Straight-Leg Glute Bridge
Strengthen your glutes and hamstrings with the Straight-Leg Glute Bridge! A simple exercise for a stronger, healthier posterior chain.
The Straight-Leg Glute Bridge is a compound exercise that mainly works the glutes & hips and hamstrings, with help from the lower back and core. You'll need: exercise bench.
Required Equipment
Straight-Leg Glute Bridge Muscles Worked
Primary
Glutes (gluteus maximus); Hamstrings
Secondary
Spinal Erectors (erector spinae); Deep Core (transverse abdominis)
Straight-Leg Glute Bridge Variations and Alternatives
How to do the Straight-Leg Glute Bridge
Start by sitting on the floor with your upper back against a bench and your legs extended straight out in front of you.
Place your arms out to your sides on the floor for stability.
Press your heels down into the floor and lift your hips off the ground by extending your hips upward.
Keep lifting until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to heels.
Squeeze your glutes tightly at the top of the movement without arching your back.
Hold the bridge position for a moment and then slowly lower your hips back down to the starting position without fully touching the floor to maintain tension on the muscles.
Repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions and sets.
Make sure to keep your core engaged and avoid allowing your lower back to hyperextend during the exercise. Control the movement both on the way up and the way down to maximize the effectiveness of the exercise.
Straight-Leg Glute Bridge FAQs
What muscles does the Straight-Leg Glute Bridge work?
The Straight-Leg Glute Bridge mainly works the glutes & hips and hamstrings, with help from the lower back and core. The main muscles are the gluteus maximus and hamstrings.
What equipment do you need for the Straight-Leg Glute Bridge?
Exercise bench.
Is the Straight-Leg Glute Bridge a compound exercise?
Yes. It's a compound movement, meaning it trains several muscle groups at once rather than isolating one.
What workout day should the Straight-Leg Glute Bridge go on?
It belongs on leg day in a push/pull/legs routine.
What are some Straight-Leg Glute Bridge variations and alternatives?
Similar exercises include the Alternating Single-Leg Isometric Glute Bridge Hold, Barbell Glute Bridge, Barbell Ka Glute Bridge and Bodyweight Chest Glute Bridge Press.
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