We’ve had a lot of requests this morning for some more variations on the Glute Bridge I posted yesterday and also some questions on ways to better engage the glutes during the exercise.

So here are few of my tricks to getting those butt muscles to do their job!

1. The Mini Band!  This awesome training tool comes in handy, and at only a few dollars it is a great investment.  Place it around both legs positioning it just above the knees. Now set up for your Glute Bridge.  As you go through the motion, push out against the band making sure to keep the knees in line with the hips and feet.  This will engage some of the lateral stabilizers and make it easier to get to the glutes.  If you don’t have a mini band, a belt works just as well or someone can push lightly inward on the knees.
2. The Ball Diversion:  This is my favorite one by far and sometimes it seems like a magic trick.  Set up again for the Glute Bridge, but this time you are going to grab a med ball/soccer ball or basically anything you can squeeze.  Hold it toward the ceiling and try to pop it.  Now go through your bridging motion, you will be shocked at how the glutes engage more with this.  By engaging stability through your upper body, it helps produce more focus towards the glutes.  Many times the reason we struggle with movement is from a lack of stability and you just simply have to bring more to the table to get the desired result.  I wish I had a more scientific way of explaining it, all I know is that it just plain works.

As far as variations go….

1. One Leg Bridge, Knee to Chest
2. Figure 4 One Leg Bridge
3. Standard One Leg Bridge
4. Elevated Hip Hinge
5. Puppy Bridges! Because who doesn’t want a cute puppy jumping on them when you are trying to exercise!

There are some other fancy ones where your feet are in the TRX or on a ball, or your shoulders and feet are on a ball.  But let’s be real, the second you start adding in all those bells and whistles, sometimes the purpose gets lost.  That’s not to say that occasionally a challenge feels great, but safety is key.  Master the basics first!

You may notice in the videos that I am struggling to get height with some of these.  I actually didn’t notice until I watched the videos back.  My hip flexors are tight as a drum this morning, I definitely needed to get myself warmed up properly before demoing.  Amazing how I can spend all day telling my clients how essential it is to prepare the body for exercise, but then I skip out on it myself!  Good thing tomorrow is Warm-Up Wednesday!

-S