I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: A new workout challenge always helps motivate me to exercise. The latest bodyweight exercise challenge that has caught my interest? Completing glute bridges every day for seven days.
We get it. The glute bridge may sound niche, but did you know that according to Google, there are between 10,000 and 100,000 searches for this term each month? Plus, this low-impact move is cited as one of the best butt exercises to help strengthen and tone this area, and it tops the list of best Pilates exercises for beginners to master. A report released in 2023 found that: European Journal of Health, Psychology and Education Research In particular, the humble single-band glute bridge exercise: Gluteus Maximus and Medeus It puts more strain on the muscles than other exercises like turnouts, bent knee pulses, etc. So, what causes this?
“The glute bridge is a great exercise for strengthening your hips, hamstrings, and core,” says women’s health and fitness expert, FIT MAMA AppTo perfect this move, Mari Carmen Sánchez Morris explains, “Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Then, lift your hips off the ground until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees, creating a bridge-like pose.”
Want to know more about this glute-building move? No problem! Keep scrolling to find out more about what the glute bridge is, how to do it, and how it went for me. FYI, I’ve tried a few different workout methods and written about them. Read on to see what I tried and the results. Bodyweight Squats, Bulgarian Split Squat and.Do a plank every day for a weekhere. Don’t miss the explanation of tHe will benefit Good morning exercise And what happens when it’s done? Do push-ups every dayby the way.
I tried doing the glute bridge every day and had some thoughts about it.
What is a Glute Bridge?
As you may already know, glute bridges are a bodyweight, bridge-like exercise that targets – you guessed it – your glutes, core and hamstrings.
Your glutes are a muscle group made up of the glutes maximus, glutes medius, and glutes minimus. To strengthen this group and master the movement, here are a few things you need to know: “A perfect glute bridge is when you raise your hips until your torso is in a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.” Sara CampusPersonal trainers, nutrition coaches, wellness experts, LDN Mama Fitness “Once you reach the top of the glute bridge, squeeze your glutes as tight as you can and hold that position for a few seconds,” she explains.
Any tips for mastering your form? “When attempting a perfect glute bridge, make sure your feet are hip-width apart, toes pointed forward and your abs engaged and core engaged,” adds Sanchez Morris. “Lift your hips until your glutes are squeezed and your body is in a straight line, but don’t arch your back. Keep your spine neutral. Then, as you near the end of the movement, lower your hips down with control.”
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What are the benefits of doing glute bridges?
Having strong glutes goes far beyond aesthetics. As researchers found in this 2017 study, strong glutes can help prevent injury, promote normal walking patterns, eliminate pain, and improve athletic performance. And while glute bridges help strengthen these muscles, they also provide a host of other health benefits.
According to Campus, performing glute bridges can help stabilize your core and strengthen your glutes, which can improve your form and function when performing other exercises. “The benefits of glute bridges are primarily stability and strength,” physical therapists point out. “By stabilizing your hips, you can benefit exercises like walking, running, deadlifts, and squats. Strengthening your glutes can also help you expand your workout routine, improve your form, and reduce common lower back pain.”
And, as Sanchez-Morris notes, this type of exercise may help relieve pain and muscle weakness during pregnancy and after birth, a finding confirmed in a 2023 review article.
“Bridges are a great exercise during pregnancy because strengthening your glutes can help reduce lower back and pelvic pain you may experience during pregnancy,” says Sanchez Morris. “After giving birth, your glutes can become weaker due to changes in posture, so glute bridges are a great way to activate and strengthen them.”
That said, if you’re pregnant or postpartum, be sure to check with a qualified medical professional about which exercises are right for you and your health goals.
Daily Glute Bridge: My Review
Before I tell you what I discovered after completing them over the course of a week, I spoke to both personal trainers Campus and Sanchez-Morris before attempting this challenge to get their expert opinion on whether or not you’re doing too many glute bridges, and they both agreed.
“You don’t need to do it every day because you risk injury from overload and repetitive movements,” Campus stresses, while Sanchez-Morris says, “While it’s technically possible to do glute bridges every day, it’s important to focus on proper form and progressive overload to see results.”
So instead of doing glute bridges every day for seven days, I added a rest day and completed three sets of 10 glute bridges four times a week, taking 60-90 seconds of rest between each set to maintain good form and give my lower body time to rest before resuming them.
Days 1 to 3
Bodyweight exercises like glute bridges are great exercises that really get results and last – they’re by far my favourite in Pilates because of their glute activation, spinal range of motion and pelvic stability, so I’ve done these functional movements before.
I was away for a short while during this challenge, but that didn’t matter. All I needed to master this glute bridge was an extra surface for my exercise mat, some comfortable workout clothes, and 10 minutes to focus on my form and unlock the mind-muscle connection.
As the first day approaches, I lay down on a towel (sadly, there was no room for a trusty mat in my already-heavy suitcase), lie down with my feet hip-width apart, engage my core, then lift my hips up until my glutes squeeze. Personally, I think the hardest part about glute bridges is remembering to stop when my glutes squeeze, which experts say keeps my back from arching, which is something you definitely don’t want to do with this move, so keeping my spine neutral is my main goal throughout the three sets.
On the third day, I prepare to do the exercises again, but this time on an exercise mat. The exercise mat helps with grip and gives my feet a grippy surface to exert force. It may sound like a small thing, but having a good exercise mat makes all the difference when exercising at home. This may only be my second set, but I’m already feeling the difference in my loosened back. As someone who sits at a desk a lot, my back often hurts and tenses on the weekends. It’s not bad at all.
Becks tries out a one-legged glute bridge at home
(Image courtesy of Bex Shepherd)
Days 4 to 7
On day five, I decided to change up my workout goals and work my glutes like never before, so I did a single-legged glute bridge. To do this move, Sanchez Morris says, “At the top of the bridge position, focus on lifting your hips with one leg while lifting one foot off the ground.” I did 10 repetitions of this move, and quickly realized that each repetition was different. I was about halfway through my first set when I realized I needed to complete the task at hand by doing 10 repetitions of this glute-building move with the other leg. Wow, this single-legged move is not for the faint of heart.
Day seven arrived and I was back to the classic glute bridges I know and love. It was no surprise to me that by the end of the challenge, my glutes were sore, a sign that I had maxed out this glute strengthening exercise. Glute bridges are known for activating the lower body, and they do. But what really surprised me was how much easier (or stronger?) my back felt after completing the challenge.
From a scientific standpoint, it makes sense why. In one study, researchers found that glute-strengthening and spinal stabilization exercises were “effective in improving lower back pain.” This is because the erector spinae, rectus abdominis, and external obliques (muscles that make up part of the core) play a role in lumbar spine stability and support, according to the study. This is good to know going forward. While I don’t plan on doing glute bridges forever, challenges like these give me the opportunity to shine a spotlight on exercises and see what works and what doesn’t. I’d say the glute bridge falls into the former category.
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Can you work your glutes with just the glute bridge?
Absolutely, but there are some conditions you need to be aware of in order to grow your muscles. “If done correctly, over time, and with progressive resistance, glute bridges can help tone and strengthen your glutes,” says personal trainer, nutrition coach, and wellness expert, Chris B. LDN Mama Fitness They will tell you. However, Progressive Overload Variation in technique, diet and exercise is also key.
“If you want to work your glutes, doing multiple repetitions is effective. Glute exercises Every week you should do a variety of exercises, including glute bridges, hip thrusts, SquatDeadlift, Charge For example, all of these contribute to the growth of the gluteal muscles.”
A women’s health and fitness expert, FIT MAMA AppMari Carmen Sanchez Morris agrees: “Because the glutes are divided into three muscle groups, it’s best to incorporate a variety of glute-focused exercises into your workout routine rather than just doing glute bridges.”
