Hip Raise With Bent Knee
Hip Raise With Bent Knee Exercise Description
The Hip Raise (bent knee) is a bodyweight floor exercise that trains hip extension while keeping the spine neutral. Primary emphasis is on the gluteus maximus, with assistance from the hamstrings; the deep abdominals and gluteus medius/minimus help stabilize the pelvis to prevent unwanted motion. Bending the knees reduces hamstring stretch, allowing you to focus on driving the hips up by contracting the glutes rather than arching the lower back. Performed correctly, your trunk and thighs form a straight line at the top without lumbar hyperextension, and your shins remain close to vertical. This movement is a controlled bridge pattern that builds lumbopelvic stability and posterior-chain strength using only your body weight.
- Muscle Groups: Glutes, Hips
- Target Muscles: Gluteus Maximus
- Assisting Muscles: Biceps Femoris - Long Head, Semimembranosus, Semitendinosus
- Stabilizing Muscles: Gluteus Medius, Gluteus Minimus, Internal Obliques, Multifidus, Transversus Abdominis
- Body Area: Lower Body
- Body Parts: Hips, Legs, Upper Legs
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Hinge
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Hip Extensors
- Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
- Muscle Location: Glutes
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Posterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Hip Raise With Bent Knee Exercise
‘- Lie on your back with knees bent about 90°, feet flat and hip-width, toes forward, heels a hand-length from your glutes.
– Place arms at your sides, palms down; keep your head and upper back on the floor.
– Set your ribs down, lightly brace the abdominal wall, and tuck the pelvis slightly to achieve a neutral spine.
– Press the whole foot—especially midfoot and heel—into the floor.
– Drive the hips upward by squeezing the glutes; avoid pushing from your lower back.
– Lift until shoulders, hips, and knees align in a straight line; keep shins near vertical.
– Keep knees tracking over the middle toes; do not let them cave inward or flare excessively.
– Maintain a neutral neck and keep the load across your upper back/shoulders, not the neck.
– Briefly hold the top position with the pelvis level and ribs stacked over the pelvis.
– Lower the hips with control, hinging at the hips and maintaining abdominal tension; stop before the low back arches.
– Breathe: inhale to prepare at the bottom; exhale as you lift, keeping the brace.
Hip Raise With Bent Knee Tips
‘- Position your feet hip-width, toes forward, with heels about a hand-length from your glutes.
– Bend your knees to roughly 90° so your shins stay near vertical at the top.
– Set your ribs down, lightly brace your abs, and tuck your pelvis slightly to find a neutral spine.
– Press the whole foot into the floor, emphasizing midfoot and heel for drive.
– Lift your hips by squeezing your glutes rather than pushing from your lower back.
– At the top, align shoulders, hips, and knees in a straight line without arching your lower back.
– Keep your knees tracking over your middle toes; avoid letting them cave inward or flare out.
– Maintain a neutral neck with your head and upper back on the floor, loading the upper back/shoulders, not the neck.
– Lower your hips with control by hinging at the hips and keeping abdominal tension; stop before your low back arches.
– Inhale to prepare at the bottom, then exhale as you lift while maintaining your brace.
Hip Raise With Bent Knee Beginner Introduction
The Hip Raise (bent knee) is a floor-based, no-equipment hip lift that highlights motion at the hips while the back stays relatively quiet. This exercise mainly targets the glutes, with the back of the thighs helping out and the abs and outer hip muscles providing support around the pelvis. Because the knees are bent, the back of the thighs is less stretched, which shifts attention toward squeezing through the hips instead of arching the lower back. The overall feel is smooth and deliberate, building strength through the backside while encouraging calm, supported posture.
This movement resembles a bridge-style pattern performed on the ground: the body starts face up with knees folded and feet grounded, then the hips rise and lower in a measured rhythm. At the top, the torso and thighs create a long, straight slope from shoulders to knees while the lower legs stay nearly upright. Pressure rests mostly across the upper back and shoulders, with the neck relaxed. Coordinated breathing with each repetition reinforces control through the core, hips, and legs, promoting a stable base around the lower back and pelvic region.