You need no equipment, a little bit space, and motivation. You can do this exercise on its own or you can either do it before or after your workout. The exercise does not only give a stimulus to the muscles that can improve muscle strength or size, it can also improve mobility and coordination.
The Glute Bridge
The exercise is simple and effective. The picture describes the beginning position (top) of the exercise, and the working position (bottom). You are on your back with your feet on the foot and your knees in a 90 degree angle. At this point, you elevate your hip to create a straight line with your body. Try it and feel how your hamstrings, your glutes, and your hamstrings contract.
This is an exercise for everybody. You can perform it as a professional athlete, advanced, intermediate, or beginner. You can differ the stimulus to your personal behalf.
For Beginners, try to hold this position as long as possible. Depending on your level it can be from one minute to 5 minutes. If that is too easy for you, lift one leg so you have an elongated line of your body. Now try to hold this position for as long as possible.
For Intermediates, try to move the leg that is in the air from top to bottom and from inside to outside. That is when you create the additional mobility of your hip.
For Advanced, you can perform the exercise with a rubber band around your knees to add a resistance that you have to overcome. With the resistance band perform the same movements as the intermediate.
If you are able to perform the advanced version of the exercise you can add weight to the movement, Also you can perform is explosively. This is what trainers make their athletes do to improve their posterior chain as much as possible.
For Athletes, perform a explosive variation of the exercise. Start in the beginning position, lift your hip and lift one leg and bend it in the air. Drop your hips slowly and explode back up. Try to elevate your hip as much as possible. Perform the weighted variation of the exercise with a barbell on, placed where the abdomen (belly) reaches the hip (Right over the bony bumps of your hip). From the beginning position, lift the hip to create a straight line with your body, Descend slowly and repeat the process.
All the variations of the exercises are risk free when it comes to injuries. You are working in a closed chain. That means your beginning and end of your body gives force into the ground. No force is lost somewhere n the air. If you perform the exercise with weight, do not over-exaggerate it though.
I love the exercise because it is for everybody and you can change the level to make it challenging.
I hope you also learn to love this exercise when you implement it to your routine. I also hope this post was helpful
Thank you for Reading 🙂
E
K.I.R.E. Fitness 