Videos
Instructions
- Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
- Hold a dumbbell on your hips with both hands.
- Engage your core and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips upward.
- Lift until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
- Pause at the top for a second while squeezing your glutes.
- Lower your hips back down slowly to the starting position.
Technical Tips
- Keep your feet flat and drive through your heels.
- Avoid over-arching your lower back during the lift.
- Keep your neck relaxed and gaze upward.
- Engage your core to maintain stability.
Breathing Tips
- Inhale before initiating the lift.
- Exhale as you push your hips upward.
- Inhale again while lowering your hips back to the ground.
Medical restrictions
- Lower back injuries
- Hip impingement
- Recent abdominal surgery
- Severe knee pain
Description
The Dumbbell Glute Bridge is a beginner-friendly, floor-based strength exercise designed to target the gluteal muscles with the added resistance of a dumbbell. This move effectively activates the glutes while minimizing lower back stress, making it an excellent option for individuals looking to improve posterior chain strength, posture, and hip mobility. By pressing through the heels and lifting the hips against the weight, this exercise reinforces proper glute engagement, which is critical for both athletic performance and daily functional movement. Suitable for home or gym training, the dumbbell glute bridge also promotes better stabilization of the pelvis and core, helping to support injury prevention in the lower back and hips. Its simplicity and low-impact nature make it ideal for beginners, rehabilitation contexts, or as a warm-up activation drill before more demanding lower body workouts. Consistent practice can enhance muscle tone in the buttocks and hamstrings while reinforcing neuromuscular control and balance.
What muscles do dumbbell glute bridges work?
Dumbbell glute bridges primarily work the glutes, especially the gluteus maximus, while also engaging the hamstrings, gluteus medius, and lower back for support.
Can I do dumbbell glute bridges at home?
Yes, dumbbell glute bridges require minimal space and only a dumbbell and mat, making them ideal for home workouts to strengthen the glutes and core.
Is the dumbbell glute bridge good for beginners?
Yes, the dumbbell glute bridge is beginner-friendly and offers a safe and effective way to build glute strength with controlled resistance.
How heavy should the dumbbell be for glute bridges?
Start with a light to moderate weight that allows you to maintain proper form for 10–15 reps, and gradually increase as strength improves.
Should I feel the dumbbell glute bridge in my lower back?
No, proper form should prevent lower back discomfort. If you feel strain, reduce the weight and focus on engaging the glutes and maintaining core stability.