Shoulder bridge technique. Pilates exercises. Advanced: Shoulder Bridge with Leg Raise and Arm Reach

Working muscles

Main working muscles:

Back muscles that stabilize the position of the spine: the erector spinae muscle (spinalis, longissimus and iliocostal muscles), semispinalis muscle, group of deep spinal muscles.
Abdominal muscles that stabilize the spine: rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, transverse abdominis.
Muscles that extend the leg at the hip joint: gluteus maximus, hamstrings (semimembranosus and semitendinosus, biceps femoris).
Muscles that flex the leg at the hip joint: iliopsoas, rectus femoris, sartorius, tensor fasciae lata, pectineus.

Accessory muscles:

Muscles that extend the leg at the knee joint: quadriceps femoris.
Muscles that perform plantar flexion of the foot at the ankle joint: gastrocnemius muscle, soleus muscle.
Muscles that extend the arm in the shoulder joint: latissimus dorsi, teres major, deltoid.
Muscles that adduct the shoulder blades: trapezius muscle, rhomboid muscles.

Initial position. Lie on your back, bend your knees, place your feet on the mat hip-width apart. Extend your arms along your body, palms down. Lift your pelvis off the mat and place your palms under your lower back to support your body weight, as shown in the figure. Lift one leg and bring your knee toward your chest, then straighten it so that it points straight up. Pull your toe off.

Exhalation. Lower your leg forward so that it is parallel to the floor.

Inhale. Raise your leg vertically. Repeat the shoulder bridge exercise 5 times. Then return to the middle part of the starting position and repeat 5 more times with the other leg, then lower your torso to the mat.

In the starting position, place your feet on the mat and lift your pelvis, tensing the hip extensor muscles, especially the hamstrings, as in the Wave exercise. The muscles that extend the leg at the knee also help in this. Then the same muscle groups lift the leg into a vertical position.

Press your hands firmly into the mat and lift your chest using your shoulder extensor and spinal erector muscles. This will help you bend your lower back and raise your pelvis high enough to place your palms under it.

At the same time, tighten your lower abdominal muscles to prevent your pelvis from tilting too far forward and to keep your pelvis and spine stable throughout the exercise.

Having ensured the stability of the power center, pay attention to the fact that the raised leg is fully straightened and the toe is pulled back. Engage the muscles that extend the leg at the knee and plantar flex the foot. In phase 2 of the shoulder bridge, use your hip extensor muscles to begin lowering your leg and immediately engage your hip flexor muscles to control the lowering process. In phase 3, these muscles switch from eccentric to concentric action to lift the leg again.

Mental image. Imagine your spine as a Japanese bridge across a stream, the shape of which is not disturbed even when you move your legs.

Notes

The shoulder bridge requires high stability of the pelvis, since it is suspended and rests on only one leg, while the other makes wide movements. In addition, the spine is slightly extended in the lower back, so it is necessary to pay special attention to the immobility of the pelvis at the moment of lowering the leg (this will be discussed in more detail in the analysis of the “Scissors” exercise). If you can achieve proper stability, the shoulder bridge will also provide a good stretch for the hamstrings and hip flexors.

Overweight people often experience back pain. To make her healthy again, you need to master gymnastics such as Pilates. This gymnastics is unique, since all overweight women can do it, regardless of their weight category, and even those people for whom strength training and aerobics are contraindicated. Pilates exercises They are also used by rehabilitation doctors to restore patients who have undergone major operations, including operations on the spine.
Despite the fact that, unlike training on simulators, in this gymnastics all movements are smooth and there are no shock loads, Pilates exercises They help work out the muscles just as well, and even better. During regular training, only large superficial muscles work, while this gymnastics also involves deep ones, which support the spine and internal organs, due to which a natural muscle corset is formed.

Pilates technique

Pilates is a complex gymnastics exercise, although it seems simple at first glance. The movements are performed smoothly and slowly so that every muscle can be felt. You cannot hold your breath while doing Pilates. It is necessary to constantly monitor the correct execution of the exercises: the navel should approach the back, and the spine should be extended as much as possible. The amplitude of the movements depends on the physical fitness of the person. Each exercise below should be performed continuously 5 times. If at the beginning of mastering Pilates the body does not obey well, then you should seek the help of an instructor. When performing Pilates gymnastics, they use the full breathing technique, that is, the diaphragm is involved in the work. This breathing is performed as follows:

Place your hands on your lower ribs and connect your middle fingers.
Inhale through the nose, directing the air flow down and into the back wall of the chest. At the same time, open the lower ribs as much as possible. Exhale through your mouth, tensing your abdominal muscles and drawing in your stomach.

Pilates gymnastics

There are the following Pilates gymnastics exercises, which should begin with exercises on the back, then on the stomach, and end with positions on the side.

Twisting up and down

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and bend your legs slightly. Shoulders should be straightened and lowered. The stomach should be tense. The top of your head needs to reach up. Breathe calmly while doing this. Imagine that your head is heavy and is being pulled down, stretch the top of your head towards the floor. After this, begin to gradually, vertebra by vertebra, bend the spine. When you reach the bottom point, straighten your back at the speed at which it was rounded, and thereby return to the starting position.

"Swimming"

Lie on your stomach. Stretch your arms forward and stretch your legs back. Your feet should be hip-width apart and your palms shoulder-width apart. Direct your gaze to the floor. The neck should continue with the spine. Straighten your right leg and left arm and at the same time raise them 20-30 centimeters above the floor, without ceasing to stretch. As you lower them down, you must at the same time begin to raise your left leg and right arm.

Kick

Lie on your stomach. Bend your elbows and rest your hands on the floor. Elbows should be under the shoulders, feet hip-width apart. Pull your socks away. Lower your shoulders, bring your shoulder blades closer to your spine. The buttocks and stomach should be tense. During the exercise, you need to hold the pose and control the position of the lumbar region. Bend your leg at the knee and make three springing movements, bringing your lower leg closer to your buttocks, and at the same time do not forget to stretch your toes up and strain the muscles of your lower leg.

"A hundred"

Lie on your back. Bend your legs at a right angle, your hips should be perpendicular to the floor. Bring your knees together. Stretch your socks away. Press your back and buttocks to the floor and raise your upper torso and head; only the lower part of your shoulder blades should touch the floor. Lower your shoulders, extend your arms along your body at a height of 10-15 centimeters parallel to the floor. Point your fingers away from you, try to stretch the entire part, starting from the shoulders and ending with the tips of the nails. The body must be motionless; for this, the stomach must be tense. Without bending your wrists and elbows and without relaxing your muscles, you need to make one hundred claps on the floor with your palms, barely touching the surface. If possible, this exercise can be complicated: raise your straight legs up and turn your toes outward.

Leg pull

Lie on your back. Bend your legs, should be hip-width apart. Pull your left knee to your chest and raise your shoulders and head and clasp it with your hands. Lower your shoulders. The head should not be thrown back and pressed to the chest. The top of the head should stretch upward, a straight line should form between the neck and the head and upper back. Having straightened your right leg, stretch your toe away from you, and the closer your leg is to the floor, the more difficult it will be to perform the exercise. Maintaining maximum extension and without lifting your buttocks, slowly extend your left leg and bend your right leg towards your chest, clasping it with your hand. The stomach should be constantly tense. Without relaxing your muscles and without stopping, perform the exercise four more times.

Shoulder bridge

Lie on your back with your knees bent. Place your feet hip-width apart. The spine should be elongated. Stretch the crown in one direction, the tailbone in the other. Slowly, twisting the pelvis, lift vertebra by vertebra, lift tense buttocks and lower back. The weight should not be transferred to the neck. And vertebra by vertebra return to its original position, starting from the thoracic region and ending with the pelvis.

Puzzle by the wall

Lie down against the wall on your back. Place your feet hip-width apart on the wall so that there is an angle of 45 degrees between your legs and the floor. Place your hands on the floor along your body. Bring your shoulder blades together, stretch your back, try to bring your stomach closer to your spine. Slowly raise your torso, starting from the neck, vertebra by vertebra. Stretch your chin toward your chest, then lift your shoulder blades, and so on, until only your tailbone touches the floor. Stretch your hands towards your feet. The body should resemble the letter V. Twist the pelvis, the abdominal muscles should be tense. Return also gradually to the starting position. After your head touches the floor, raise your arms above your head and stretch them up as far as possible.

"Scissors"

Lie on your back and bend your legs so that your thighs and shins form a 45-degree angle. Stretch the spine. Place your arms along your body, pressing your shoulders to the floor. Maintaining a bent knee angle, raise your right leg until your thigh is perpendicular to your torso. Stretch your toes away from you. Press your lower back to the floor. Pull the navel towards the spine. Smoothly raise your left leg and at the same time lower your right leg so that they move simultaneously. The feet should only touch the floor with their toes.

Lateral lift

Lie on your left side, extend your arm and rest your head on it. Place your other hand in front of you as a balance. Connect your legs. Stretch your toes away from you, while stretching your spine and trying to lift your side off the floor. The stomach should be constantly pulled in. Without relaxing the muscles of your legs and torso, slowly lift your leg, simultaneously extending it above the floor. Then lower it. The exercise must be performed five times, then turn on the other side and repeat with the left leg.

"Mermaid"

Lean on your straightened left arm and stretch both legs as far as possible. The muscles of the back and abdomen should be tense so that the hips do not sag, and the body weight is equally distributed between the arms and legs. Raise your straight right arm up across the side and stretch to the left, at the same time stretching the entire right side of the body and pushing the pelvis up. Perform the exercise four more times, the body should not be twisted. Then you need to turn over and stretch the left side of the body.

Easy version of "Mermaid"

Sit on your knees. Move your buttocks to the left. Place your right hand on the ankle of your right leg and rest your left hand on the floor. Stretch your head up, lower your shoulders. Raise your left hand up, with your palm facing your head, and lean to the right, simultaneously shifting your lower ribs to the left. You should try to stretch your left and right sides as much as possible. Turn your head towards your raised hand and look up. Move your buttocks from your bent legs to the right and perform the exercise in the other direction.

"Saw"

Sit down. Spread your legs to the sides. The back should be straight, the stomach should be pulled in, and the buttocks should be pressed to the floor. Raise your hands to shoulder level, stretch your fingers away from you. Turn your body to the left without rounding your back. Reach towards the little toe of your left foot with the little finger of your right hand. Try to pull your head and chest towards your left thigh. Straighten your back, turn your body and return to the starting position. Leave the lower part of the body motionless. Perform the exercise in the other direction.

People who regularly perform Pilates exercises, notice an improvement in posture, and the absence of previously disturbing back pain caused by curvature. Reduced due to strong muscles and volumes. Stretching the spine allows the layer of fat to be distributed more evenly. Another advantage is that you can get rid of a bulging belly that could not be removed with other exercises.

The exercise “Supine Pelvic Lift” (Shoulder Bridge) does an excellent job of strengthening the gluteal muscles, and it is also less traumatic than other exercises for the buttocks.

To perform the exercises, you only need a fitness mat and comfortable shoes to avoid your feet sliding on the floor. You can perform the exercise with your own weight, with a rubber band, or use weights in the form of a dumbbell or barbell.

Muscles involved when lifting the pelvis while lying on your back:

This exercise primarily works the ischiopopliteal and gluteus maximus muscles.

Perform it repeatedly, feeling the muscle tension at the top of the pelvic lift with each repetition.

How to properly perform pelvic lifts while lying on your back:

Lie on your back with your knees bent. Place your feet as close to your buttocks as possible and press firmly into the floor, avoiding slipping. The feet should be spread the width of the hip joints and kept parallel to each other. The distance between the heels and buttocks is 30-40 cm.
Place your arms along your body, palms down, with your head and shoulders firmly pressed to the floor.
Inhale begin to slowly lift your torso without lifting your head, shoulders and heels from the floor. Raise your hips as high as possible while keeping your back straight. In this case, at the top point of the lift, the shin forms a perpendicular to the floor. At the top of the exercise, pause for 2-3 seconds.
Advice: Perform the exercise by tensing your gluteal muscles. Try not to use the strength of your hips, try to relax them.
After a static pause, slowly return back to the starting position.

Technique for performing the Shoulder Bridge exercise:

Another option: the exercise is performed with a small amplitude, without lowering the pelvis low to the floor and trying to achieve a feeling of muscle fatigue.

Note:

It is very important to understand that pelvic lift is actually nothing more than hip extension.

The exercises are performed at a good pace. You should do 5-6 approaches and 25-30 repetitions in each approach. Rest between sets should not exceed 1 - 1.5 minutes. Compliance with the exercise technique and rest time between approaches is one of the key points of successful training.

Make sure your movements are calm and measured. Breathing should be even, without stopping.

Avoid arching your lower back

Do not bend your knees under any circumstances: point them directly at the ceiling. To do this, you can imagine that there are glasses of water on your kneecaps.

Options for pelvic lifts while lying on your back:

1. Execution option - bridge legs together

2. Weighted pelvic lift.
This makes the exercise more difficult, but increases efficiency and improves the impact on the buttocks. If you are using a barbell or dumbbell as additional weight, place it directly on your hips and hold it with both hands.

Video tip:

3. Shoulder bridge with straight leg

You can perform this exercise with one leg fully straightened, which will make the exercise more challenging.
Initial position: lying on your back, legs bent, heels firmly on the floor, arms along the body.
Using your shoulder blades and heels, lift your buttocks so that your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
On the exhale begin to lift your right leg towards your head (straightening it). The left leg stands firmly on the floor. Do not roll onto your left side: the balance of the body should not be disturbed. Then slowly lower your leg. Repeat the movements 3-5 times with your right leg, and then change legs and do the same with your left leg.

You can complicate this exercise by moving your straight leg up perpendicular to the floor. Then try to pull your leg towards your chest

Don't forget to change legs and do the same movements.

4. Shoulder bridge with bench
You can also perform a pelvic lift by placing your feet on a bench or any other low surface.

Lying on the floor, hands pressed with palms to the floor. The arms are extended along the body. Place your feet on the bench. Hips in vertical position:

Inhale and lift your buttocks off the floor

Hold this position for two seconds and then lower yourself without touching the floor with your buttocks;

At the end of the movement, exhale.

This exercise develops the gluteus maximus muscles and mainly the ischial-popliteal muscles, which are used to a much greater extent when lifting the pelvis from the floor.

The exercise is performed slowly, since the most important thing is to feel obvious muscle tension. Good results can be achieved by performing this exercise in several approaches with 10-15 repetitions.

Another option is to place your calves on the bench while lifting your pelvis. In this position, the ischial-popliteal muscles and the tense calf muscles are more intensively involved.

5. Raising the pelvis on a fitball
The shoulder bridge can also be performed on a fitball.

1. Lie down on the floor next to the fitball. Place your shins on top of the ball and place your arms at your sides, palms down. This will be your starting position.
2. Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips up. Bend your knees and roll the ball towards you until your feet are on the ball.
3. After a short pause, straighten your legs and roll the ball back, then lower your hips to the floor to the starting position.
4. Do the required number of repetitions of the exercise

6. Lifting into a shoulder bridge on one leg

And a more “advanced” version of the exercise:

Lie on your back on the floor.
Bend the knee of your right leg and place your foot on the floor. Leave your left leg straight.
Stretch your arms to the sides at an angle of 45 degrees. Revealed The backs of the palms are on the floor.
Raise your left leg up so that the knees of both legs are at the same level and both thighs are parallel to each other.

Pull your abdominal muscles towards your chest, squeeze your buttocks as much as possible and lift them off the floor.
Your shoulders - pelvis - knees - left foot - should create a single straight line.

Hold this position for 5-7 seconds without holding your breath.
Gently lower your buttocks to the floor.
Tighten your abs again, squeeze your buttocks, and lift them off the floor again.
Repeat the exercise with raising your left leg 5-10 times.

Change the position of your legs.
Do the same exercise on your right leg the same number of times as you just did on your left.

PS. Wondering what workout Christina Aguilera uses to tone her butt muscles? Despite the fact that she has always been petite, periods of cravings for unhealthy food force her to seriously start working on problem areas. These exercises were developed by Aguilera's personal trainer, who worked with her on her body for a long time.

Shoulder bridge
Starting position: lying on the floor, legs bent at the knees, feet on the floor, arms along the body. Inhale, as you exhale, squeeze your buttocks and press your lower back to the floor. Keeping your gluteal muscles tight, squeeze and tuck your pelvis, pointing your tailbone toward your stomach and up. Slowly lift off the floor vertebra by vertebra, resting on your heels and shoulder blades. When you rise completely, take a deep breath, and as you exhale, begin to lower yourself slowly to the floor. The gluteal and abdominal muscles are tense.

Tricks
Aguilera's trainer advises: Determine the number of repetitions of the exercise you are going to do (for example, 10) and count down. This way you will deceive the body and add endurance to yourself to complete the exercise completely.

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Position: basic

Difficulty level: 2-4

Target muscles:

hip extensors – gluteus maximus, biceps femoris

Additional position stabilizers:

spinal extensors– erector spinae muscles

Start of development: hold the position continuously for 15 seconds.

Anatomy of position

Performing the exercise

The learning is discussed in detail in the video below.

Basic moments

lie on your back, bend your knees, place your feet as close to your buttocks as possible, feet hip-width apart, parallel to each other
As you inhale, lift your hips up and enter the shoulder bridge.
keep your back as straight as possible (avoid arching in the lower back)
head, shoulders and feet pressed firmly to the floor
When moving upward, we do not bring our knees together, they look clearly at the ceiling (sinking of the knees inward indicates weak adductor muscles, in this case it is recommended to hold a ball of suitable size between the knees)
as you exhale, lower yourself to the floor
to enhance the effectiveness of the exercise, at the top point we linger for 2-3 seconds and strain our buttocks as much as possible
For additional complication, when lowering the pelvis down, we do not lie down on the floor with our buttocks, but only lightly touch them. This allows you to increase the load on the target muscles.

Additional comments

"shoulder bridge" is the least traumatic position compared to other exercises for the buttocks
with weak target muscles, this position is often performed using the strength of the hips
When performing the exercise, we make sure that the movements remain calm and measured, and the breathing is even, without delays.
If the back of your thigh muscles cramp during an exercise, it means you have weak gluteal muscles (cramps occur because the back of your thigh muscles are forced to take on the load that the gluteal muscles must handle)

do the exercise once a day, timing the time, start with 15 seconds
If the previous point is easy, it’s time to move on to the number of repetitions. Lifting the pelvis up, holding there for 2-3 seconds and lowering the pelvis down is one repetition. Start with 8-10 repetitions and gradually work your way up to 15-18. The number of approaches is 2-3.
If the previous points have been mastered, proceed to further complicate the situation.

doing 3 sets of 20 times – excellent
doing 2 sets of 20 times is good
holding the position for 1 minute is normal (it’s time to get more complicated)
holding for less than a minute is satisfactory
holding for less than 15-20 seconds is bad

Below are complication options.

Shoulder bridge with one leg support

1. Straighten one leg, resting on your shoulder blades and foot, lift your hips so that your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.

2. As you exhale, raise your leg up perpendicular to the floor, and as you exhale, lower your leg to the starting position. Repeat 15-18 times on one side, changing legs (however, you can change legs each time).

Make sure that your body does not move anywhere while balancing on one leg. To test yourself, place your foot on the floor and adjust your position.

Shoulder bridge with support

Place your feet on a bench or any other low surface. Repeat all previous points and complications.

This position engages the ischial-popliteal muscles to a greater extent compared to previous options.

Shoulder bridge on fitball
The stabilizers of the spine and legs are included in the work as much as possible. This is a very intense position.

Unfortunately, not every girl, including those who play sports on a regular basis, can boast of toned and elastic buttocks. There are representatives of the fair sex who do not need to make any special efforts due to good heredity, but there are very few such lucky women. This means that in order to correct their shape, most people need to include a special exercise called the gluteal bridge into their usual training program.

Thanks to the gluteal bridge, not only the shape and size changes, but also the strength of the gluteal muscles. And if you include it in your regular training, you can not only achieve an increase of up to as much as 50 percent, but also open up many opportunities for yourself in terms of further development of your results in sports. The disadvantage that girls who have achieved the coveted buttock enlargement will have to face is the problem of finding jeans whose size matches the acquired silhouette.

What result does the exercise give?

A glute bridge is a lift of the buttocks that is performed from a lying position. You should not prepare yourself in advance for the fact that due to the presence of the word “bridge”, this exercise requires excessive flexibility and plasticity. This is wrong. It is quite simple and easy, and can be done at any level of athletic training.

Achieving the effect is possible only with regular implementation. The result is different for everyone, but for some, the gluteal muscles “grow” by 50% in a few months. Your own physiological data and what goal you are setting will certainly play a role.

The frequency of inclusion of exercises in classes for both sports and aesthetic purposes ranges from two to four times within one week. The quantity is directly determined by how quickly they want to get the result.

Features of the gluteal bridge

The gluteal bridge differs from the standard pelvic lift, performed from a lying position, in the location of the shoulders. When the shoulder joint is on a bench, box or any other small elevation, these are classic pelvic lifts. If your shoulders are pressed to the floor while lifting, you get a gluteal bridge.

This exercise should not be regarded solely from the point of view of aesthetic correction of the shape and size of the buttocks. It brings much more benefits, which are as follows:

distribution and receipt of correct and uniform load on the lumbar region;
the development of strength and endurance of the gluteal muscles affects walking and running, which begin to be much easier;
Being part of the center, since the muscles of the buttocks are located precisely in the middle of the body and are partially responsible for motor functions, they need training and development in order to strengthen the lower back, stabilize the muscles of the central part and prevent the occurrence of back pain.

Considering all of the above, performing a gluteal bridge should not only give the “fifth point” a beautiful shape and roundness, but also to improve athletic performance, as well as the health of the lumbar region.

How is the glute bridge different from other exercises?

The gluteal muscle is the largest group in the human body, consisting of small, medium, large muscles. Their functions, according to Stuart McGill in an interview with Strength and Conditioning Journal, are directly related to the pelvis in terms of biomechanical and anatomical effects, which makes this muscle group the main force generator.

From this characteristic of the gluteal muscles it follows that any extension carried out in the hip joint is a movement that involves a large force, required in many sports disciplines. Without it, it is impossible to swing a baseball bat, perform gymnastic and athletics movements, hit a ball, throw a basketball and jump. Each such movement requires hip extension at the hip joints.

Well-trained buttocks are important for powerlifters, crossfitters, and weightlifters and allow them to develop core strength and achieve the desired aesthetic component in various sports, for example, in bodybuilding. And the stronger the gluteal muscles become, the better the results in sports, as well as health.

Why is the glute bridge the ideal exercise for increasing size and strength in the gluteal muscles?

When performing the gluteal bridge, the buttocks are directly involved, and not as secondary auxiliary ones, which is typical for most other exercises.

Both deadlifts and squats fall into this category. Both of these exercises, like many complex exercises, involve the gluteal muscles as assistants, and not as the main workers. The muscles in the back of the thigh and quadriceps receive the greatest load, and the hip extensors are not used to the maximum. Therefore, these exercises are performed to strengthen the leg muscles, and the gluteal muscles are worked to a lesser extent.

This does not mean that you need to exclude deadlifts and squats from your workout. It is only necessary for the balance of development to include the gluteal bridge in the usual complex. It can be performed not only with your own weight, but also with the use of additional load.

The benefits of a glute bridge include not only getting beautiful and toned buttocks, but also “awakening” power that was not even suspected before. The result is an overall improvement in physical performance, higher jumps and faster running.

Variations of the gluteal bridge

There are several options for performing the gluteal bridge, which allows you to diversify the training process, increase the complexity of the implementation, and not get tired of constantly repeating the same “bridge.”

Those who are shy or think that they will be looked at askance can do it at home, as long as they do not have to use additional weights. This is especially true for men.

Bodyweight glute bridge

To do a glute bridge, you need to lie with your back on the floor, put your arms at your sides, and bend your knees so that both feet, shoulder-width apart, are firmly on the floor. The back should be in a neutral position.

Raising the pelvis is carried out with the entire emphasis placed on the heels. When lifting, you need to rest your heels as much as possible on the floor surface and squeeze your buttocks. You can stop while moving upward only after a bridge has formed, when the body from the knees to the shoulders does not form one line. You should stay at this point for a couple of seconds, continuing to squeeze your buttocks.

You must descend slowly and carefully. When planning to do another approach, you cannot relax your muscles. To achieve a truly significant effect in a shorter period of time, make sure that the amplitude of the movement remains the same and does not decrease with each new approach. In total, you need to try to make at least three “bridges”, giving all your best to failure.

Glute bridge with barbell

You can lift the barbell not only from the chest, but also by lifting the pelvis. Of course, such a performance requires appropriate preparation, since the maximum load is taken. Women involved in bodybuilding are recommended to take 113, and men - up to 182 kilograms. Such heaviness instantly deprives the gluteal bridge of its “for the weak” status.

If the level of training does not allow lifting such a weight, and the weights are less than 60 kilograms, then the barbell is used with an Olympic bar. It has a wide girth, but weighs 10 or 15 kilograms. Olympic-style discs require a high lift. Otherwise, it will be difficult to place the barbell comfortably on your hips.

The projectile must be placed closer to the perineal area. A pad or towel, which is used when doing squats with a barbell and other similar exercises, can help relieve excess tension. Thanks to this, there will be no marks left on the skin. Both shoulders and shoulder blades should be pressed against the bench, with emphasis placed on the heels when lifting.

Correct execution is indicated by the placement of the knee joints, hips and shoulder girdle on the same straight line. As with a regular bridge, at the top point they linger for two seconds, keeping the gluteal muscles squeezed. While lowering the bar, make sure it does not touch the floor until the second repetition begins. In total, it is recommended to do at least 3 approaches with 10-12 pelvic lifts in each.

Glute bridge with one leg raise

It is performed with a shock absorber or barbell, and without weighting. If a barbell is used, the apparatus is lightened.

To take the starting position, lie on the floor, bend your knees, and rest your feet on the floor. The leg is raised up, the knee is pushed closer to the chest.

They make a bridge by pushing off the floor, while the toe may come off. The thigh should stretch and the pelvis should rise. When lowering, you need to completely relax, and only then do the repetition.

If some aspects of the execution technique are not entirely clear, it is better to watch the video and only then start performing it. A visual aid will allow you to do the gluteal bridge without mistakes.

There is another variation of this exercise called the reverse glute bridge, performed on an elevated platform. It requires the use of a bench or other support. A shock absorber can be used here.

Take the starting position, but only the feet are placed on the bench, and the pelvis is close to the hill. As they rise, they move closer to the bench, and raise their right leg diagonally.

All emphasis is placed on the left heel. The right leg should be raised so that a diagonal line passes through the thigh, that is, from the ankle to the shoulder. Hold the top point for a couple of seconds, when lowering, do not touch the floor, but immediately do a repetition, the number of which should be maximum.

To achieve balanced development, the glute bridge must be an integral part of the training process. It, like squats, must be done in various variations.

Variety can be achieved by periodically lifting heavy weights or increasing the number of repetitions, as well as using shock absorbers. The variability of the exercise allows you not to get tired of the same monotonous performance of the gluteal bridge, resulting in beautiful and strong buttocks.

Summarizing

Immediately after starting to perform the gluteal bridge, you can notice an improvement not only in terms of changes in size and acquisition of a more attractive shape by the buttocks, but also in terms of general well-being. Jogging, simple and sports walking will become much more productive, and the exercises themselves will no longer bring difficulties, if there were any before.

Don't underestimate this exercise. It is, of course, aimed at improving the appearance of the buttocks, but it brings much greater benefits. The power of the blow and the height of the jump depend on the development and strength of this muscle group. And in order to achieve good results in any discipline that requires extension in the hip joint, the gluteal bridge cannot be neglected.

It should be done not only by women involved in professional or amateur sports, but also by men, using weights.