Straight Leg Hip Bridge
Strengthen your glutes, hamstrings, and core with the Straight Leg Hip Bridge. This effective bodyweight exercise improves hip extension and stability.
Description
A lower body exercise that targets the glutes, hamstrings, and core. It is performed by lying on your back with one leg extended straight up and the other foot flat on the ground. Push through your grounded foot to lift your hips while keeping your other leg straight.
How to Do Straight Leg Hip Bridge
- 1Setup
Lie supine on the floor with your knees bent, feet flat on the ground hip-width apart, and arms resting beside your body with palms down.
- 2Setup
Extend one leg straight up towards the ceiling, keeping a slight bend in the knee if preferred, and ensure your hips remain level.
- 3
Engage your glutes and core, then press through the heel of your grounded foot to lift your hips off the floor.
- 4
Continue lifting until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders through your hips to your extended knee, squeezing your glutes at the top.
- 5
Slowly lower your hips back down with control to the starting position, maintaining tension in your glutes and core throughout the movement.
Tips
- Focus on driving through your heel, not your toes, to maximize glute and hamstring activation in the grounded leg.
- Keep your core braced throughout the movement to prevent arching your lower back and to maintain a stable pelvis.
- Imagine pushing your extended leg towards the ceiling as you lift your hips; this can help maintain its straight position and keep your hips level.
- Control the eccentric phase (lowering) of the movement to increase time under tension and enhance muscle growth.
Common Mistakes
- ×Arching the lower back instead of lifting with the glutes: Fix this by actively tucking your pelvis slightly before lifting and bracing your core.
- ×Allowing the extended leg to drop or bend excessively: Fix this by actively engaging your quadriceps and hip flexors to keep the leg straight and pointing towards the ceiling.
- ×Not achieving full hip extension at the top: Ensure you push your hips as high as possible until your body forms a straight line from shoulder to knee, without overextending your lower back.
Variations
Single Leg Bridge with Hip Flexion
Strengthen glutes, hamstrings, and hip flexors with the Single Leg Bridge with Hip Flexion.
Straight Leg Outer Hip Abductor
Strengthen gluteus medius and TFL with the Straight Leg Outer Hip Abductor. This lying bodyweight exercise targets your outer hip muscles, improving
Hanging Straight Leg Raise
Strengthen your hip flexors and core with hanging straight leg raises. This challenging exercise builds lower abdominal strength and hip mobility.
Weighted one leg hip thrust
Master the weighted one-leg hip thrust to sculpt powerful glutes and enhance single-leg strength.
Related Exercises
Bodyweight Single Leg RDL
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Table Top Bridge Rotation
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Side Bridge with Bent Leg
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