Can’t Do a Glute Bridge? Here’s What Your Body’s Trying to Tell You

If You Rely on Your Arms to Push Yourself Up, You Might Have a Weak Core

The core muscles include those around the midsection, such as the rectus abdominis (six-pack muscles), obliques (at the sides), and lower back muscles, among others. "Your core stabilizes your body as you perform the glute bridge," Ernsbarger says.

Other signs that your core strength is limiting your ability to do a glute bridge? Poor posture and lower back pain. The lower back muscles provide stability and mobility to the lumbar spine during the glute bridge, says certified personal trainer Bill Daniels, owner of Beyond Fitness Online.

Strengthen your core with plank and dead bug exercises.

Plank

Lie on your stomach. Lift your body onto your forearms and toes (or modify by lifting onto your forearms and knees). Hold your body in a straight line and tuck your chin so your gaze is directed toward the floor. Contract your glutes and abdominal muscles, and draw your shoulder blades down your back. Start with a 10-second hold and gradually progress to 30 seconds. Perform three sets.

Dead Bug

Lie on your back with your hands extended toward the ceiling and perpendicular to the floor. Bend and raise your knees so they form a 90-degree angle, shins parallel to the floor. Brace your core and press your lower back into the floor. Lower your left leg and extend your right arm behind you, so the extended limbs hover a few inches off the floor. Return to the starting position. Repeat with the left arm and right leg. Perform three sets of 10 reps per side.

If You Have Hip, Knee, or Back Pain, You Might Have Weak Glutes

It may seem like a catch-22, but to strengthen your glutes by doing a glute bridge, you need to have strong glutes. "The core and hamstrings assist in the exercise, but the glutes do the heavy lifting," Ernsbarger says.

And according to Daniels, if you have weak glutes, you may have a hard time performing extension movements without a lot of effort. For instance, when you pick up something a little heavy from the floor, you might find it a little difficult to get back up.

Glute exercises help level up your glute strength to make glute bridges easier.

Lunge

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Step forward on your right leg, bending both knees 90 degrees. Engage your glutes as you push off the right foot to return to the starting position. Do four sets of 10 reps per leg.

Squat

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. Initiate the movement by shifting your hips back and bending your knees simultaneously. Keep an upright torso throughout the movement and descend until your thighs are parallel to the floor (or as far as your mobility allows). Keep your knees aligned with your toes to avoid rotating them outward or inward. Stand back up. Do four sets of 10 reps.

Romanian Dead Lift

Grab a dumbbell and hold it with both hands, or hold one dumbbell in each hand. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Maintain a tall spine as you push your hips straight back, shifting your weight into your heels (be sure not to round your spine). Squeeze your glutes and return to standing. Do four sets of 10 reps.

If You Can’t Lift Your Hips All the Way, You Might Have Poor Hip Mobility

The glute bridge depends greatly on your hip mobility, and the hip flexors (a muscle group in front of your hips that helps flex your legs toward your body) play a huge role in this.

Many people are very tight in the hip flexors because the average person spends so much time sitting, Daniels says. If you're trying to pull off a glute bridge, tight hip flexors can make it difficult, as the top of the move requires a full hip extension.

"To fix this, you need to learn to relax the hip flexors and let them stretch," Daniels says. Many static (unmoving) and dynamic (moving) stretches can help.

Kneeling Glute Activation

Kneel and sit back on your heels, with your feet underneath your glutes. Keep your core engaged to maintain an upright torso. Use your glutes to drive yourself up to a full kneeling position. Squeeze at the top position for one second. Lower down to the start. Do three sets of eight reps.

Butterfly Stretch

Sit on the floor with your feet in front of you and the soles of your feet touching. Pull your feet toward your hips. If it feels good, pull your feet closer to your hips for a deeper stretch or fold your torso over your feet. Hold for 20 seconds. Return to an upright position with your legs extended to relieve tension. Do three sets.

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

Kneel on one knee, with the other knee bent in front so both legs bend at 90 degrees. Stay tall through your spine as you tuck your tailbone under and begin shifting your weight to the front leg, squeezing your glutes. Shift your weight back to the knee on the ground. Think about balancing just above your knee, rather than directly on the kneecap. Continue gently rocking back and forth for 10 reps. Repeat on the other leg. Do two sets per side. If this stretch hurts the knee that's on the ground, put a folded towel, blanket, or cushion underneath it.

The Takeaway

• The glute bridge may look like an easy exercise for strengthening the glutes and lower back, however, many people struggle to perform this exercise with proper form.
• Relying on your arms to push up signals weak core muscles, while hip, knee, and back pain indicate weak glutes. The inability to push the glutes all the way up suggests poor hip mobility.
• You can shore up weak glute and core muscles with strength exercises. Static and dynamic hip stretches can help build greater hip mobility.