The single leg glute bridge is a great exercise for strengthening your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back.
By strengthening these muscles, the single leg glute bridge can help reduce your risk of injury. This is because the glutes and hamstrings play a key role in stabilizing your hips and pelvis, helping to maintain a neutral position that can prevent knee and lower back injuries. This increased stability is especially beneficial for athletes who need to maintain balance while running or jumping.
Below is a guide to performing the single leg glute bridge:
- Lie flat on your back on a comfortable surface, such as a yoga mat.
- Bend one knee and place the foot flat on the ground, with the other leg extended straight out in line with your torso.
- Place your arms flat on the ground at your sides, with your palms facing down, or cross them over your chest to challenge yourself with less stability.
- Engage your core muscles by pulling your belly button in towards your spine.
- On an exhale, press your foot on the ground and lift your hips off the ground, keeping your weight on your heel and squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement.
- Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then lower your hips back down to the ground.
- Repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions, then switch legs and repeat the exercise with the other leg.
When performing the single leg glute bridge, it’s important to keep your hips level and avoid twisting or rotating your pelvis. You can also increase the difficulty of the exercise by holding a weight on your hips or by performing the movement with your heel on an unstable surface, such as a balance ball.
Perform 2-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions of the single leg glute bridge on each leg, resting for 30-60 seconds between sets.
As always, it’s important to listen to your body and adjust the workout as needed to ensure you’re performing the exercise safely and effectively.