The barbell glute bridge exercise is considered by far the best glute exercise. It gives phenomenal results and helps you build your leg muscles very fast. Besides being a healthy exercise for your glutes and hamstrings, it gives your legs a great appearance. This article looks into the various variations of the barbell glute bridge exercise as well as their benefits to your leg muscles. It compares glute bridge exercise to hip thrust to assess their similarities and differences.
It aims at educating you on the value of additional exercise that is the glute bridge workout. As you read on, you will gain insight on how to do these exercises correctly and like a pro. To achieve the best results, you need to follow the tips accurately.
Barbell Glute Bridge vs. Hip Thrust
If you are not very familiar with these two exercises, they may appear the same to you. However, there are very subtle differences in the technique that goes into each workout. The barbell glute bridge and hip thrust exercises are similar in that they both work and strengthen your gluteal muscles.
Each of these two exercises requires you to squeeze your glutes and thrust your hips toward the ceiling. They exercise your gluteal muscles, core, hamstrings, hip flexors, obliques, lower back, and abdominals. Unlike the hip thrust, which is mainly a strength training workout, the Glute Bridge is considered more of a bodyweight move. Regardless, you can include weights in your glute bridge exercise.
The barbell glute bridge exercise incorporates the barbell. To do this exercise, lie on the floor with your face to the ceiling, your knees bent, and your feet flat on the floor. Your hands should be stretched along your body with palms down. Place a glute bridge barbell on your hips and hold on to it with your hands for stability.
Thrust your hips off the floor while clutching your glutes and core until you align your shoulders, hips, and knees. Hold this position for three seconds before lowering back down and start again. In a barbell hip thrust exercise, you will sit down with your knees and feet stretched out on the floor. Then you will rest your shoulder blades on a bench.
Place some weights on your hips, then squeeze your glutes and core as you lift your hips to align your back with the floor. Hold the position for three seconds before lowering back down and string again.
Glute Bridge with Barbell on Bench
There are three steps to this exercise. These include:
Step 1: Start with your shoulder blades pressed against the edge of the bench.
Step 2: Place a barbell on your hips before lowering them toward the floor.
Step 3: Use your heels to thrust your hips upward. As you reach the top, fully contract your glutes and hamstrings. Repeat these steps ten times.
To effectively complete the barbell glute bridge on bench exercise you need the basic equipment. These include a bench, barbell, and a weighted bar. This exercise is great for strength training. It engages your gluteal muscles and hamstrings. As such, it is a great way for you to build muscles in your legs.
Barbell Glute Bridge Alternative
While there are many alternatives for the barbell glute bridge, the barbell hip thrust is not one. Although there are major similarities between these two exercises, there are also some significant differences. As such, they cannot be done interchangeably.
Another good alternative to the barbell glute bridge exercise is the barbell deadlift. Both of these exercises engage the same muscles and work on the same body parts. The barbell deadlift, the same as the barbell glute bridge, is extremely challenging.
However, if done correctly both of these exercises work on your buttocks, lower back, legs, and lower body. They are great for conditioning your body, muscle building, and strength training. As strength training exercises, they are both popular for working your glutes, hamstrings, and spinal erectors.
Target Muscles of the Barbell Glute Bridge
The barbell glute bridge, like squats, target your glutes and the back of your legs. It especially engages your gluteus maximus and hamstrings. As a non-isolation exercise, the barbell glute bridge engages and trains a wider group of muscles. These include your core, lower back, spinal erectors, buttocks, and abdominals.
The barbell glute bridge gives you stronger abdominal muscles. In turn, these muscles protect your lower back from arching when thrusting your pelvis. This exercise is also known for its benefits to your calf muscles. While exercise is great for improved health, it is best when combined with a great diet. If you are looking to build muscles, it is important to know that they are mostly made of protein.
As such, it is vital that you provide them with enough protein after your workout. The best source of protein in this case is a protein shake.
Barbell Glute Bridge vs. Hip Thrust on Machine
It is ideal to use the Smith machine for both the barbell glute bridge and hip thrust exercises. It gives your body a full range of motion. Also, unlike when doing the traditional hip thrust or barbell glute bridge, you don’t need to stabilize the weights when using the Smith machine.
As such, you can focus all that weight on your gluteal muscles to give them a complete workout. When using the Smith machine make sure that the bench you are using is of solid weight. Besides, you need to be as comfortable as possible so that you can focus all your energy on the workout.
So rest the bar of the Smith machine comfortably on your legs near your hips. Barbell Glute Bridge Best Leg Exercise The gluteal muscles, which include the maximus, minimus, and medius, are vital for movement and hip flexibility.
The Barbell Glute Bridge is considered the Best Leg Exercise because it works all of these muscles. If you do this exercise correctly you should experience a significant sting on your gluteal muscles and hamstrings. Besides giving you better hip flexibility, the Barbell Glute Bridge exercise strengthens your lower back.
Glute Bridge Exercise
There are several variations to the glute bridge exercise. These include:
Med Ball Glute Bridge
Get a gym mat for this exercise. Lift your feet by stepping on a medicine ball. Engage your core as you stretch out through your heels.
Maintain the position for 2-3 seconds while simultaneously squeezing your glutes. Using a slow motion lower back to the original position.
Do not allow your glutes to touch the floor. Repeat the exercise up to 20 times.
Glute Bridge And Curl
Place a towel underneath your feet. Get on the regular bridge position. Slowly slide out your feet and bring them back in at the same pace. Ensure to maintain your hips in an elevated position throughout. It is a tough exercise, but very effective for building your leg muscles.
Glute Bridge March
Get in the elevated position of a normal glute bridge. Then slowly move one leg up in the direction of your chest in an elevated-knee marching position. Lower the leg and do the same with your other leg. Keep alternating your legs until you complete a total of 40 marches.
Barbell Glute Bridge Smith Machine
The Smith machine glute bridge exercise is very effective. It is ideal for working your gluteal muscles. To complete the exercise like a professional, set the smith machine barbell weight at the bottom of the machine. Place yourself in the glute bridge position then pull the bar to the center, just above your hips.
Stretch your hips to un-rack the bar then elevate them slowly until you can’t thrust any higher without stretching out your lower back. Pause in this position for about 2 seconds then lower your hips slowly to the floor. You can do 3-4 sets of 10-30 reps each. It all depends on your resistance.
Barbell Glute Bridge Reps and Sets
The barbell glute bridge is an intense exercise, but when done correctly it provides numerous benefits. To do this exercise like a pro, place the barbell slightly above your pubis. Have a bar pad in place as a safety measure. With your chin tucked, level out your lower back on the floor. Start by elevating your toes away from the floor while using your heels to push yourself upward. This movement maximizes your glute activation.
As a beginner, do the barbell workout for beginners. It contains 3 sets of 20 reps. Start out with a light load or even just your body weight. As you advance, you can incorporate heavier loads and complete 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
Conclusion
The glute bridge exercise is described in depth in the above paragraphs. We have established the benefits of this exercise. It is an excellent way to activate your gluteal muscles. Especially so if you work in an office environment and spend most of your hours seated.
We have listed several variations of the glute bridge exercise. Just pick the one you feel most comfortable with and stick to it. Otherwise, you can incorporate different variations into different workout sessions.
Here’s an extra one that you may like. The single leg glute bridge: Lie down face up with your knees bent. Raise one leg and stretch it straight out. Brace yourself and use the foot on the floor to push your hips to align with your shoulders and the toes of the stretched leg.
Slowly lower back down and repeat the exercise on the same side. Do 10 reps for each side.