Exercise Profile
- Target Muscle Group
- Exercise TypeStrength
- Equipment RequiredBarbell
- MechanicsIsolation
- Force TypePush (Bilateral)
- Experience LevelIntermediate
- Secondary Muscles
Abs, Hamstrings
Target Muscle Group
Glutes
Barbell Glute Bridge Overview
The barbell glute bridge is an exercise used to strengthen the glute muscles.
A lot of lifters believe all you need to build a complete and strong set of glutes are exercises such as the squat and deadlift. However, this isn’t completely true. Implementing more isolation focused glute exercises such as the barbell glute bridge is a smart idea for aesthetics, functionality, and strength.
Barbell Glute Bridge Instructions
- Sit up straight with your legs extended and roll a barbell up to the crease of your hips.
- Lay back into a supine position on the floor with your arms holding onto the bar.
- Bridge your hips up by squeezing your glutes and driving your heels into the floor.
- Lower your hips back to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Barbell Glute Bridge Tips
- Utilize an airex or squat bar pad on the bar as this will help to reduce the discomfort during the exercise.
- Ensure that the lower back doesn’t arch as you extend the hip, you should focus on squeezing the glutes and slightly posteriorly tilting the pelvis.
- Ideally you should prioritize a straight line from your knees through your shoulders at the peak of contraction.
- Focus on exhaling as you bridge the hips up. You shouldn’t feel the movement through your lower back at all.
- If you can’t seem to feel your glutes activating, palpate the musculature with your hands and focus on pausing the movement at the peak of contraction.
2 Comments
Can I do this with a dumbbell instead?
Hey M - yes you can