Single Straight Leg Glute Bridge Hold
- Target muscle
- —
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Body part
- Hips
- Type
- Strength
The single straight leg glute bridge hold is a unilateral hip-extension exercise that targets the glutes and hamstrings while challenging core stability and pelvic control. Performed with one leg extended and the hips held isometrically at the top, it builds single-leg posterior chain strength and exposes and corrects left-to-right imbalances.
How to do the Single Straight Leg Glute Bridge Hold
- 1Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
- 2Extend one leg straight out so it is in line with your thigh, keeping your knees level with each other.
- 3Press through the heel of your grounded foot and drive your hips up until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your raised foot.
- 4Squeeze your glutes firmly at the top and hold that position for the prescribed duration.
- 5Keep your hips level — do not let the side of the raised leg drop toward the floor.
- 6Breathe steadily throughout the hold, maintaining tension in your glutes and bracing your core.
- 7Lower your hips back to the floor with control to end the set, then repeat on the opposite side.
Form tips
- Press through the full heel of your working foot rather than the ball of your foot to maximize glute activation.
- Think about keeping both hip bones at equal height — a dropped hip on the free side signals the working glute is losing tension.
- Brace your core before lifting so your lower back does not compensate by overextending.
- Start with shorter holds and build duration before increasing the difficulty, since fatigue will cause the hips to sag or rotate.
Common mistakes
- Letting the free-side hip drop during the hold, which reduces glute load and stresses the lower back unevenly.
- Hyperextending the lower back to push the hips higher, which shifts the work away from the glutes and onto the lumbar spine.
- Placing the foot too close to the hips, which reduces hamstring involvement and makes the position unstable.
- Allowing the knee of the grounded leg to cave inward, which indicates the glutes and hip abductors are not properly engaged.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the single straight leg glute bridge hold work?
It primarily works the glutes (gluteus maximus) and hamstrings of the grounded leg, with the core and hip abductors engaged to stabilize the pelvis throughout the hold.
How long should I hold the position?
Beginners typically start with 5–10 second holds per side. As strength improves, 20–45 second holds become a reasonable target, though duration should only increase once you can maintain level hips and steady breathing.
What is the difference between a single straight leg glute bridge hold and a regular glute bridge?
Extending one leg removes it from the base of support, forcing the grounded glute to work harder and requiring greater pelvic stability from the core. The straight-leg position also adds a hamstring lengthening demand compared to a bent-knee single-leg variation.
Can this exercise help with lower back pain?
Strengthening the glutes and building pelvic stability can support lower back health, but if you currently have lower back pain you should consult a healthcare professional before adding isometric hip-extension work to your routine.
