlebells.
lay down flat on the floor, and roll a barbell up to the crease of your hips. Extend upward with your back and heels supporting the weight of the bar, while lifting your toes off the floor and pushing through your heels to maximize glute activation. Push the bar up as high as possible and hold it for five seconds making sure your spine doesn’t round and your hips don’t sag. Lower your hips back to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Straight Leg Glute Bridge
The Straight Leg Glute Bridge is an excellent exercise for working both your glutes and hamstrings.
Lie down on your back with your legs straight out in front of you. Place your heels in the Suspension Trainer foot straps. Extend your legs straight out in front of you, tightening your abs and glutes as you push your hips into the air. Hold at the top for a second or two and return to the starting position by slowly lowering yourself back down.
Glute Bridge and Curl
It becomes tedious to repeat the same exercise over and over. In addition, your muscles adapt and require a fresh challenge to continue to grow stronger. That is why it is critical to alter your exercises and mix up your workouts. The Glute Bridge and Curl is a fantastic bridge variation that focuses on the hamstrings more than other Glute Bridges.
Place sliders under your heels and lie on your back with your legs straight out in front of you and your arms beside you. While driving your hips into the air, squeeze your core and glutes and draw your feet toward your butt. Return to the starting position slowly, sliding your feet out until your legs are fully extended.
Bridge Push-Up
Bridge push-up strengthens your shoulders, back extensors, hamstrings, and glutes. It also improves flexibility, particularly in the hip flexors, abdomen, and chest.
Lie back on the ground with the feet pulled up to the buttocks and palms of the hands against the ground on either side of the head. Push your entire body upwards as high as you can with both arms and feet. Hold the position for a few seconds, then return to your starting position. Repeat for as many sets as desired.