Strength · Intermediate
Glute Bridge
The glute bridge is a floor exercise where you lift your hips off the ground by pressing through your heels, working the muscles in your backside and the backs of your thighs. It's one of the most practical strength moves you can do — strong glutes protect your lower back, make getting up from a chair easier, and keep you steady on your feet. No equipment is needed, and it's done lying down, so it's easy on the knees and joints.
Category
Strength
Difficulty
Intermediate
Equipment
Bodyweight
MET
3.5
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
The movement
Form cues
- 01
Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, about hip-width apart.
- 02
Place your feet close enough to your body that your fingertips can just graze your heels when your arms are at your sides.
- 03
Press your lower back gently into the floor before you lift — this sets your spine in a safe position.
- 04
Drive through your heels to lift your hips, squeezing your backside like you're trying to crack a walnut between your cheeks.
- 05
Lift until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees — don't arch your lower back to go higher.
- 06
Hold the top position for a full second before lowering.
- 07
Lower your hips slowly back to the floor — don't just drop them.
- 08
Keep your chin slightly tucked so your neck stays long and relaxed throughout.
Dosage
How long, how many
Sets
3
Reps
8-12
Rest
60 sec
Watch for
Common mistakes
Pushing through the toes instead of the heels — if your toes are gripping the floor, shift your weight back so you feel the drive in your heels.
Overarching the lower back at the top — if your ribs are flaring up and your stomach is poking toward the ceiling, you've gone too high; stop where your body is in a straight line.
Letting the knees fall outward or cave inward — they should stay directly above your feet throughout the movement.
Rushing through reps without squeezing the glutes — if you don't feel it in your backside, pause at the top and consciously tighten those muscles before lowering.
Lifting the shoulders off the floor — your upper back stays down; only your hips rise.
Scale it
Easier and harder variations
Easier
Place a folded towel or thin pillow under your hips as a target — lift just high enough to hover above it, then lower back down.
Use this if you're not yet feeling the glutes working or if the full range of motion is uncomfortable.
Harder
Lift one foot off the floor and extend that leg straight, then perform the bridge on the single supporting leg for all reps before switching sides.
Use this once the two-legged version feels easy and you want more challenge without adding weight.
Note
If you have knee discomfort, move your feet slightly farther from your hips to reduce the bend angle, and avoid pressing through a painful range — work only as high as feels comfortable.
Use this if bending the knee deeply causes pain; stop and check with your doctor if pain persists.
Sources
Form descriptions and cues are sourced from wger (CC-BY-SA 4.0) and the Free Exercise DB (public domain), edited for the 60+ audience. MET value cites Ainsworth BE, et al. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities. Med Sci Sports Exerc 43(8):1575-1581.
- wger · CC-BY-SA 4.0
- free-exercise-db · Unlicense / Public Domain
- claude