I’m a runner, and like many runners, I don’t take full advantage of the largest and strongest muscle in the body: the gluteus maximus. I’m equally certain that the other gluteus muscles, the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus, are similarly underused when running, and even when standing or walking.
I also don’t pay much attention to my glutes when I hit the gym, aside from a few sporadic squats at the end of a session. I try to avoid being in front of a mirror when I do them. There is so much indignity that a man can bear.
So, to increase the stock of human knowledge, and because my editor told me to, I decided to do 50 glute bridges every day for a week. I wanted to show off those muscles that I still care about and wondered if the focused exercise would have any effect on my running form.
Looking for more exercise inspiration? This is what happened when I did side planks every day for a week..
What are the benefits of strong glutes?
The glutes are responsible for moving the hip joint, rotating the legs in and out, and stabilizing the pelvis when we walk, run, or balance on one leg. They are also crucial for good posture and stability.
Studies have shown that the gluteus maximus is prone to weakness, which contributes to chronic pain and numerous types of injuries (opens in a new tab). Runners should work on glute strength as it can help reduce, for example, the incidence of common injuries like runner’s knee and leg cramps. Strong glutes can also improve running performance. In fact, if you practice any sport that involves jumping and acceleration, you should work on the strength of the glutes. Finally, The glutes are crucial for balance. (opens in a new tab)and this becomes more and more important as we age.
How to do a glute bridge
The glute bridge is a relatively simple exercise to perform. I suggest you use one of the best yoga mats or do it on a soft surface. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Place your hands on the floor at your sides. You are in the correct position if you can touch the back of your ankle with the tips of your fingers. Don’t tuck your chin into your chest. You should look up.
Press your lower back into the mat, which means you’ll need to engage your core. Squeeze your glutes, press your heels into the mat, and lift your hips in a smooth, controlled manner until you have a straight line from your knees to your hips and chest. Resist the urge to arch your lower back at the top of the exercise. At this point, your knees should be directly over your feet. Hold for a second or two, then lower yourself in the same controlled manner, briefly allowing your lower back to touch the mat. That is a repetition.
If you have back problems, seek the advice of a medical professional before beginning this exercise.
Here’s more about how to do a glute bridge and the different modifications to try.
I Did Glute Bridges Every Day For A Week – Here’s What Happened
Although easy to do, this is also an easy move to get wrong, so take your time. As I quickly learned, you need to focus on squeezing your glutes. It is not enough to raise and lower the hips. That was my experience the first day. I knew something wasn’t quite right, as I felt like the exercise worked my hamstrings more than my glutes. It’s true that the glute bridge works the big leg muscles a bit, but that’s not the focus of the movement.
I thought it would be easy to hit 50 reps on day one, but I was wrong. After 30 or so my glutes were starting to burn and the temptation was to speed up and take a shortcut by not going all the way down to the mat, but I kept my form and focus. I got to 50 and when I stood up it felt like I had climbed several flights of stairs.
On day two and three I hit 50 with no real problems, so on day four I decided to lift my arms up to make it more difficult to move. I didn’t feel like it was harder to stay in shape, but I did notice a slight burn on my inner thighs, which I imagine was caused by having to work harder to stay stable. And I felt like my core had gotten a little bit of a workout too.
On day five, I tried single leg glute bridges. This was a revelation. By definition, concentrating on one side of the glutes is a much more targeted movement, but I was surprised by the effort required. I started by lifting my hips and then lifting my right leg. Don’t worry about straightening your leg, as this isn’t crucial to the effectiveness of the movement.
That said, I was disappointed in the strain on my right hamstring. It just wouldn’t straighten up. I completed 25 bridge raises, but slowed down considerably on the last few, and felt the burn in my left quad and core, as well as my left glutes. I found the movement a bit easier on the other side (perhaps helped by the fact that my left hamstring isn’t as tight).
I was impressed with the amount of work this version of the move required, so I persisted through days six and seven. I did the exercise before a run on both days and found it easier than usual to get into a reasonable pace, presumably because my glutes were already active and didn’t need to be woken from sleep.
In general life, I found that I was more aware of my posture when sitting and standing, as much as when I was standing. I did side planks for a week.. Not slouching is surprisingly satisfying.
If you’re new to glute bridges, start with the normal movement, but if you’re in reasonable shape and already have some experience with glute bridges, I recommend trying the single-leg variety. You’ll be surprised how much harder it is to hit the target while maintaining form. It really works. I don’t see myself incorporating movement into my daily training schedule, but I will definitely do it more often. I mean, who wants to be a bum?
