Hip Raise With Bent Knee
Hip Raise With Bent Knee Exercise Description
The Hip Raise (bent knee), commonly called a glute bridge, is a bodyweight hip-extension exercise performed on the floor. It primarily targets the gluteus maximus, with assistance from the hamstrings and adductor magnus, while the abdominals and erector spinae stabilize the trunk. With the knees bent, the movement emphasizes the glutes by minimizing leverage on the hamstrings compared with straight‑leg variations. The goal is to lift the pelvis by extending the hips, not by arching the lower back. Done with a neutral spine and steady core bracing, it teaches pelvic control, knee tracking, and even pressure through the feet. This is a foundational pattern for developing posterior‑chain strength and lumbopelvic stability using only bodyweight.
- Muscle Groups: Glutes, Hips
- Target Muscles: Gluteus Maximus
- Assisting Muscles: Adductor Magnus, Biceps Femoris - Long Head, Semimembranosus, Semitendinosus
- Stabilizing Muscles: External Obliques, Iliocostalis, Longissimus, Multifidus, Rectus Abdominis
- Body Area: Lower Body
- Body Parts: Hips, Legs, Upper Legs
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Hip Extensors
- Joint Involvement: Single-joint
- Muscle Location: Glutes
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Posterior
- Gender: Female
How To Do The Hip Raise With Bent Knee Exercise
‘- Lie on your back with knees bent ~90°, feet flat and hip‑width, shins roughly vertical.
– Place arms at your sides, palms down; keep head and shoulder blades anchored to the floor.
– Set ribcage stacked over pelvis; lightly brace the abdominal wall.
– Gently tuck the pelvis to avoid anterior tilt, maintaining a neutral spine (no excessive low‑back arch).
– Inhale to prepare; exhale and drive evenly through mid‑foot and heels to initiate hip extension.
– Lift the hips until your torso and thighs form a straight line from shoulders to knees.
– Squeeze the glutes at the top; keep knees tracking over the second toes (no caving in or flaring out).
– Keep ribs down and neck long; avoid pushing from the toes or shifting to one side.
– Lower the pelvis with control, maintaining the brace, until the sacrum lightly touches the floor.
Hip Raise With Bent Knee Tips
‘- Set your feet hip‑width with knees bent about 90° and shins roughly vertical before you start.
– Stack your ribcage over your pelvis and lightly brace your abdominal wall before lifting.
– Gently tuck your pelvis to avoid anterior tilt and keep a neutral spine without excessive low‑back arch.
– Keep your head and shoulder blades anchored to the floor throughout the movement.
– Drive evenly through the mid‑foot and heels as you exhale to initiate hip extension.
– Lift your hips until your torso and thighs form a straight line from shoulders to knees.
– Squeeze your glutes at the top to complete hip extension.
– Keep your knees tracking over your second toes, avoiding both caving in and flaring out.
– Keep your ribs down, neck long, and avoid pushing from the toes or shifting to one side.
– Lower your pelvis with control, maintaining your brace, until the sacrum only lightly touches the floor.
Hip Raise With Bent Knee Beginner Introduction
The Hip Raise (bent knee) is a floor-based bodyweight movement often known as a simple bridge for the glutes. With the legs bent, the action centers on driving work into the glutes, while the back of the thighs and inner thighs assist. At the same time, the abs and lower back contribute by steadying the torso, turning the exercise into a full lower-body and core coordination drill rather than just a hip move.
During the motion, the pelvis rises as the hips open, while the lower back remains in a natural, comfortable curve rather than hinging dramatically. The ribs stay balanced over the pelvis, with gentle tension through the midsection so the trunk feels solid and supported. The legs line up so the knees follow the same general path as the toes, and pressure through the feet feels evenly shared, especially through the middle of the foot and the heels. This pattern serves as a basic building block for strengthening the back side of the body and refining control around the hips and lower spine using only bodyweight.