How to Do the Single Leg Glute Bridge

Beginner glutes exercise — bodyweight.

The single-leg glute bridge is a hip-extension exercise where you lie on your back with one foot planted and drive your hips up toward the ceiling while the other leg stays raised. Working one side at a time roughly doubles the load on the glute compared with a two-leg bridge, and it also challenges the hips to stay level, training the side glute muscles that keep your pelvis stable when you walk, run and climb stairs. It also shows strength differences between your two sides quickly.

Exercise details

Muscle group: Glutes
Primary muscle: Glutes
Equipment: Bodyweight
Difficulty: Beginner
Type: Isolation

How to perform it

1Lay on the floor with your feet flat and knees bent.
2Raise one leg off of the ground, pulling the knee to your chest.
3This will be your starting position.
4Execute the movement by driving through the heel, extending your hip upward and raising your glutes off of the ground.
5Extend as far as possible, pause and then return to the starting position.

Single Leg Glute Bridge form cues

Plant your working foot so your shin is close to vertical at the top of the rep.
Pull the other knee toward your chest — this helps stop your lower back from arching.
Push through the heel of the working foot, not the toes.
Keep both hip bones level; imagine balancing a glass of water on your belly.
Squeeze the glute hard at the top for two seconds before lowering.

Common Single Leg Glute Bridge mistakes

Hips tilting toward the raised leg

That's the stabilising muscles giving out. Lower the height of the bridge until you can keep the hips level.

Arching the lower back to get higher

Stop when your body makes a straight line from knee to shoulder. Extra height usually comes from the spine, not the glute.

Feeling it mostly in the hamstring

Bring your foot a little closer to your hips and drive through the heel.

Who the Single Leg Glute Bridge is for

A good next step once 15–20 two-leg glute bridges feel easy, and a useful home exercise for runners and anyone who wants glute strength without weights. Always start with your weaker side and match the reps on the stronger side.

Single Leg Glute Bridge vs similar exercises

vs Glute Bridge

The two-leg version — start here, then progress to single-leg.

vs Bodyweight Hip Thrust

Shoulders on a bench for a bigger range of motion. Single-leg hip thrusts are the harder progression after this.

How to program the Single Leg Glute Bridge

Use the Single Leg Glute Bridge later in your workout as an accessory, after your main compound lifts.
Warm up with one or two lighter sets before your working sets to prime the movement.
As an isolation move, 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps works well, resting 45–75 seconds. Chase a strong contraction and controlled tempo over heavy weight.
To progress, add reps, slow the lowering phase, or move to a harder variation once the current version feels easy.

Single Leg Glute Bridge alternatives

No space? These train the same glutes, grouped by what you have available.

No equipment

Dumbbell or kettlebell

Barbell

Machine or cable

Easier and harder variations

The Single Leg Glute Bridge is rated beginner. Regress while you build the pattern, progress once it feels easy.

Harder — progress from it

What to pair it with

For a balanced session, pair the Single Leg Glute Bridge with a move for the opposing muscles — the Seated Straight-Leg Raise (quadriceps) or the Sissy Squat (quadriceps). Alternating the two as a superset saves time, because one side rests while the other works.

Where it fits in your weekly plan

When the free routine generator builds your week, the Single Leg Glute Bridge can land on:

Legs days — in 3, 5 or 6 days a week plans
Lower Body days — in 4 or 5 days a week plans

Included when your equipment is set to: No equipment, Dumbbells, Full gym.

Free tools for this exercise

TDEE calculator

Find the daily calories that support your training goal.

Put it in your plan

SSS Workout Assistant builds a custom weekly routine around your goals and adds moves like the Single Leg Glute Bridge automatically — then tracks every set.

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Frequently asked questions

How many single-leg glute bridges should I do?

3 sets of 10–15 reps per leg with a two-second squeeze at the top works well. Start with your weaker side.

What muscles does the Single Leg Glute Bridge work?

The Single Leg Glute Bridge primarily targets the glutes within the glutes muscle group.

What equipment do I need for the Single Leg Glute Bridge?

None — the Single Leg Glute Bridge is a bodyweight exercise you can do anywhere, no gym required.

Is the Single Leg Glute Bridge a compound or isolation exercise?

The Single Leg Glute Bridge is an isolation exercise, focusing work on a single muscle group. It's well suited to beginner trainees.

How many sets and reps of the Single Leg Glute Bridge should I do?

As an isolation move, 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps works well, resting 45–75 seconds. Chase a strong contraction and controlled tempo over heavy weight.

Is the Single Leg Glute Bridge good for beginners?

Yes — the Single Leg Glute Bridge is beginner-friendly. Start light, focus on clean technique, and add difficulty gradually as it becomes comfortable.

What can I do instead of the Single Leg Glute Bridge?

Good substitutes that train the same glutes include the Donkey Kick (bodyweight), the Fire Hydrant (bodyweight), the Dumbbell Rear Lunge (dumbbell). Pick the one that matches the equipment you have.