6 Glute Bridges That’ll Wake Up Your Butt and Core

Before you try any variations, it’s key to master the traditional glute bridge exercise. To make sure you’re properly activating your glutes in the bridge exercise, the American Council on Exercise recommends thinking about first finding a posterior pelvic tilt before you lift your hips. To find a posterior pelvic tilt, think about moving your belly button toward your chin, and your butt toward your heels — similar to the “tuck” motion that’s cued in barre or Pilates.

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor hip-distance apart. Keep your feet underneath your knees, not in front. Press your palms into the floor by your sides.
• Find a slight posterior pelvic tilt, then exhale and raise your hips up to the ceiling, engaging your core and squeezing your glutes as you do. At the top of the move, your body should make a straight diagonal line from shoulders to knees.
• Hold for one second, making sure your spine doesn’t round or arch and your hips don’t sag.
• Inhale and lower your hips to the floor. That’s one rep.
• Do three sets of 15 reps.

By holding the top of a glute bridge and marching your feet, you increase the demand placed on your core, which is helping to keep you from tilting or tipping over. This bridge exercise variation also asks your bottom leg to hold more weight, which challenges the hamstring and glutes on that side.

• Lie on your back with your hands by your sides, knees bent, and feet flat on the floor under your knees. With a slight posterior pelvic tilt, press your heels into the floor to come into a bridge position with a neutral spine. This is the starting position.
• Press your left heel into the floor, and keeping your right knee bent, raise your right leg until your shin is parallel to the floor. Try not to let your hips drop or tilt to either side.
• Lower your right leg to return to the starting position, then repeat on the other side. That’s one rep.
• Do three sets of 15 reps.

Once glute marches feel easy, you can try single-leg glute bridges, which research shows are great for activating all three glute muscles as well as your hip stabilizers and core. If this feels too challenging, you can also keep your lifted leg bent with the knee at about 90 degrees.

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, palms pressed into the floor by your sides. Find a slight posterior pelvic tilt, and then extend your right leg and lift it a few inches off the floor. This is the starting position.
• Press your left heel into the floor to lift your pelvis up until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees, bringing your right leg with you.
• Slowly lower your hips to tap the floor. That’s one rep.
• Do three sets of 10-12 reps. Repeat on the opposite side.

Whether you use a pillow, Pilates ball, yoga block, or Pilates ring between your knees, this bridge exercise variation engages your inner thighs and helps you connect to your deep core.

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-distance apart. Place a yoga block or other object between your knees.
• Find a slight posterior pelvic tilt, then lift your hips up into a bridge, maintaining tension on the block.
• Slowly lower your hips to tap the floor. That’s one rep.
• Do three sets of 10-12 reps.

Bridge Pose in yoga is a variation of the bridge exercise, though it’s less of a strength move and more of a stretch for the front of your body — namely your chest and hips. While the goal of other bridges is to form a straight line with your body and keep your core engaged, this move is about opening up, so you can allow your back to arch.

• Start lying flat on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and palms pressed into the floor by your sides. Walk your heels as close as you can to your glutes, keeping them hip-width apart. Make sure both feet are parallel.
• Lift your hips off the floor. Clasp your hands together below your pelvis, extending through your arms. Rock your weight from side to side to bring the shoulder blades closer together underneath your chest.
• Hold for three to five breaths. To release this stretch, unclasp your hands and then gently lower your hips to the floor.