Hip Raise With Bent Knee

Hip Raise With Bent Knee Exercise Description

The Hip Raise (bent knee)—often called a bodyweight glute bridge—trains hip extension using your own body weight. It primarily targets the gluteus maximus, with assistance from the hamstrings, while the abdominals and spinal erectors stabilize the trunk and pelvis. With the knees bent, hamstring leverage is reduced compared with straight‑leg variations, helping you drive the movement from the hips rather than the lower back. The goal is a controlled lift of the pelvis until the shoulders, hips, and knees form a straight line, maintaining a neutral spine throughout. This exercise reinforces lumbopelvic control, knee‑over‑foot alignment, and even pressure through the feet—fundamental elements for hinging, squatting, and athletic movement patterns.

Muscle Groups: Glutes, Hips
Target Muscles: Gluteus Maximus
Assisting Muscles: Biceps Femoris - Long Head, Semimembranosus, Semitendinosus
Stabilizing Muscles: External Obliques, Longissimus, Multifidus, Rectus Abdominis, Transversus 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 supine with knees bent and feet flat, hip‑width apart; heels roughly under knees (shins near vertical at the top).
– Place arms at your sides, palms down; keep head and neck neutral with a slight chin tuck.
– Brace your midsection and level the pelvis to neutral; keep ribs stacked over the pelvis.
– Press evenly through heels and midfoot; avoid pushing from the toes.
– Squeeze the glutes to lift the hips until shoulders, hips, and knees align; do not arch the lower back.
– Keep knees tracking over the middle toes; don’t let them cave inward or flare excessively.
– Maintain a quiet ribcage and neutral spine; avoid tipping the pelvis or flaring the ribs.
– Hold briefly at the top with glutes engaged and hips fully extended (without lumbar extension).
– Lower the hips under control until the sacrum touches down lightly, keeping tension.
– Reset alignment if needed and repeat with smooth, consistent motion.

Hip Raise With Bent Knee Tips

‘- Set your feet hip-width apart with heels roughly under your knees so your shins are near vertical at the top.
– Keep your head and neck neutral with a slight chin tuck throughout the movement.
– Brace your midsection before lifting, keeping your pelvis neutral and ribs stacked over the pelvis.
– Press evenly through your heels and midfoot, avoiding pushing from your toes.
– Squeeze your glutes to lift your hips until your shoulders, hips, and knees form a straight line.
– Do not arch your lower back; maintain a neutral spine as you lift.
– Keep your knees tracking over your middle toes, avoiding both caving inward and flaring outward.
– Maintain a quiet ribcage, avoiding rib flare or pelvic tipping during the movement.
– Briefly hold at the top with your glutes engaged and hips fully extended without extending through the lower back.
– Lower your hips under control until your sacrum touches down lightly, then reset alignment if needed and repeat with smooth, consistent motion.

Hip Raise With Bent Knee Beginner Introduction

The Hip Raise (bent knee) is a floor-based bodyweight exercise that emphasizes hip extension using bent legs. It strengthens the glutes and hamstrings while the abs and lower back contribute to holding the torso steady. Performed lying on the back with knees flexed and the soles of the feet on the floor, the hips lift upward so the body forms a long line from shoulders to knees for a brief moment before lowering again. With the knees bent, the back of the thighs assist less than in straight-leg versions, shifting more of the effort toward the hips instead of the lower back.

This bridge-style movement highlights smooth, controlled motion rather than speed, along with a stable upper body and natural spinal alignment. Attention to how the ribcage, pelvis, and spine coordinate encourages solid control through the core. Balanced contact through the feet and knees staying roughly in line with the feet support sound lower-body mechanics that translate well to hinging, squatting, and many athletic actions.