How to Perform Single-Leg Glute Bridges

ByMike Collins

Single-leg glute bridges (SLGBs) are an incredibly powerful exercise for targeting, toning, and strengthening your glutes. When done properly, this exercise can help you improve your mobility, balance, and stability – all while targeting the correct muscles! In this article, we’ll provide an in-depth look at SLGBs: their benefits, form tips, and more.

What is a Single-Leg Glute Bridge?

A bodyweight exercise that targets your glutes – the muscles located in your buttocks area. To perform the exercise correctly, you will need to lie on your back with one leg bent at the knee and hip while keeping the other leg extended into a straight line. You then raise your hips off the ground by pushing through the bent leg and bringing both of your knees towards the sky. Keep your core engaged and hold this position for two seconds before returning to starting position on the floor.

Benefits

This simple yet effective exercise has numerous benefits for athletes of all levels. SLGBs target several areas of fitness simultaneously: mobility, strength training, muscle toning, as well as improved balance and stability. They help strengthen hip extensors which not only build muscle but also increase neuromuscular control – or how quickly your brain communicates with certain muscles you’re trying to use during a specific movement or activity. SLGBs also promote proper alignment throughout lower body movements so that you don’t put unnecessary strain on joints such as ankles or knees when performing activities like running or jumping. Finally, they activate oblique muscles which stabilize you during dynamic activities such walking up stairs or side lunges.

Form Tips & Techniques

When performing SLGBs (or any exercise), it’s important to maintain good form at all times to ensure maximum benefit and minimize risk of injury. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

  • Start slow: take time to gradually increase reps as you become stronger over time; don’t try to push too hard too fast!
  • Lift with intention: focus on engaging only those muscles necessary to raise up off the ground; think about actively pushing through one leg only rather than using both legs together
  • Keep tension: instead of just pushing up from the floor without control or feeling much tension in those active muscles used during this move (glutes!), tense them by squeezing them tightly for 1 second before lowering down again
  • Avoid arching back: be sure not to arch too much once you reach top position; try using core strength instead
  • Pay attention to breathing: inhale deeply as you lower down into starting position then exhale forcefully when pushing up from floor into top position. This helps further engage abdominal core muscles as well as create more power behind each movement