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Glute bridge is complex exercise thanks to which you will engage gluteal muscles, core of the body, low back and hips. It will strengthen and build your butt, get rid of pain and help to improve overall performance. Glute bridge is a great exercise you can do every day. Read the list of benefits which regular exercising of gluten bridge can bring.
7 benefits of glute bridge that you will love
1. It will help to get rid of back pain
Glute bridge will help you to stabilize the core of the body, therefore hamstrings, back, belly and also butt. In contrast to other exercises, it doesn’t pressure on the low back, thanks to which it is the best exercise for back pain. It is also ideal form of butt and legs training for people who can’t exercise squats due to knees or hips problems. When doing glute bridge, the athlete is avoiding the pressure on the joints and at the same time, he is engaging the same muscles as when exercising squats. [2]
About that the cause of back pain is also the weak core of the body we had written in the article 20 exercises for back which will help you with the back pain. Many people don’t have a clue that flabby butt can cause low back pain. Gluteal muscles share the weight between back, legs and hips during motion. Formed butt will help you to prevent rounded back and therefore pain. It also helps to control the motion of torso, pelvis, hips and legs. [3]
2. It will release the knee pain
One of the basic causes of knee pain is not sufficient control of thigh bone. This includes moving of thigh forward, bending it inside or to the center of the body. All these motions are chronically linked with knee pain. Butt plays an important role during the control of the thigh bone in the hip joint which has an impact on how the other bones of the knee joint are connecting and moving. Glute bridge, mostly one leg variant, can help at the exercising of thigh bone and that is the way it prevents from potential negative knee motion. [4]
3. It will form firm and rounded butt
Gluten bridge will help you to activate the whole gluteal muscles into the motion. It is an excellent form how to strengthen, firm and form esthetically attracting butt. Firm butt, besides envious looks, will increase overall performance at the exercising and at the common activities. It helps with the body posture and also as the prevention of joint and back diseases. [1]
4. It will improve your squat or deadlift record
Squat or deadlift is necessary to be done safely and effectively in order to gluteal muscles were active and strength. Weak butt doesn’t create enough pressure on the hips (inner rotation and extension) which is one of the most common problems which can be seen within beginners. Gluteal muscles which are not heated enough, can lower the depth of the squat because hips don’t cooperate with the core effectively. There are many glute bridge variations which will activate and strengthen your gluteal muscles. Their regular exercising can help to your butt to catch up the quadriceps and hamstrings the way your squats and form of deadlift will improve quickly. [4]
5. It will improve the posture of the body
As long as you spend the majority of the day seating, there is a higher possibility that your muscles will get weak and shorten. Long-time and regular seating usually ends up by the condition when aperson can’t stand upright. Unless you exercise glute bridge every day, you focus on seated gluteal muscles and hip muscles. Strengthening of butt and lower limbs will help you to maintain the right body posture during the day or at work standing or seating. [2]
6. It will help you to run faster
One of the primary functions of butt motion is extension of hip joint which drives the legs. Many of the long runners use mostly quadriceps and hamstrings but only a little butt when running. This limits not only the length of the step but also the size of the power exerted on the leg and pelvis stability. Increasing of butt function by exercising gluten bridge can strengthen all these aspects of your run and you will be more quick and effective. [4] It has also been confirmed by study on adolescent athletes in which one testing group was exercising glute bridges and the other was exercising squats. Positive effects of the glute bridge were observed at the sprint and long jump. [5]
7. It will improve your performance and sport capacity
Strong legs, butt and back are the sign of every body-builder and also the great predisposition for performing the sport activity. They have an impact on maximizing of strength and performance, and also on the back and hips health. They will protect you from getting hurt and form useless straining of the joints in consequence of not sufficiently developed gluteal muscles. This is why the glute bridge is the key exercise for all the sportsmen who are not afraid of weight and want to improve their progress all the time. [1]
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How to perform glute bridge?
The basic and the most simple version of glute bridge can be done by whoever. It is enough to follow these instructions:
- Lay down on the back with arms next to the body. Bend the knees and put them on the pad to the hips width.
- Pull the gluteal muscles, thighs and core of the body.
- Lift the hips the way your body looks like line from the knees to the shoulders.
- Be careful and don’t let your hips to fall down on the pad.
- The goal of this exercise is to hold in the position of glute bridge for 20 – 30 seconds. It is more important to focus on the right technique than the time spent in this position.
- Exercise 3 series for 10 reps. [11] [21]
1. Single leg glute bridge
Lay down on the back, foot are on the pad. Keep the right leg extended. Lift the hips out of the pad and get into the glute bridge position with the difference that right leg is still extended. Your body is now in the line from an ankle of the right leg to the shoulders. Keep in this position and get back. Change the legs. Exercise 3 series for 15 reps or 3 series for 30 seconds. [13] [22]
2. Feet elevated glute bridge
Thanks to this type of glute bridge you will strengthen the thigh muscles and of course, butt. Lay down on the back with arms next to the body. Bend the knees and put the toes of the foot on the pad. Lift the hips in this position and exercise the glute bridge. Knees face to the toes. Repeat 3 series for 15 reps or hold in the position for 30 second and repeat 3 times. [13]
3. Elevated glute bridge
It is the training of the basic glute bridge but in more difficult version. Lay down on the back with arms next to the body. Heels are leaned of bench or exercise ball. Lift the hips in this position the way your body is in the line from the knees to the shoulders. Hold for 30 second and repeat exercise three times or exercise 3 series for 15 reps. [6] [20]
4. Elevated single leg glute bridge
It is almost identical exercise than elevated glute bridge. The difference is in that you are leaning of bench or exercise ball only with left leg. Right leg is extended high in the air. Exercise the glute bridge in this position. Then change the legs. [6] [19]
5. Glute bridge with resistance band
You will need resistance band which is thread through the legs to the hips. If your band is too long, fasten it with the heels. Lay down on the pad with arms next to the body or place the arms under your butt. Lift the hips and begin to exercise glute bridge. Resistance band pressures on your muscles and that is why this exercise is more effective than basic glute bridge. Exercise 3 series for 10-15 reps. [6]
6. Glute bridge with weight
Lay down on the back and get into the position of basic glute bridge. Place the weight on the hips and low belly area. Uphold the weight with hands to prevent injury. With the weight on your hips, begin to exercise glute bridge. Lift the hips and create a line. Exercise 3 series for 12 reps. Care about the right technique and choose the weight that doesn’t cause the hips falling down to the pad. [7]
7. Barbell hip thrust
You definitely have heard about the miraculous benefits of lifting pelvis for the firm butt. It is the glute bridge with greater range. Begin in the seat on the floor with bench behind your back. Hold the barbell on the legs. Lean the shoulders of the stable surface of the bench, roll the barbell to the hips and lift the pelvis. Your shoulder blades should be near the bench and pressure of the legs concentrates on the heels. The body created the line from the knees to the head. Hold as long as you can in this position and get back to the initial position. [14] Before adding the weight, you should be able to perfectly manage this exercise with your own weight. [8]
The best about glute bridges at the end. If you think that glute bridges are only lady’s exercises, you are wrong. Also body-builders and other sportsmen exercise them. Hip thrusts are in training routine of Dwanye “The Rock” Johnson who lifts 180 kilograms for 15 seconds. [15] [17] Hip thrusts are also favorite exercise of american football player, James Harrison, who can lift with his hips record 306 kg. [16] [18]
Glute bridges definitely belong to the training routine of women and men. Begin with the most simple version today. If you have managed the motion, proceed to another variant. Don’t be afraid of adding the weight or changing the range of the motion if you can manage the right technique. You won’t achieve perfectly rounded and firm butt when you exercise the glute bridges only with the own weight. Your muscles need to be exposed to gradually higher pretensions to be growing and achieving the right form. If you begin to exercise glute bridges every day, you will be surprised how quickly you begin to improve and gradually you add the weight.
Will you try glute bridges in your training? Write us down to the comments which type of glute bridge you like the most. In case you like the article and you think it is helpful, definitely support it by sharing.
[1] Mike Dewar - 5 Benefits of the glute bridge – https://barbend.com/glute-bridge-benefits/
[2] 10 benefits of glute bridge that really do make a difference – https://www.darkironfitness.com/benefits-of-glute-bridges/
[3] Nick English - 6 things i learned from 6 months of hip thrusts – https://barbend.com/hip-thrust-lessons/
[4] Roy Pumphrey - 8 amazing things that will happen when you do bridges every day – https://www.lifehack.org/302252/8-amazing-things-that-will-happen-when-you-bridges-every-day
[5] Cantreas B. Vigotsky AD, Schoenfeld BJ, Beardsley C, McMaster DT, Reyneke JH, Cronin JB - Effect of a six-week hip thrust vs. front squat resistance training program on performance in adolescent males: a randomized controlled trial. – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27253835
[6] Yumi Elkaim - Glute bridge exercise: 7 simple variations to see and feel better results – https://yurielkaim.com/glute-bridge-exercise/
[7] Charashila Biswas - 5 hip thrust exercises for a toned and strong butt – https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/effective-hip-thrust-exercises-and-their-benefits/#gref
[8] Hip Thrust: The most important exercise you´re not doing – https://www.stack.com/a/hip-thrust
[9] Cori Lefkowith - 20 glute bridge variations to stretch your hips and activate your glutes – https://redefiningstrength.com/20-glute-bridge-variations-stretch-hips-activate-glutes/
[10] Glute training mistakes to avoid
[11] Elizabeth Quinn - The basic bridge exercise for a better butt – https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-do-the-bridge-exercise-3120738
[12] Cori Lefkowith - Are you bridging wrong? – https://redefiningstrength.com/are-you-bridging-wrong/
[13] How to perform 5 variations of the glute bridge exercise – https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/glute-bridge-variations#8
[14] Barbell hip thrust – https://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/barbell-hip-thrust
[15] Nick English - Why Dwayne Johnson is hip thrusting 405 pounds for 11 grueling reps – https://barbend.com/dwayne-johnson-hip-thrust/
[16] Nick English - The NFL´s strongest glutes? James Harrison Hip Thrust 675 pounds for reps – https://barbend.com/james-harrison-hip-thrust/
[17] Instagram therock – https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq0svHEhIB3/
[18] Instagram jhharrison92 – https://www.instagram.com/p/BW0oB-AAQL-/
[19] 10 of the best stability ball exercises – https://healthyiswealthyny.com/10-of-the-best-stability-ball-exercises/
[20] 5 ways to help injury-proof your hips with stretching – https://sk.pinterest.com/pin/205617539221552271/
[21] 2 glute bridge exercise variations to target specific results – https://www.shape.com/fitness/tips/glute-bridge-exercise-variations-muscle-targets
[22] Legs bums and tums workout – https://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/exercise/plans/legs-bums-tums-workout.htm