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Glute Bridges: Floor First, Fancy Later

The glute bridge is hip extension without a bench. It teaches the lockout that heavier thrusts and hinges depend on.

Glute bridge side view: start, lift, and return — Glute Bridge movement illustrations

The prescription

Sets: 3 sets
Reps: 10–15 reps
Rest: 45 sec
Time: About 8 min

Equipment. Bodyweight, Mat

Muscles. gluteus maximus. Also hamstrings, core

Starting position

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat, about hip width.
Arms rest on the floor, palms down. Chin stays gently tucked.

How to move

Brace and press the feet into the floor.
Lift the hips until the body makes a straight line from shoulders to knees.
Pause and squeeze the glutes. Do not crank the ribs toward the ceiling.
Lower until the hips lightly touch, then go again.

Common mistakes

Pushing the belly up and arching the lower back.
Letting the knees fall outward or inward without a plan.
Using a tiny range and calling it a set.

Variations

Frog pump
Marching glute bridge
Banded glute bridge

Progressions

Add a mini band above the knees.
Move to a hip thrust.

Regressions

Shorter range bridge
Fewer reps with a longer pause

Safety

Stop if you feel sharp pain, joint pinch, or symptoms that are not ordinary muscle effort.
This is general technique education, not a personal clearance to train through an injury.
A mat helps the shoulders, but a soft bed makes the feet slip. Use the floor.

All Cheeked Up publishes general fitness education. It is not medical advice, physical therapy, or a promise that your body will change. Stop any exercise that causes pain and talk with a qualified professional about injuries, pregnancy, or health conditions before you train.

Related exercises

Programs that use it

Gear that helps

Equipment

AffiliateEquipment

Exercise Mat

A mat for bridges, clamshells, and knees that would rather not meet the floor directly.

About $40