15 Glute Bridge Variations for Stronger Glutes

Progress your glute training and strength results by using these glute bridge variations in your workouts. These glute bridges target all of the glutes in some way but primarily focus on hip extension.

As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, I use these variations in every one of my home workout programs to get the best results for my clients. Glute training helps reduce back pain, scale down knee pain, and improve posture.

Two images of a woman performing a glute bridge and text above the image.

These glute bridge variations are a great way to support your lower back, pelvis, and core. Since the glutes are one of the largest muscles in the body, learning to engage the glutes is crucial to getting stronger.

And since the glute responds well to variety (it's how you grow glutes), using these bridges is a great way to keep challenging them. Make sure to use some glute stretches once in a while too.

A quick reminder that the exercise variations can be tweaked even further by adding dumbbells or a mini band to them to make them harder.

Pink square with text on it about glute workouts.

The Glute Bridge Variations

Below is a quick video of all the glute bridge variations and then after that is a mini breakdown of each one. Each bridge is unique in where it places it's focus and the best thing you can do for your training is to use a variety in your programs. This is what I do in my signature SMASH Workout program and the results are amazing.

1. Single Leg Glute Bridge

A classic glute bridge but done unilaterally for a bigger challenge.

Lying on your back, bend your knees and bring your heels close to your bum feet flat on the floor. Raise the left leg.
Push through your heel of the right leg and lift your hips by squeezing the glutes. Do not excessively arch the lower back.
Pause at the top briefly with a maximum glute squeeze before releasing the tension and bringing the hips back to the starting position.

2. Glute Bridge With Pause

Making use of paused reps is a great way to develop strength.

Lying on your back, bend your knees and bring your heels close to your bum. Feet shoulder-width apart roughly.
Push through your heels and lift your hips by squeezing the glutes. Do not excessively arch the lower back.
Pause at the top for three seconds with a maximum glute squeeze before releasing the tension and bringing the hips back to the starting position.

Woman in blue shirt and black pants performing a glute bridge on the floor two different ways, both with knees bent

3. Knee Banded Bridges

They're small but mighty, adding a mini band around your knees will kickstart new support muscles like the gluteus minimus.

Lying on your back, place a mini band around your legs either above or below the knees. Then, bend your knees and bring your heels close to your bum. Feet shoulder-width apart roughly.
Push through your heels and lift your hips by squeezing the glutes as you do, drive your knees out against the band.
Pause at the top for three seconds with a maximum glute squeeze before releasing the tension and bringing the hips back to the starting position.

Woman in bright pants and black shirt performing a glute bridge with resistance bands

4. Feet Banded Bridges

For this glute bridge variation, the band is looped around the hips and hooked onto the feet so that maximum extension is targeted. You can see a visual of this in the image above noticing the black band.

5. Double Banded Glute Bridges

Adding both a mini band and a strength band adds extra tension to the outer glutes but also the extension and is a great way to develop the glutes.

6. Single Leg Glute Bridge With Pause

Paused reps are the way to train if you're looking for pure strength and control. So, add a 3 second pause to the top of your bridge.

Lying on your back, bend your knees and bring your heels close to your bum feet flat on the floor. Raise the left leg.
Push through the heel of the right leg and lift your hips by squeezing the glutes. Do not excessively arch the lower back. Hold this high position for 3 full seconds.
Releasing the tension and bringing the hips back to the starting position.

7. Glute Walkout

Harder than you think, these walks require a lot of stability and control while the glutes are being worked. Know that you will notice a lot of hamstrings in this one as well as your heels move further away from your bum.

Set up in bridge position with the heels under your knees and squeeze the glutes to lift the hips.
At the top, step by step walk the feet away from your bum while keeping the hips up.
Get as far as you can without feeling it in your low back, then slowly walk the feet back in.

8. Dumbbell Bridge With Pause

To get the biggest bang for your buck here, go as heavy as you can with a dumbbell on your hips.

Lying on your back, bend your knees and bring your heels close to your bum. Feet shoulder width apart roughly. Place the dumbbell on your hips.
Push through your heels and lift your hips by squeezing the glutes. Do not excessively arch the lower back.
Pause at the top for 3 full seconds with a maximum glute squeeze before releasing the tension and bring the hips back to the starting position.

9. Glute March

Another one that requires a ton of stability which makes it a great one for hitting the smaller muscle groups.

Set up in bridge position with the heels under your knees and squeeze the glutes to lift the hips.
At the top, one by one lift each leg while keeping the hips high and squared to the ceiling.

Two images of a woman in maroon shirt and black pants performing a glute march with text about pointers

10. Feet Elevated Glute Bridge

Adding in a greater range of motion means more glute growth!

Using a bench, yoga blocks or stairs, lie on your back, bend your knees and bring your heels close to your bum on the elevated surface.
Push through your heels and lift your hips by squeezing the glutes. Do not excessively arch the lower back.
Pause at the top for maximum glute squeeze before releasing the tension and bringing the hips back towards the floor.

Two images of a woman in maroon shirt and black pants performing a bench glute bridge with text about how to

11. Feet Elevated Glute March

Having to press into something isometrically while moving the other limb is a game changer in challenge!

Lay with your back on the ground and feet planted on a wall. Knees bent. Lift the hips up into extension as if you were performing an elevated glute bridge.
Keeo the glutes engaged, the hips squared and high as you raise the left foot and then the right foot (as if you're marching).

Two images of a woman in maroon shirt and black pants performing a glute wall march with text about pointers

12. Paused Elevated Bridges

Target a greater range of motion while giving yourself a huge pause at the top to streamline strength!

Using a bench, yoga blocks or stairs, lie on your back, bend your knees and bring your heels close to your bum on the elevated surface.
Push through your heels and lift your hips by squeezing the glutes. Do not excessively arch the lower back.
Pause at the top for at least 3 seconds of a maximum glute squeeze before releasing the tension and bringing the hips back towards the floor.

13. Single Leg Elevated Bridge

A unilateral exercise that gives your glutes a bigger range of motion which means more muscle burn.

Using a bench, yoga blocks or stairs, lie on your back, bend your knees and place on heel onto the bench with the other leg in the air.
Push through your heel and lift your hips by squeezing the glutes. Do not excessively arch the lower back or let the leg cave inward.
Pause briefly and return your bum toward the floor before repeating the exercise.

14. Barbell Glute Bridge

One of the best glute exercises you can do, the barbell glute bridges loads up your horizontal lockout in a way that develops pure strength.

Lying on your back with your legs straight and slowly roll the barbell over your legs into your hips.
Snuggle your feet in close to your bum and hold the barbell with your hands.
Push through your heels and lift your hips by squeezing the glutes. Do not excessively arch the lower back.
Pause at the top with a maximum glute squeeze before releasing the tension and bringing the hips back to the starting position.

15. Isometric Glute Bridge

Creating tension and holding a contraction is an underrated tool when it comes to getting strong. You'll feel your gluteus maximus fire up on this one.

Get into your glute bridge position with your heels close to your bum.
Push up through the feet, squeeze the glutes, and get as high as possible without arching the back.
Hold for 30 seconds or as long as you can while maintaining maximum engagement.

Bonus: The Hip Thrust

Often called a "bench glute bridge" the hip thrust mimics the exact motion of a glute bridge but with a bigger range for the hips. It is the KING of all exercises and like the glute bridge has a lot of ways to vary it. you'd do well to pop it into your training routine.

Two side by side images of a woman in a pink shirt and black pants performing a hip thrust on a bench

Other Glute Training Resources

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Frequently Asked Questions About Glute Training

What helps your glutes grow?

Growing glutes is a combination of a strategic training program with the best glute exercises, making sure to train the glutes through a variety of repetitions and loads, and eating enough food to stimulate growth.

How often should I train lower glutes?

The glutes respond well to variety. This means that because you're not going heavy in every glute workout, you can train lower glutes multiple times per week. A good place to start it working gluteus maximus exercises into four workout days per week.

Do resistance band exercises grow glutes?

Mini band glute exercises are wonderful for growing glutes so long as the exercises are progressive (continually getting harder). The mini band offers a bit of tension to the glute muscles in the hardest part of an exercise which is a great way to grow the glutes and improve glute strength.