Butt Lift (Bridge)Muscles Worked
The bodyweight bridge works your glutes as you raise your hips from the floor, with your hamstrings helping to hold the top position. It's the simplest bridge variation, which makes it a good warm-up and the place to learn the movement before adding a barbell.
PrimaryGlutes
SecondaryHamstrings
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Level
- Beginner
- Type
- Isolation
- Force
- Push
How to do it
- Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor about hip width apart and arms resting at your sides.
- Brace your abs lightly and press your lower back gently toward the floor.
- Drive through your heels to lift your hips until your knees, hips and shoulders form a straight line.
- Hold the top briefly with your glutes squeezed, keeping your weight on your upper back, not your neck.
- Lower your hips slowly back to the floor and repeat.
Form tips
- If your hamstrings cramp, walk your feet a little closer to your hips.
- Lift with your glutes, not your lower back: stop when your body is straight instead of pushing your belly toward the ceiling.
Why it made the list
No. 5 of 12
Best Glute Exercises
Bodyweight glute bridge — foundational activation and warm-up. Natural progression step before adding barbell load.
More glute exercises
See it on your own body map
Log your Butt Lift (Bridge) sets in KasMaker and watch your glutes and hamstrings fill in on the map, weighted by how much you did. Logging and the body map are free on iPhone.
