Strength
How to Do a Glute Bridge Properly
Step-by-step cues, easier and harder versions, the mistakes to fix and a simple 4-week plan, from your first floor bridge to a hip thrust.
TL;DR
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat, then squeeze your glutes to lift your hips until your shoulders, hips and knees form a straight line. Pause, then lower slowly.
- You should feel it mostly in your glutes. If your hamstrings cramp, bring your feet a little closer to your bottom. If your lower back takes over, pull your ribs down and stop lower.
- Move up the ladder in this order: double-leg bridge, marching bridge, single-leg bridge, then a hip thrust with your upper back on a bench.
- Two to three sets of 10 to 15 reps, two or three times a week, is plenty when you are starting out.
- Runners like it because the glutes help push you forward and keep your hips level each time you land on one leg.
4
rungs on the ladder: bridge, march, single-leg bridge, hip thrust
10-15
reps per set while you learn the squeeze at the top
2x
a week to start. The NHS advises strengthening activities on at least 2 days a week
To do a glute bridge properly, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat, then push through your heels and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips until your shoulders, hips and knees form a straight line. Pause for a second at the top, lower slowly, and stop before your lower back starts to arch.
All it needs is a bit of floor, which makes it one of the friendliest strength exercises for beginners. This guide, part of our series on doing the key moves properly, covers the muscles it works, step-by-step cues, a progression ladder, common mistakes, sets and reps, a 4-week plan and how bridges fit a hybrid week with running.
What is a glute bridge, and which muscles does it work?
A glute bridge is a hip extension exercise done lying on your back. Your shoulders and feet stay on the floor while your hips lift, so there is little to balance and no weight across your back.
- Gluteus maximus. The big muscle of your bottom and the main driver of the lift. It straightens your hips when you stand up, climb stairs and push off when you run.
- Gluteus medius and minimus. The smaller glutes on the side of your hip. They help keep your pelvis level, and they work harder in the single-leg versions.
- Hamstrings. The muscles at the back of your thigh help lift your hips. They tend to do more when your feet are further away from your bottom.
- Core. Your trunk muscles hold your ribs and pelvis steady, so the movement comes from your hips rather than your lower back.
- Quads and inner thighs. A smaller part, mainly keeping your knees in line with your toes.
How do you do a glute bridge, step by step?
Use a mat or carpet. These cues work for every version in this guide.
- Set your feet. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat, about hip-width apart. With your arms by your sides, your fingertips should just about brush your heels. Rest your arms on the floor, palms down.
- Brace. Breathe into your belly, then gently tighten your midsection and pull your ribs down towards your hips. Your lower back should stay close to the floor, not arch away from it.
- Push through your heels. Press your heels into the floor and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips. Breathe out as you rise.
- Finish in a straight line. Stop when your shoulders, hips and knees line up. Your weight should rest on your upper back and shoulder blades, never on your neck. Squeeze your glutes hard for one second.
- Lower slowly. Take two to three seconds to bring your hips down, lightly touch the floor, then go again.
You should feel a strong squeeze in your glutes at the top. Some hamstring work is normal. A pinch in your lower back or a cramp in the back of your thigh means it is time to reset, and the mistakes table below shows how.
What is the best glute bridge progression for beginners?
Think of it as a ladder, from easier to harder. Move up a rung when you can do every set at the top of the target range with a clean pause, and step back down if your hips start to wobble or your back takes over.
- Rung 1, double-leg glute bridge. The standard version above. Build up to 3 sets of 15 with a one-second squeeze at the top.
- Rung 2, marching glute bridge. Lift into a bridge and hold it there. Lift one foot a few centimetres off the floor, put it down, then lift the other. Your hips should stay level and still, as if a cup of tea were balanced on your belly. Aim for 3 sets of 6 to 8 marches each side.
- Rung 3, single-leg glute bridge. Plant one foot in the middle, then hug the other knee towards your chest, or hold that leg out straight in line with your thigh. Push through the planted heel and lift. Hugging the knee in makes it harder to cheat by arching your back. Aim for 3 sets of 8 to 10 each side.
- Rung 4, hip thrust. Rest your upper back on a bench instead of the floor. Your hips travel further, and it is easier to add a dumbbell or barbell. Our guide on how to do a hip thrust takes you through the setup and adding weight safely.
Two side steps are handy. If your knees drift inwards, loop a light resistance band just above them and gently push out against it. If you train at home with no bench, rest a dumbbell or a heavy backpack across the crease of your hips to make the floor bridge harder.
What are the most common glute bridge mistakes, and how do you fix them?
Most problems come down to foot position or rushing. A quick side-on video on your phone shows most of them.
| Common mistake | What it looks like | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Arching your lower back | Your ribs flare and your back does the last part of the lift | Pull your ribs down, squeeze your glutes harder and stop at a straight line from shoulders to knees |
| Hamstrings cramping | The back of your thigh grabs or cramps mid-set | Bring your feet a little closer to your bottom. Small studies suggest a deeper knee bend shifts work away from the hamstrings |
| Pushing through your toes | Your heels lift and the front of your thighs takes over | Press through your whole foot with the weight in your heels. Lifting your toes slightly can help |
| Knees falling in or flaring out | Your knees wander as your hips rise | Keep your feet hip-width and your knees over your toes. A light band above your knees gives you a cue |
| Bouncing through reps | Fast reps with no pause, using momentum | Pause for one second at the top and take two to three seconds to lower |
| Hips dropping on one side | In single-leg work, the free side sags or twists | Go back to the marching bridge, or lift a little lower until you can keep your hips level |
How many sets and reps should you do?
For most beginners, 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps, two or three times a week, is plenty. Rest for 45 to 90 seconds between sets, and finish each set feeling you could have done a couple more good reps. For single-leg versions, aim for 8 to 10 reps on each side, and start with your weaker side so both legs do the same work.
- As a warm-up. One or two easy sets of 10 before a run or a strength session help you find your glutes before the main work.
- As a main exercise. Three sets in the rep ranges above, using the hardest rung you can do with good form.
What does a 4-week glute bridge plan look like?
This plan walks you up the ladder in four weeks. Do each week's session twice, with at least one day between them. If a week does not feel solid, repeat it. There is no deadline.
| Week | Exercise | Sets and reps | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Double-leg glute bridge | 3 x 12 | One-second squeeze at the top, ribs down |
| 2 | Double-leg glute bridge, then marching bridge | 3 x 15, then 2 x 6 marches each side | Slow three-second lower, hips level as each foot lifts |
| 3 | Marching bridge, then single-leg bridge | 2 x 8 marches each side, then 3 x 6 each side | Weaker side first, other knee hugged in |
| 4 | Single-leg glute bridge | 3 x 8 to 10 each side | Same reps on both sides. Try a hip thrust once this feels easy |
Why do runners use glute bridges?
Running is a long series of single-leg landings. Each time your foot meets the ground, your glutes help keep your pelvis level, and as you push off they help straighten your hip and drive you forward. That is one reason many running coaches put bridges into warm-ups and strength sessions.
Be realistic, though. A glute bridge is a useful building block, not a fix for everything, and research on whether any single exercise prevents running injuries is mixed. It works best alongside squats, lunges and other single-leg work. Our article on glute training for runners explains what each glute muscle does when you run and how to programme the work into your week.
How do glute bridges fit a hybrid week with running?
Bridges are easy to place because they do not leave your legs very tired. A few simple rules help.
- Use them before runs. One or two easy sets of double-leg or marching bridges make a quick warm-up.
- Put the harder work on strength days. Single-leg bridges or hip thrusts fit after your squats or deadlifts, or on a non-running day.
- Keep hard sets away from key runs. Avoid tough single-leg sets the day before a long run, an interval session or a race.
A simple beginner week: Monday, strength with squats, single-leg bridges and upper body; Tuesday, easy run with warm-up bridges; Wednesday, rest or mobility; Thursday, strength with deadlifts, bridges and core; Friday, rest; Saturday, HIIT or an interval run; Sunday, long easy run. If you want a full routine to slot them into, our beginner strength plan for runners lays out the whole thing.
This is the thinking behind hybrid training: running, strength and HIIT planned together so each part supports the others. Edge treats them as one plan. Edge Pro builds a fully personalised plan around your goals, ready within 24 hours, with a real coach you can message anytime about your form or a busy week.
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This article is general guidance, not medical advice. If you are new to exercise, returning from injury, or managing a health condition, speak to your GP before starting, and see a physio for any niggle that does not settle.
