Bodyweight Glute Bridge
Lying on the floor, drive the hips up to lockout and squeeze the glutes, then lower under control.
See your setup in four steps
Demo video from YouTube, played in its own player.
- Muscles worked
- Glutes
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Movement
- Hinge
How to do the Bodyweight Glute Bridge
The glute bridge is a floor exercise where you lie on your back and lift your hips by squeezing your glutes. It teaches hip extension without load, so it works well as a warm-up, a first glute exercise, or high-rep accessory work.
Set up
- 1Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat, about hip width apart.
- 2Place your heels roughly a foot from your glutes and rest your arms at your sides.
The movement
- 1Exhale and brace so your lower back sits gently toward the floor.
- 2Press through your heels and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
- 3Squeeze your glutes and hold the top for one to two seconds.
- 4Lower slowly until your hips touch down, then start the next rep.
Cues
- Heels down, toes light
- Ribs down
- Squeeze without arching
- Slow on the way down
Common mistakes
- Arching the lower back at the top.
- Lift only as high as your glutes can take you and keep your ribs pulled down.
- Hamstrings cramping.
- Bring your heels a little closer to your glutes and focus on squeezing your glutes first.
- Knees falling inward.
- Keep your knees in line with your feet; a light band above the knees can give you something to push against.
Also works: Hamstrings, Adductors, Core
Make it easier
Shorten the range and focus on a three-second hold at the top before adding reps.
Make it harder
Move to the Single-Leg Glute Bridge, or add load with the Barbell Glute Bridge.
Sets and reps
- For strength: 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 6 reps, resting 2 to 3 minutes between sets.
- For muscle: 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps (up to 15 on smaller lifts), resting 1 to 2 minutes, ending each set 1 to 3 reps short of failure (RPE 7 to 9).
- Add a rep or a small amount of weight once every set reaches the top of the range at the same effort.
General ranges, not medical advice. Stop if anything hurts.
In our free programs
- Baseline Assessment: Week 1 · Session 2 · Lower baseline + conditioning2×12 @ BW
- Dumbbell Only · Lower3×20 @ BW
- Glutes & Posterior Chain · Hip Thrust Focus3×25 @ BW
- Home Bodyweight · Lower + Core3×20 @ BW
- Return to Training · Movement + Walk3×15 @ BW
Variations
The same movement with other equipment or a different angle.
Alternatives
Other exercises for the glutes, for when the bodyweight is taken or you want a change.
Questions
- What muscles does the Bodyweight Glute Bridge work?
- The Bodyweight Glute Bridge mainly works the glutes.
- What equipment do you need for the Bodyweight Glute Bridge?
- None: it is a bodyweight exercise.
- How many sets and reps of the Bodyweight Glute Bridge?
- For strength: 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 6 reps, resting 2 to 3 minutes between sets. For muscle: 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps (up to 15 on smaller lifts), resting 1 to 2 minutes, ending each set 1 to 3 reps short of failure (RPE 7 to 9). Add a rep or a small amount of weight once every set reaches the top of the range at the same effort.
- What can I do instead of the Bodyweight Glute Bridge?
- B-Stance Hip Thrust, Band Hip Thrust, Band Monster Walk and Band Pull-Through work the same main muscle.
Program it for your clients
Coaches add the Bodyweight Glute Bridge to any workout in CoachVana, set the sets, reps, load and rest, and clients see this demo as they train.
See your setup in four steps
Your first 3 clients are free. 0% commission on everything you sell.