Bridge Exercises & Dumbbells

The bridge, also call the glute bridge or the lying butt bridge, is considered a beginner level exercise by the American Council on Exercise. In addition to your butt muscles, the bridge also helps to strengthen several other muscles in your body. Even though the bridge is considered a beginner exercise, advanced and stronger exercisers can be challenged by performing different variations with additional resistance.

  1. Targeted Muscles

    • Glute bridges primarily target your butt muscles -- the gluteus maximus, medius and minimus. When performed correctly, you can also work to strengthen the muscles in your lower back, hamstrings and abs. If you have a job where you sit for long periods of time, glute bridges can help you stretch and loosen tight hip flexor muscles -- the iliacus, psoas and rectus femoris. These muscles are located at the front of your hips and are used when you lift and draw your knees toward your torso.

    Basic Bridge Technique

    • The basic bridge exercise starts with you lying flat on your back on an exercise mat. Place your arms by your sides with your palms down, bend your knees 90 degrees and place your feet flat on the mat, hip-width apart. Tighten your abs and flatten your lower back against the mat. Exhale, push your heels into the mat and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Squeeze your butt muscles and hold your position for a count of two. Inhale, lower back to the mat to complete one repetition and then repeat.

    Add a Dumbbell

    • Increasing the intensity of the exercise can easily be done with a dumbbell. Hold each end of a dumbbell with both hands and lie on an exercise mat as if you are going to perform the basic bridge. Rest the dumbbell across the front of your hips. While holding onto the dumbbell, perform the bridge using the basic technique. Use a dumbbell weight appropriate to your strength level. Increase the weight when the exercise becomes easy.

    Bridge with Chest Press

    • Work your upper body by combining chest presses and bridges. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and get into the basic bridge starting position. Bend your arms and hold the dumbbells against your chest with your palms facing each other. Push with your heels and lift your hips until your body is in a straight line. While holding this position, extend your arms and press the weights straight above your chest. Before returning your hips to the mat, perform two or three chest presses. Lower your body to the mat to complete one repetition and then repeat.

    Exercise Tips and Considerations

    • Perform a five-minute warm-up, consisting of a slow jog, jumping jacks or shadow boxing, to prepare your muscles for the workout. To avoid lower-back injuries, keep your abs tight throughout the exercise and avoid arching your back or lifting your hips beyond the straight-line position. Keep your knees in line with your hips; avoid letting them collapse in toward each other or flare out to the sides. If you are new to bridge exercises, perform two sets of 10 to 12 reps and slowly work your way up to two to four sets of 15 to 30 reps. If you have any health concerns, check with your doctor before doing bridge exercises.