Single Leg Hip Bridge (Straight Leg)
Single Leg Hip Bridge (Straight Leg) Exercise Description
The Single Leg Hip Bridge (straight leg) is a bodyweight hip extension exercise performed on the floor to train one side at a time. It emphasizes the gluteus maximus and hamstrings of the planted leg while the gluteus medius/minimus and deep core help keep the pelvis level. Because one foot is grounded and the other leg is held straight, you must resist rotation and hip drop, reinforcing lumbopelvic control. The movement pattern is a supine hip hinge: drive the hips upward by pressing through the heel, not by arching the lower back. Expect strong glute engagement at the top with a neutral spine and ribs down. This variation is useful for building awareness of knee-over-midfoot alignment and for learning to achieve full hip extension without compensating through the lumbar spine.
- Muscle Groups: Glutes, Hips
- Target Muscles: Gluteus Maximus
- Assisting Muscles: Biceps Femoris - Long Head, Semimembranosus, Semitendinosus
- Stabilizing Muscles: Gluteus Medius, Gluteus Minimus, Multifidus, Transversus Abdominis
- Body Area: Lower Body
- Body Parts: Hips, Legs, Upper Legs
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Unilateral
- 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: Female
How To Do The Single Leg Hip Bridge (Straight Leg) Exercise
‘- Lie on your back, arms at your sides, palms down. Bend one knee so the foot is flat and hip-width; extend the other leg straight in line with the thigh.
– Set your brace: ribs down, chin tucked slightly, and a light posterior pelvic tilt to avoid low-back arch.
– Keep the extended leg straight, ankle neutral, and both thighs parallel.
– Drive through the heel of the planted foot, squeeze the glute, and lift your hips until the shoulder–hip–knee on the working side forms a straight line.
– Keep the pelvis level—do not let the lifted-side hip drop or rotate.
– Maintain knee tracking over the midfoot; avoid the planted knee collapsing inward.
– Hold the top briefly with glute tension; avoid flaring the ribs or overextending the lumbar spine.
– Lower the hips under control until the sacrum touches the floor, keeping tension and alignment throughout.
Single Leg Hip Bridge (Straight Leg) Tips
‘- Before lifting, set your brace by bringing the ribs down, chin slightly tucked, and a light posterior pelvic tilt.
– Keep the extended leg straight with a neutral ankle and match the thighs so they stay parallel.
– Push through the heel of the planted foot rather than the toes to drive the hips up.
– Squeeze the glute of the planted leg as you lift to form a straight line from shoulder to hip to knee.
– Keep the pelvis level throughout; do not let the hip of the straight leg drop or rotate.
– Watch that the planted knee stays in line over the midfoot and does not collapse inward.
– At the top, hold briefly with strong glute tension, avoiding rib flare or arching the lower back.
– Lower your hips under control until the sacrum just touches the floor, keeping your alignment.
– Maintain your brace and leg positions the entire time to reinforce lumbopelvic control.
Single Leg Hip Bridge (Straight Leg) Beginner Introduction
The Single Leg Hip Bridge (straight leg) is a floor-based, bodyweight bridge variation that works one side at a time. With one foot resting on the ground and the other leg stretched out, the working side of the hips and the back of the thigh handle most of the lifting effort. At the same time, the opposite hip and the core contribute by steadying the pelvis so it doesn’t twist or sink, turning the movement into both a strength and stability challenge.
The motion itself is a lying hip hinge: the hips rise away from the floor while the spine stays calm rather than arching. At the top, the working side lines up from shoulder to knee, creating a strong squeeze through the glutes. This pattern can build awareness of how the knee tracks in relation to the foot and how to reach full hip opening without “borrowing” movement from the lower back, supporting better control through the hips, waist, and trunk in other lower-body exercises.