Glute Bridge Abduction
Equipment Needed
About This Exercise
A glute activation exercise that combines a glute bridge with a banded or bodyweight knee abduction at the top, targeting both the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius.
How to Perform
- 1
Setup
Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Place your arms at your sides with palms facing down.
- 2
Drive Hips Up
Squeeze your glutes and drive your hips upward, pressing through your heels. Lift until your hips are fully extended and your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
- 3
Abduct the Knees
At the top of the bridge, push your knees apart by squeezing your outer glutes. Hold briefly, feeling the contraction in your gluteus medius, then bring your knees back together.
- 4
Lower with Control
Slowly lower your hips back to the floor with control, maintaining tension in your glutes throughout. Lightly tap the floor before driving up into the next rep.
Form Tips
- •Keep your core braced throughout the entire movement
- •Squeeze your glutes hard at the top before abducting
- •Press through your heels, not your toes
- •Control the abduction - do not let knees snap apart or together
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- •Dropping the hips while abducting the knees
- •Rushing the abduction instead of controlling the movement
- •Arching the lower back instead of using the glutes to drive the hips up
- •Not squeezing the glutes enough at the top before abducting
Primary Muscles
Secondary Muscles
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