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Glute bridge for lower back: how to do it
The glute bridge is a floor exercise for the buttocks, the back of the thighs and the muscles that support your lower back. You lie on your back with your knees bent and lift your hips until your shoulders, hips and knees form a line. Then you lower slowly, without arching your back.
Bridges are a common part of back care programs because they train the hips and trunk while you lie down, with little load on the spine. They are not a cure for back pain on their own. Guidelines for low back pain recommend staying active and doing regular exercise, and the glute bridge is one simple, low-impact way to do that.
How to do it
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat, hip-width apart.
- Press through your heels and lift your hips until shoulders, hips and knees form a line.
- Squeeze your glutes for 2 seconds, then lower slowly.
Dose: 10 slow repetitions.
Tip: Stop the lift where your ribs stay down. Do not arch your back.
Common mistakes
- Lifting so high that the lower back arches. Lift only as far as your ribs stay down and your pelvis stays level.
- Pushing through your toes. Keep your weight in your heels with both feet flat on the floor.
- Feet placed too far from your body, which makes the lift hard to control. Keep them close enough to press through your heels.
- Holding your breath. Breathe out as you lift and breathe normally at the top.
- Dropping back down quickly. The slow lowering is where most of the control comes from.
Easier and harder options
- Easier: lift a smaller distance. Only go as high as you can keep your ribs down and your back neutral.
- Harder: the single-leg bridge. Keep one foot lifted off the floor, press through the planted heel and keep your hips level. Switch legs halfway through. If your pelvis drops, go back to the two-leg version.
These two versions match the Glute Bridge and Single-Leg Bridge exercises in the Mo app.
When to stop and see a professional
Stop and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist if you notice:
- numbness, tingling or weakness in a leg or foot
- pain that spreads (radiates) down a leg
- pain that started after an accident, fall or other injury
- loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness between your legs (seek emergency care)
- pain that keeps getting worse, wakes you at night, or comes with fever or unexplained weight loss
If the lift causes sharp pain in your back, stop and try the pelvic tilt or knee-to-chest guide instead.
Do this with Mo, a 5-minute guided routine app
Mo the sloth guides short daily posture, neck and back exercises, with gentle reminders and a pain check-in. Learn more about Mo.
Related guides
- Single-leg bridge
- Clamshell exercise for hips
- Lower back pain from sitting: 3 gentle floor moves
- Bird dog exercise for your back
- Cat-cow stretch for lower back stiffness
- Hip flexor stretch for people who sit all day
- Dead bug exercise
- Hip hinge
- Sit-to-stand
- Pelvic tilt
- Mo: Posture & Back Pain Relief app