Glute Activation Exercises

By Elizabeth Quinn, About.com Guide

Updated June 07, 2010

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

After you've mastered the basic bridge exercise, you're ready to move on to the single leg bridge exercise.

The Single Leg Bridge Exercise

• Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet are under your knees.
• Tighten your abdominal and buttock muscles and slowly lift your hips up to create a straight line from your knees to shoulders.
• Slowly raise and extend one leg while keeping your pelvis raised and level. If your hips sag or drop, place the leg back on the floor and do a double leg bridge until you become stronger.
• Hold to position for 10 seconds and lower. Repeat with the opposite leg.

Make sure to maintain level hips throughout the exercise. It's better to hold the correct position for a shorter time than to go longer in the incorrect position.

If you can't hold this position, return to the basic Bridge Exercise to build strength and then progress to the one-leg bridge.

As you get stronger, you can hold the position longer or do 10 reps of lifting and lowering on each side before you switch.

Previous

• Glute Activation Exercises
• Glute Activation Exercises: Hip Flexor Stretch
• Glute Activation Exercises: Bridge Exercise
• Glute Activation Exercises: Quadruped Hip Extension
• Glute Activation Exercises: Single Leg Bridge Exercise
• Glute Activation Exercises: Side Lying Hip Abduction - Clam Exercise

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