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Calisthenics
Calisthenics

Glute Bridge & Hip Thrust Progression

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DefinitionA short reference note, not a full lesson.
Definition

Glute bridge → single-leg glute bridge → (elevated) hip thrust — a floor-up ladder for hip extension that targets the glutes and hamstrings with no equipment.

Detail

Hip-extension (bridging) movements train the Gluteus Maximus and Hamstrings — the Hip Extensors — and complement the quad-dominant squat family. Progression increases range of motion and shifts to single-leg loading:

  1. Glute bridge — lying on the back, feet flat, drive the hips up to full extension. The base movement. → Glute Bridge
  2. Single-leg glute bridge — one foot off the floor, doubling the load on the working glute. → Single-Leg Glute Bridge
  3. Hip thrust — shoulders/upper back elevated on a bench so the hips travel through a larger range under greater tension at lockout; can also be done single-leg. → Hip Thrust (Bodyweight)

Progress with reps, slow tempo, and pauses at the top (full hip extension with a glute squeeze). When bodyweight becomes easy, single-leg and elevated (hip-thrust) variations restore overload; external load (backpack/weight) extends it further. The Nordic Curl Progression complements this line for knee-flexion hamstring work.

Key facts

  • Order: glute bridge → single-leg glute bridge → (bench) hip thrust.
  • Targets the glutes and hamstrings (hip extensors); complements squats.
  • Progress with reps, tempo, top-position pauses, then single-leg and elevated variations.
  • Pair with the nordic curl progression for the knee-flexion hamstring role.

Connections

Sources

Cited in text — not yet linked
Authored from established calisthenics / strength-training consensus.

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Atlas Connections

Gluteus Maximus
The strongest, largest muscle in the body; the primary hip extensor and a lateral rotator of the femur.
Hamstrings
Three 2-joint muscles — biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus — that flex the knee (primary) and extend the hip (secondary); knee-flexion ROM 125°.
Hip Extensors
The primary hip extensors are the gluteus maximus and the hamstrings.
Glute BridgeClosely related
Lying on your back with knees bent, drive the hips up to full extension and squeeze the glutes — the base bodyweight hip-extension exercise.
Hip Thrust (Bodyweight)Closely related
A bridge with the upper back elevated on a bench so the hips travel through a larger range, keeping the glutes under high tension at full lockout.
Nordic Curl ProgressionClosely related
A kneeling eccentric hamstring curl — lower the torso forward as slowly as possible while the heels are anchored — scaled by how much you assist with the hands.
Single-Leg Glute BridgeClosely related
A glute bridge driven by one leg with the other extended, roughly doubling the load on the working glute and adding a pelvic-stability demand.