- Gluteus maximus
- Barbell
- Intermediate
Barbell glute bridge
The barbell glute bridge works your glutes, with your hamstrings and inner thighs helping. Start with 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, stopping with about 3 reps in reserve. To build muscle, do 2 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps.
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- Tip 1Pad on the bar
- Tip 2Drive through your heels
- Tip 3Squeeze at the top
Where you should feel it
In your glutes, strongest at the top. Your hamstrings help.
- Main muscles
- Gluteus maximus
- Also working
- Semitendinosus and semimembranosus, biceps femoris, and adductor magnus
How to do it
Sit on the floor with your legs straight, roll the padded bar up to your hips and lie back, knees bent and feet hip-width apart.
Hold the bar with both hands, brace your core and keep your chin slightly tucked.
Drive through your heels and lift your hips until your shoulders, hips and knees line up.
Squeeze your glutes for 1 second at the top and lower slowly until the plates almost touch the floor.
Common mistakes
Mistake
Arching your lower back to get higher.
How to fix it
Stop when your hips line up with your thighs and keep your ribs down.
Mistake
The bar rolling toward your belly or thighs.
How to fix it
Hold the bar firmly over your hip bones, hands a little wider than your hips.
Mistake
Feet too far away, so the work moves to your hamstrings.
How to fix it
Bring your heels closer to your hips until you feel your glutes working.
Sets and reps for your goal
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Reps in reserve | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Getting started | 2 to 3 | 8 to 12 | 3 | 60 to 120 s |
| Muscle and definition | 2 to 4 | 6 to 12 | 1 to 3 | 1.5 to 3 min |
| Max strength | 3 to 5 | 3 to 6 | 2 to 3 | 2.5 to 4 min |
Max strength (3 to 6 reps) only once your form is solid, always with 2 to 3 reps in reserve.
Reps in reserve: how many more reps you could still do with good form when you end the set.
Variations
Same movement, other equipment
Barbell hip thrust
Shoulder blades on a bench instead of the floor. More range of motion.
Smith machine hip thrust
The guided bar with hooks makes it easier to set up on your own.
Dumbbell glute bridge
A dumbbell on your hips, held by the ends, for lighter loads.
At home or with more support
At home: backpack glute bridge
On the living room floor, with a weighted backpack on your hips instead of a bar.
Prefer more stability? Bodyweight glute bridge
Rather not set up a bar? The same bridge with just your bodyweight.
Taken? Swap it for one of these
They work the same main muscle.
Barbell hip thrust
Gluteus maximus · Barbell
IntermediateSmith machine hip thrust
Gluteus maximus · Smith machine
BeginnerGlute bridge
Gluteus maximus · Bodyweight
Beginner
Keep exploring
Gluteus maximus
56 exercises
Glute exercises with a barbell
6 exercises
How to grow glutes
What the science says about sets, exercises and how long it takes.
Sources
Sets and reps
Currier BS, D'Souza AC, et al. American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand. Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Function, Hypertrophy, and Physical Performance in Healthy Adults: An Overview of Reviews. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2026;58(4):851-872.
Muscles worked
Neto WK, Soares EG, et al. Gluteus Maximus Activation during Common Strength and Hypertrophy Exercises: A Systematic Review. J Sports Sci Med. 2020;19(1):195-203.
Exercise choice
Plotkin DL, Rodas MA, et al. Hip thrust and back squat training elicit similar gluteus muscle hypertrophy and transfer similarly to the deadlift. Front Physiol. 2023;14:1279170.
Variations
Collazo García CL, Rueda J, et al. Differences in the Electromyographic Activity of Lower-Body Muscles in Hip Thrust Variations. J Strength Cond Res. 2020;34(9):2449-2455.
Review
Draft. This guide is waiting for review by a certified strength and conditioning professional.
Updated October 31, 2026