How is the Hamstring Bridge different from a Glute Bridge?

The heels sit much farther from the hips and the knees are only slightly bent, which hands more of the hip extension to the hamstrings. A Glute Bridge keeps the heels close, which bends the knees more and shifts the emphasis to the glutes.

How far from my hips should my heels be?

Far enough that the knees are only slightly bent while the feet stay flat and the hips can still rise to a straight line from shoulders to knees. Start a little closer and walk the heels out over several sessions, since every step farther makes the exercise harder.

Why do my hamstrings cramp during this exercise?

Cramping usually means the hamstrings are fatigued or the heels are set farther out than they can yet handle. Lower the hips, rest, and continue with the heels slightly closer or with shorter sets until the position becomes comfortable.

Should I do reps or hold the top position?

Both work. Reps with a slow lowering build strength through the short range, while holds of 10 to 30 seconds at the top build endurance and are a gentle way to start after a layoff.

Can the Hamstring Bridge replace leg curls or Nordic curls?

No. It trains the hamstrings at the hip with only body weight, while knee-flexion exercises such as the Sliding Leg Curl and the Nordic Hamstring Curl load the hamstrings far more heavily at the knee, so most programs use it alongside them rather than instead of them.

Hamstring Bridge

What Is the Hamstring Bridge?

Hamstring Bridge is a compound exercise that primarily targets the hamstrings and also engages the glutes, lower back and abdominals. It is a beginner-level movement performed lying on the floor with the feet set far from the hips and the knees only slightly bent, so the hamstrings carry much of the work of lifting the hips.

The setup is what separates it from a Glute Bridge. Walking the heels away from the hips straightens the knees, which puts the hamstrings in a longer, stronger position to extend the hip and leaves the glutes with a smaller share. A study of physically active men found biceps femoris activity during a supine bridge was highest with the knees bent about 40 degrees and fell steadily as the knees bent further, while gluteus maximus activity was greater at 90 and 120 degrees. Moving the heels in or out is therefore the simplest way to shift the emphasis between the two muscle groups.

The range of motion is short and the load is only body weight, so this is not a heavy hamstring builder. It is mainly used to teach the hamstrings to work as hip extensors with the knee nearly straight, as an early step in returning to training after a hamstring strain once a clinician has cleared loading, and as a high-repetition or isometric finisher at the end of a lower body session. Holding the top position for time is a common way to program it.

It suits beginners, runners and field-sport athletes who want more posterior thigh work without equipment, and anyone whose hamstrings cramp or fatigue early in other hamstring exercises. If the hamstrings cramp or the lower back takes over, start with a standard Glute Bridge and walk the heels out a little at a time. Once two-leg sets feel easy, progress to a single-leg version, to the heels on a bench, or to harder knee-flexion work such as the Sliding Leg Curl and the Nordic Hamstring Curl.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Biceps Femoris: Primary
Semimembranosus: Primary
Semitendinosus: Primary
Gluteus Maximus: High
Erector Spinae: Medium
Adductor Magnus: Low
External Oblique: Low
Gluteus Medius: Low
Rectus Abdominis: Low
Gastrocnemius (Medial Head): Minimal

Instructions

Lie on your back on the floor with your arms along your sides, palms facing down.
Set your feet flat and hip-width apart, with your heels far from your hips so your knees are only slightly bent.
Brace your abdominals and keep your ribs down so your lower back stays neutral.
Press your heels into the floor and lift your hips, as if pulling your heels toward your body without letting them move.
Rise until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees, keeping your shoulders and arms on the floor and your pelvis level.
Pause briefly at the top without arching your lower back.
Lower your hips slowly back to the floor and repeat for the prescribed reps.

Common Mistakes

Arching the lower back
Lifting the hips by flaring the ribs and arching the spine moves the work into the lower back instead of the hamstrings.
Feet too close to the hips
Setting the heels near the hips turns the movement into a glute bridge and takes much of the load off the hamstrings.
Heels set too far out too soon
Starting with the legs nearly straight before the hamstrings are ready often ends the set in a cramp.
Pushing through the toes
Shifting pressure onto the balls of the feet brings in the quadriceps and lets the heels slide, so keep the drive through the heels.
Dropping the hips quickly
Letting the hips fall back to the floor skips the controlled lowering that keeps the hamstrings working through the whole rep.
Hips tilting to one side
One hip sitting lower than the other usually means one leg is doing more of the work, so slow down and keep the pelvis level.

Injuries

Hamstring Bridge is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. It is done on the floor with body weight only, the hips move through a short range, and the knees and hips are never forced into deep flexion. The most common problem is a hamstring cramp, which tends to come on when the hamstrings are fatigued or when the heels are set farther out than they can yet handle.

The lower back is the other area to watch. With the knees straighter, the back extensors work harder to hold the hips up, and a musculoskeletal modeling study of healthy young men estimated that lower back joint force during a bridge was highest with the knees bent 60 degrees and lowest at 120 degrees. Keep the ribs down and the abdominals braced, stop the hips at a straight line from shoulders to knees, and never push into an arch to gain height.

If the hamstrings cramp, lower the hips, straighten the leg gently and rest, then continue with the heels a little closer to the hips. The Glute Bridge is the natural regression, and shorter sets or brief holds help build tolerance. Progress by holding the top position longer, by moving to one leg, or by placing the heels on a bench as in the Feet-Elevated Single-Leg Glute Bridge.

Stop if you feel a sharp or pulling pain in the back of the thigh or near the sit bone, or pain in the lower back that does not ease when you brace and reduce the height. Anyone returning from a hamstring strain should follow the loading plan set by their clinician.

Overview

Primary Focus: Hamstrings
Equipment: Body weight
Modality: Strength
Difficulty: Beginner

Alternative Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How is the Hamstring Bridge different from a Glute Bridge?: The heels sit much farther from the hips and the knees are only slightly bent, which hands more of the hip extension to the hamstrings. A Glute Bridge keeps the heels close, which bends the knees more and shifts the emphasis to the glutes.
Q: How far from my hips should my heels be?: Far enough that the knees are only slightly bent while the feet stay flat and the hips can still rise to a straight line from shoulders to knees. Start a little closer and walk the heels out over several sessions, since every step farther makes the exercise harder.
Q: Why do my hamstrings cramp during this exercise?: Cramping usually means the hamstrings are fatigued or the heels are set farther out than they can yet handle. Lower the hips, rest, and continue with the heels slightly closer or with shorter sets until the position becomes comfortable.
Q: Should I do reps or hold the top position?: Both work. Reps with a slow lowering build strength through the short range, while holds of 10 to 30 seconds at the top build endurance and are a gentle way to start after a layoff.
Q: Can the Hamstring Bridge replace leg curls or Nordic curls?: No. It trains the hamstrings at the hip with only body weight, while knee-flexion exercises such as the Sliding Leg Curl and the Nordic Hamstring Curl load the hamstrings far more heavily at the knee, so most programs use it alongside them rather than instead of them.