Part of these sets

This exercise rarely works alone. It appears in the following routines, where it is sequenced alongside the others that support it.

What it works

Primary muscles

Gluteus maximus
Hamstrings

Also involved

Deep trunk muscles, holding the ribs and pelvis steady
Gluteus medius, keeping the pelvis level

Equipment: None. A mat or folded blanket for comfort.

How to do it

1
Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat and hip width apart, heels roughly a hand span from your bottom, arms by your sides.
2
Breathe out gently and press through your heels.
3
Lift the hips until your body forms one straight line from shoulders to knees. The squeeze comes from the glutes, not from arching the lower back.
4
Hold for two to three seconds at the top, ribs down, still breathing.
5
Lower with control, one segment at a time, and let the hips rest briefly before the next repetition.

How much to do

3 sets of 10 to 12 slow repetitions

3 to 4 times a week

When 12 controlled repetitions feel easy, progress the exercise rather than adding endless repetitions.

Stop and get assessed if

Stop and get assessed if bridging produces sharp back or hip pain, pain running down a leg, or pelvic heaviness or leaking. A dull working ache in the glutes and hamstrings is the intended feeling.

Common mistakes

Arching the lower back at the top: Height is not the goal, the line is. If the ribs flare and the low back pinches, lift a little less and squeeze the glutes harder.
Hamstrings cramping: Your feet are too far from your bottom, which turns it into a hamstring exercise. Walk the heels closer.
Pushing through the toes: Drive through the heels. The toes can even lift slightly off the floor while you learn.
Knees falling in or out: Keep them tracking over the middle of each foot. A cushion squeezed lightly between the knees can help.
Rushing the repetitions: Fast bridges are momentum, not muscle. Three seconds up, a brief hold, three seconds down.

Making it harder

Pause bridges: hold the top position for ten seconds per repetition.
Single leg bridge: lift one foot, keeping the hips dead level. Twenty clean repetitions each side is the standard used in return to running testing.
Feet elevated on a low step, which increases the range the glutes work through.
A resistance band looped just above the knees, pressed gently apart throughout, to bring in gluteus medius.

Making it easier

Lift the hips only halfway and build the range as it becomes comfortable.
Remove the hold entirely and simply lift and lower with control.

Glute Bridge