How to do a Single Leg Glute Bridge
Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Single Leg Glute Bridge
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
This exercise is a variation on the more common Glute Bridge. Like Glute Bridge, this is a bodyweight exercise that targets your glutes. By performing the exercise one side at a time, you can ensure that you aren’t compensating for any discrepancies between sides. In addition, by performing this exercise with one leg at a time, you add more instability to the movement, which can help improve muscle activation.
- Lie flat on your back with both knees bent and feet firmly on the ground while extending your arms next to your torso, palms down.
- Brace your core by breathing into your stomach and flexing the abdominal muscles while also rotating your pelvis slightly upward.
- Extend your hips by pushing your right heel into the ground and simultaneously flexing your right glute until your hips are fully extended making a straight alignment from your knees to your shoulders.
- Descend back to the starting position and repeat with the opposite side.
Tips & FAQs
Single Leg Glute Bridge is also known as:
- One Leg Glute Bridge
- Single Leg Hip Bridge
Common Form Mistakes
Over Extending
Don’t drive your hips as far as you can. This can increase your risk of injury, and doesn’t benefit the exercise itself. Drive your hips forward to a point where you feel good activation in your glutes, and hold that position.
Sets & Reps Calculator
Average Single Leg Glute Bridge standards by male, female, gender, weight, age and height
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Alternative Exercises to Single Leg Glute Bridge
1. Hip Thrust
97 mSCORESWAPPED 8,380 TIMESHip Thrust is a compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily targets your glutes. This is a great beginner exercise that can help you learn and develop your glute drive, which is helpful for a number of different exercises and general movements. It’s a simple and easy to perform exercise that can help you develop strength.
- Beginner
- Glutes
2. Barbell Hip Thrust
95.2 mSCORESWAPPED 7,622 TIMESBarbell Hip Thrust is a more challenging, weighted variation of the Hip Thrust. Beyond the added resistance from using a barbell, you’ll also place your shoulder blades on a flat bend in or to raise yourself off the ground. This is a great variation for anyone looking to make their Hip Thrusts more challenging.
3. Glute Kickback Machine
94.6 mSCORESWAPPED 7,476 TIMESGlute Kickback Machine is a variation on the more standard Single Leg Kickback. Unlike the standard variation, this exercise uses a machine to add resistance to the movement rather than just bodyweight. This gives you a bit more control over your resistance, and can be more easily scaled to your current capabilities. Additionally, the use of a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds stability to the movement. This lets you focus more on exertion than stabilizing the movement.
- Beginner
- Glutes
- Glute Kickback Machine
4. Dumbbell Glute Bridge
69.3 mSCORESWAPPED 7,455 TIMESThis exercise is a weighted variation of the more common Glute Bridge. Like other Glute Bridge variations, this exercise primarily targets your glutes. By placing a dumbbell against your hips, you can add a bit more resistance to this exercise. This is a great variation for anyone looking to make their Glute Bridge a bit more challenging.
5. Dumbbell Hip Thrust
88.1 mSCORESWAPPED 7,394 TIMESThis exercise is a weighted variation on the more standard Hit Thrust. By holding a dumbbell against your hips, you can add a bit more resistance to this usually bodyweight exercise. This is a great variation for adding a bit more difficulty to your Hip Thrusts.
6. Cable Hip Extension
89.9 mSCORESWAPPED 6,048 TIMESCable Hip Extension is an exercise that involves strapping your leg to a cable machine, and then extending your leg out behind you. The use of a cable allows you to have precise control over the direction your resistance is coming from. This lets you perform this exercise from a standing position unlike many other similar exercises that require you to lay on the ground.
- Beginner
- Glutes
- Hi-Lo Pulley Cable
7. Single Leg Kickback
86.2 mSCORESWAPPED 5,950 TIMESSingle Leg Kickback is a compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily targets your glutes. The exercise requires you to engage your glutes, and kick your leg back and up with your knees bent. Targeting each side independently is a great way to identify discrepancies in mobility and strength between sides.
- Beginner
- Glutes
8. Cable Pull Through
89.6 mSCORESWAPPED 5,191 TIMESCable Pull Through is a compound exercise that primarily targets your glutes. This exercise is similar to a kettlebell swing, although it can be performed much slower. The use of a cable allows for consistent tension throughout the movement while still developing your glute drive and hip hinge. This is a great exercise for anyone looking to build muscle mass and strength in their glutes, especially with regards to a hip hinge.
- Beginner
- Glutes
- Hi-Lo Pulley Cable
9. Single Leg Hip Thrust
80.4 mSCORESWAPPED 4,769 TIMESSingle Leg Hip Thrust is a variation on the more standard Hip Thrust. Like other Hip Thrusts, this compound exercise primarily targets the glutes and hamstrings. By performing the exercise one leg at a time, you add more instability to the movement, which can help improve muscle activation and address strength discrepancies between sides. This variation provides a greater focus on single-leg strength and balance.
- Beginner
- Glutes
10. Elevated Hip Bridge
84.8 mSCORESWAPPED 3,791 TIMESThis exercise is a variation on the more standard Hit Thrust. Like Hip Thrust, this is a compound, bodyweight movement that primarily targets the glutes. By elevating your feet on a bench, or other surface, you can increase your range of motion, which can lead to better muscle activation. This is a great variation for anyone looking to make their Hip Thrusts a bit more challenging.
- Beginner
- Glutes
- Flat Bench