Weighted Kettlebell Glute Single Leg Bridge from Bench

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Sit on the floor with your shoulder blades resting firmly against the long side of a flat bench.
2. Place a kettlebell in the hip crease of your working leg, holding the handle and body of the bell securely with both hands.
3. Plant the foot of your working leg on the floor so your shin is vertical at the top of the movement, and lift the non-working leg off the ground.
4. Engage your core and tuck your chin slightly toward your chest before starting the lift.

How to do it

1. Drive through the heel of your planted foot to extend your hips upward until your torso is parallel to the floor.
2. Exhale at the top of the movement, squeezing your glute forcefully for a one-second pause.
3. Inhale as you slowly lower your hips back toward the floor, maintaining tension in the glutes and stopping just before touching the ground.
4. Maintain a controlled tempo, focusing on a 2-second lowering phase and a powerful 1-second ascent.

Form checklist

• Keep your chin tucked throughout the movement to maintain a neutral spine and prevent lower back arching.
• Ensure the knee of your working leg stays tracked over your toes and does not cave inward.
• Avoid 'rib flare' at the top; keep your core braced to ensure the hinge happens at the hips, not the spine.
• Keep the non-working leg stationary in a bent or extended position to avoid using momentum.

Pro tips

• Focus on a 'posterior pelvic tilt' at the top of the rep, imagining you are tucking your tailbone under to maximize glute fiber recruitment.
• Press your big toe and pinky toe into the floor while driving through the heel to create a stable 'foot tripod' for better balance.

Make it harder

• Perform '1.5 reps' by lifting to the top, lowering halfway, returning to the top, and then lowering all the way down.
• Increase the eccentric phase to 4 seconds to maximize time under tension and muscle fiber breakdown.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the weighted kettlebell glute single leg bridge from bench work?

The weighted kettlebell glute single leg bridge from bench primarily targets the glutes and hamstrings, and also works the abs and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the weighted kettlebell glute single leg bridge from bench?

The weighted kettlebell glute single leg bridge from bench uses kettlebell.

Is the weighted kettlebell glute single leg bridge from bench good for beginners?

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

Related exercises

• Alternate Hamstring Curl Sky PunchIntermediate · glutes and hamstrings
• Alternating Hamstring Curl JackIntermediate · abs, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• Alternating Hamstring Curl Overhead ClapIntermediate · abs, glutes, and hamstrings
• Around The World Superman HoldIntermediate · erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, lats, and trapezius