Elevated Single Leg Bridge
- Músculo objetivo
- —
- Equipamiento
- Body weight
- Parte del cuerpo
- Hips
- Tipo
- Strength
The elevated single leg bridge is a bodyweight hip exercise that builds the glutes and hamstrings one side at a time. With your working foot raised on a bench or box and the other leg held straight, you drive your hips up through a longer range than a floor bridge, exposing strength differences between sides.
Cómo hacer el Elevated Single Leg Bridge
- 1Sit on the floor in front of a stable bench or box, then lie back so your shoulders rest on the floor.
- 2Place one foot flat on top of the bench with your knee bent and your shin roughly vertical.
- 3Extend the other leg straight out, keeping your thighs level with each other.
- 4Brace your core and push your shoulders into the floor to set a stable base.
- 5Drive through the heel of the planted foot to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to the extended knee.
- 6Squeeze your glutes hard at the top and pause briefly without overarching your lower back.
- 7Lower your hips under control until they hover just above the floor, keeping tension on the working side.
- 8Complete all your reps on one side, then switch the working leg and repeat.
Consejos de técnica
- Push through your heel rather than your toes to keep the load on the glutes and hamstrings.
- Keep your hips level throughout the rep so the working side does the work instead of letting one hip sag.
- Move slowly on the way down, taking two to three seconds, to keep the muscle under tension.
- Keep your ribs down and core braced so the movement comes from your hips, not your lower back.
Errores comunes
- Overarching the lower back at the top instead of finishing with a glute squeeze, which shifts strain to the spine and away from the glutes.
- Letting the hips drop or twist toward the extended leg, which lets the stronger side compensate and hides the imbalance you are trying to fix.
- Pushing through the toes rather than the heel, which pulls the work into the quads and reduces glute and hamstring activation.
- Rushing the reps and bouncing the hips off the bottom, which removes tension and lowers the benefit of each rep.
Preguntas frecuentes
What muscles does the elevated single leg bridge work?
It mainly works the glutes and hamstrings of the working leg, with your core helping to stabilize the hips and trunk throughout the movement.
Why elevate the foot instead of doing a floor bridge?
Raising the working foot increases the range of motion at the hip, so the glutes and hamstrings work harder than in a standard floor bridge.
Is the elevated single leg bridge good for beginners?
Yes. It needs no equipment beyond a bench and uses only your bodyweight, though beginners may want to start with both feet down before progressing to the single-leg version.
How many sets and reps should I do?
A common approach is 2 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 reps per leg. Start the weaker side first and match its rep count on the stronger side to even out imbalances.
