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Legs · Bodyweight or barbell

How to do glute bridges

The glute bridge is the simplest way to teach the glutes to fire without the hamstrings and low back stealing the job — and it needs no equipment at all.

Muscles worked: Gluteus maximus, Hamstrings, Core

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How to do it

  1. Lie on your back with knees bent and heels about a hand's length from your glutes.
  2. Tuck the tailbone slightly and brace so the ribs stay down.
  3. Drive through the heels and lift the hips until the body makes a straight line from knee to shoulder.
  4. Squeeze the glutes hard for a full second at the top without arching the low back.
  5. Lower over two to three seconds and touch lightly before the next rep.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Hyperextending the low back at the top instead of finishing with the glutes.
  • Feet too far out, which turns it into a hamstring exercise.
  • Rushing reps — this movement lives on the pause at the top.

Sets and reps

GoalPrescription
Glute size3–4 sets of 12–20 reps with a 1-second pause
Loaded4 sets of 8–12 with a barbell or dumbbell across the hips
Warm-up2 sets of 15 before squats or running

Swaps and alternatives

  • Hip thrust — Same pattern with far more range and load.
  • Single-leg glute bridge — Doubles the load with no equipment.
  • Romanian deadlift — Trains the same chain from a standing position.

Common questions

What people ask about glute bridges

This guide covers glute bridge form, how to do glute bridges correctly, glute bridge muscles worked, glute bridge sets and reps for muscle growth, bodyweight or barbell gluteus maximus exercise and the swaps to run when a rack or bench is taken.

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