Strong glutes: The top benefits of glute bridges
If you’re looking to increase your lower body strength, improve hip mobility and boost overall stability, glute bridges are a great exercise to include in your workout routine. The glute bridge exercise is a great way to target the posterior chain.
when you practice glute bridges regularly you are targeting your glutes and your lower back muscles, those muscles that are meant to hold your body upright will be getting stronger.
What is a glute bridge?
A glute bridge is just what it sounds like, a bridge made with your body, which targets your glutes. While there are a few glute bridge variations, the common element of the exercise is laying on the floor with your feet at a 90-degree angle and you pushing your hips to the ceiling, and right back down.
It can be left as a bodyweight movement or by adding different forms of resistance.
Muscles worked during glute bridges
The glute bridge is a posterior chain exercise that can be done with your body weight or with added weight.
The primary muscles target:
Glute muscles: Your glutes are made up of three muscles (gluteus maximus, gluteus minimus and gluteus medius). The gluteus maximus is the most affected.
Secondary muscles:
Glute bridges also work the hamstrings, abdominal muscles and core muscles. The transverse abdominis muscle is the primary core muscle worked. These muscles engage during the hip extension portion of the exercise.
5 benefits of glute bridges
Glute bridges are a great exercise that will target your glutes and posterior chain.
No equipment needed
Similar to pushups, squats and planks, the glute bridge requires no equipment at all. You can lie on the ground and perform the exercise with great results.
Stronger glutes and hamstrings
As you lift your hips off the ground during a glute bridge, your hamstrings kick into action to help stabilize and support the movement. They work together with your glutes to lift and lower your body, making the exercise more effective and engaging multiple muscle groups at once.
Having strong hamstring muscles is crucial for well-rounded lower body strength. They work in harmony with your quads (the muscles on the front of your thighs) to keep your legs balanced and stable.
Increases core stability and strength
During a glute bridge, your core muscles, which include the muscles in your abdomen and lower back, play a crucial role in stabilizing your spine. As you lift your hips off the ground, your core engages to maintain proper alignment of your pelvis and spine. This stabilization prevents excessive arching or rounding of the lower back, which could lead to discomfort or injury.
Eases lower back pain
Stronger glutes can relieve spinal extension stress, help to fully extend the hips, and can act as an antagonist during squatting movements to help stabilize and balance out the forces on the knee.
It works the hamstrings, lower back and abs, in addition to the glutes.
Since the movement itself works on strengthening the posterior chain, which includes the hamstrings, glutes, core, and back muscles, when you don’t arch your way through the movement you can improve the strength of these muscles, which will naturally improve the way your body moves and supports you.
Run faster, jump higher
Glute bridges can help improve your athletic performance. They are beneficial in helping you run faster and jump higher since they strengthen the hip and leg muscles used in these activities.
How to do glute bridges
You can use a barbell or dumbbells for weighted glute bridge s
- Lie on your back with an exercise mat on the floor.
- Bend your knees and place the bottoms of your feet on the floor (feet should be about hip-width apart). The head and neck should be in a straight line with the rest of the spine and the arms should rest at the sides of the body.
- Keep your upper back pressed into the ground, raise your hips toward the ceiling, squeezing your glutes at the top.
- Pause and then slowly lower your hips back down to the ground.
Glute bridge variations
Single-leg glute bridges – Use your body weight pushing through your foot on the floor.
Bosu ball bridges – Add a Bosu ball under your heel. The Bosu ball adds some instability and makes you work a little harder.
Hip thrust vs glute bridges
Looking to build stronger glutes? Compare barbell hip thrust vs glute bridge exercises. Learn how to perform each exercise, its benefits and common mistakes to avoid.
