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Exercise library / Single Leg Glute Bridge

Single Leg Glute Bridge

Suggestions, not prescriptions. Exercises here pass automated checks. They have not been clinically reviewed, and no exercise is right for everyone. Adjust to your comfort and ability.

A bridge on one leg, lying down. It trains the buttocks and the hips that keep you level when you walk.

Main focus
Strength
Level
Starting
Equipment
Bodyweight, A mat
Load
Your body weight
Stability
Unstable: single leg, suspended or on a ball
Balance type
Static balance, Dynamic balance

Keep something steady within reach: a counter, wall or sturdy chair.

Before you start
  • Warm up first with a minute or two of easy walking or marching in place, and cool down the same way after.
  • Wear flat, closed shoes with a good grip, or go barefoot on a non-slip floor if that feels steady to you.
  • Clear the floor around you. Keep a sturdy chair, counter or wall within reach for any move you do standing.
  • Build up slowly. Add repetitions or minutes over weeks, not days. If you take a break, work back up gradually.

Talk with a doctor or physical therapist before you start if you have not been active for some time, if you have a health condition or a worry about exercise, if you have fallen or fear falling, or if a clinician has told you to limit activity. This library is general information, not medical advice.

What you need

A mat or a firm, clear patch of floor, and a sturdy chair or bench nearby to help you get up.

How to do it

  1. Lie on your back on a mat with your knees bent and your feet flat. Lift one foot off the floor and hold that knee toward your chest.
  2. Press the other heel into the floor and lift your hips until your body makes a straight line from shoulder to knee.
  3. Squeeze your buttock at the top for a second. Keep your hips level.
  4. Lower slowly and finish all the repetitions on one side before switching.

How much

To start: 1 to 2 sets of 8 to 12 slow repetitions, resting 1 to 2 minutes between sets.

As it gets easier: 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 12 repetitions with good form, resting 1 to 3 minutes. Add load or repetitions gradually, no more than about once a week.

How it should feel: The muscles you are working should feel the effort. The last repetitions should be hard but controlled, never shaky or painful.

Make it easier

  • Do the bridge with both feet on the floor.
  • Lift only a short way.

Make it harder

  • Rest your shoulders on a bench.
  • Hold the top for three seconds.

Safety

  • Warm up first, and keep your breathing steady. Breathe out on the effort and in as you ease off. Do not hold your breath.
  • Move with control. Do not lock your joints straight at the end of a movement.
  • Choose a version, load and number of repetitions you can finish with good form. The last few should feel hard but not shaky.
  • Getting down to the floor and back up is part of this exercise. Use a sturdy chair or bench to help you, and move slowly.
More safety notes
  • If you cannot get up from the floor on your own, choose a standing or seated alternative, or have someone with you.
  • Pad bony spots, such as knees, with a mat or folded towel.
  • Keep stable support within reach, such as a counter, rack or wall, until the movement feels steady.
  • Clear the floor around you and wear shoes with a good grip.
  • Go slowly, and make the movement smaller if you feel unsteady.

When to stop

  • Stop and rest if you feel dizzy or lightheaded, sick to your stomach, or unusually short of breath.
  • Stop if you feel sharp, sudden or joint pain. Muscles working hard is expected. Pain is a signal to stop.
  • Stop and sit down if you feel unsteady and cannot settle yourself right away.
  • Call your local emergency number for chest pain or pressure, fainting, or sudden weakness, numbness or trouble speaking.
  • After any of these, do not repeat the exercise until you have talked with a doctor or physical therapist.
  • You cannot get up from the floor without help.
  • You feel dizzy when you change position.
  • You feel unsteady and support does not settle you.
  • You feel dizzy or lightheaded.

Other ways to do this movement

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Where this comes from

General guidance on build-up, warm-up, breathing and listening to your body is from the NIA and the CDC. The steps were written by Fitafter50; the equipment and safety notes are Fitafter50's general practice and are approved as a set by the reviewer.

This is general information, not medical advice. It does not diagnose anything or tell you whether an exercise is right for you. Adjust to your comfort and ability.