Elevated Single Leg Bridge

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Lie on your back with one heel placed firmly on the center of a step or bench.
2. Extend the opposite leg straight up toward the ceiling or bend it slightly toward your chest.
3. Position your hips close enough to the step so your working knee is at a 90-degree angle.
4. Place your arms flat on the floor by your sides with palms down for stability.

How to do it

1. Exhale and drive through the heel on the step, lifting your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulder to your knee.
2. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement and hold for one second, ensuring your hips stay level.
3. Inhale as you slowly lower your hips back toward the floor with a controlled 2-second eccentric phase.
4. Stop just before your glutes touch the ground to maintain constant tension on the working muscles.

Form checklist

• Keep your hips square to the ceiling; do not let the hip of the non-working leg dip.
• Drive through the heel of the elevated foot, not the toes, to maximize posterior chain activation.
• Maintain a neutral spine by engaging your abs and avoiding excessive arching in the lower back.
• Ensure the non-working leg remains still and does not use momentum to help lift the hips.

Pro tips

• Focus on a posterior pelvic tilt (tucking your tailbone) at the top of the bridge to maximize glute fiber recruitment.
• Press your triceps and palms into the floor to create total-body tension and improve stability during the lift.

Make it harder

• Place a dumbbell or weight plate across your hips to increase the resistance.
• Slow down the tempo to a 4-second descent to increase time under tension for the hamstrings.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the elevated single leg bridge work?

The elevated single leg bridge primarily targets the glutes and hamstrings, and also works the erector spinae and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the elevated single leg bridge?

The elevated single leg bridge requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the elevated single leg bridge good for beginners?

The elevated single leg bridge is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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