Glute Bridge: How to Do It and Muscles Worked
Load card
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Muscle group
- Glutes and Hamstrings
- Main muscles
- gluteus maximus
- Also working
- hamstrings
- Mechanics
- Compound
- Pattern
- Hip extension
- Level
- Beginner
The glute bridge is a beginner bodyweight exercise that targets the posterior chain through a basic hip extension movement pattern. You perform this compound movement lying on your back, making it highly accessible for lifters of all experience levels. It serves as a foundational exercise for learning proper hip mechanics.
By driving your hips toward the ceiling, you primarily train the gluteus maximus. The hamstrings also work hard as supporting muscles to stabilize the movement and assist in the extension. This makes it a highly effective drill for building strength in your glutes and hamstrings without requiring any equipment.
How to do it
Lie flat on your back on a mat with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, spaced about hip-width apart. Rest your arms down by your sides with your palms facing the ceiling.
- Brace your core and press your lower back slightly into the floor.
- Drive through your heels to lift your hips off the ground.
- Continue extending your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
- Squeeze your glutes hard at the top of the movement.
- Lower your hips back down to the starting position under control.
Sets, reps and load
Aim for 3 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions. Focus on a slow, controlled tempo rather than rushing through the set.
Since this is a bodyweight exercise, increase the difficulty by pausing for three seconds at the top of each repetition.
Common mistakes
- Hyperextending the lower back. Keep your core braced and stop lifting when your hips are in line with your shoulders. Do not push your belly button to the ceiling.
- Feet too far forward. Move your heels closer to your glutes. If your feet are too far out, your hamstrings will take over the work.
- Feet too close to glutes. Step your feet out slightly. Placing them too close can place unwanted stress on your knees.
- Letting knees cave in. Push your knees outward slightly as you lift your hips. Keep them tracking directly over your toes.
- Rushing the reps. Control the descent on every single repetition. Pause at the top to ensure you are actually using your glutes.
Make it easier or harder
Easier
- Short range of motion glute bridge
- Isometric glute bridge hold
Harder
- Single-leg glute bridge
- Glute bridge with feet elevated on a bench
Before you load it up
- If lying on your back is uncomfortable, or you are pregnant and past the first trimester, a propped or standing alternative may suit better.
Swaps and related glutes and hamstrings exercises
Same muscle group with different equipment:
- Banded Glute Bridge Resistance band
- Banded Glute Kickback Resistance band
- Dumbbell Hip Thrust Dumbbell
- Banded Clamshell Resistance band
More bodyweight options:
- Bodyweight Hip Thrust Hip extension
- Single-Leg Glute Bridge Hip extension
Browse all bodyweight exercises or every glutes and hamstrings exercise.
When to see a doctor or physio
- Sharp pain in your lower back during the lift.
- Knee joint pain that persists when adjusting your foot position.
- Numbness or tingling running down the back of your legs.
This page is general training information, not medical advice. If you are new to strength training, managing a health condition, pregnant or coming back from an injury, check with a doctor or physio first.
How this page was made. Exercise data (equipment, muscles, mechanics, level) compiled by the Unite Journal Crew as a general anatomy guide, cross-checked against the public-domain free-exercise-db list. Text drafted with AI assistance and edited by the crew; see our house rules. Last checked October 2026.