Lower body · Glutes
Floor glute bridge
How to do the glute bridge on the floor: foot placement, glute activation, common mistakes and how to progress to single-leg or weighted versions.
| Focus | Glutes · hamstrings, abs |
| Movement | Hip thrust |
| Equipment | Bodyweight |
| Suggested sets | 3 × 15 |
| Estimated time | ≈ 6 min |
| Joints loaded |
The glute bridge is the floor version of the hip thrust: lying on your back with your knees bent, you lift your hips by squeezing your glutes. It needs no equipment, is easy to learn and works both to activate the glutes before training and to strengthen them at home or during rehab.
Muscles worked
The gluteus maximus lifts the hips. The hamstrings assist and your abs keep the pelvis stable.
How to do it
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat, hip-width apart, close to your butt.
- Arms by your sides, palms on the floor.
- Brace your abs and push through your heels to lift your hips.
- Rise until your shoulders, hips and knees form a straight line. Squeeze your glutes for two seconds.
- Lower slowly until your hips nearly touch the floor and repeat.
Common mistakes
- Arching your back instead of extending your hips.
- Pushing through your toes: the work shifts to the quads.
- Feet too far away: the hamstrings take over and may cramp.
- Going up and down fast with no pause at the top.
How to progress
- Two-leg bridge, no weight.
- With a resistance band around your knees, pushing them out.
- With a plate or dumbbell on your hips.
- Single-leg, with the other leg extended.
- Move on to the barbell hip thrust or the machine.
Precautions
It loads almost only the hip. It is one of the safest glute exercises with knee, ankle or lower-back injuries, as long as you do not arch your lower back.
Log your sets for this exercise and see your progress month by month.
Start for freeIf you have an injury, pain or a medical condition, check with a professional before doing this exercise.