What movements come to mind when you think of leg training? Like most, you probably consider the squat, deadlift, lunge, and other popular exercises. After all, having a solid deadlift or squat is a good benchmark for evaluating lower body strength, so it makes sense to work toward these goals. But what many people neglect is lateral motion, also known as abduction.

The lateral leg raise is an underrated but beneficial exercise that strengthens the glute minimus, a small muscle situated on either side of the buttocks (1). While small, the muscle is important for hip and knee stability and lateral movement. Doing lateral leg raises regularly is beneficial for improving your strength, becoming more stable, and reducing your risk of injuries. 

The glute minimus is also essential for our daily life because it plays a role in walking, running, jumping, picking things off the floor, and much more.

How to do a Lateral Leg Raises

1. Stand in front of a chair, squat rack, or something else you can hold onto for balance. 
2. Reach forward and grab the object with both hands.
3. Bring your shoulders back, straighten your legs, and engage your abs.
4. Shift your weight on your left foot.
5. Take a breath and raise your right leg to the side while keeping the knee bent slightly. 
6. Lift your leg laterally as much as your mobility, flexibility, and strength allow.
7. Hold the top position for a second and bring your leg back to the starting position as you exhale.
8. Keep raising the right leg until you get tired.
9. Shift your weight to your right foot and raise your left leg for the same number of repetitions.

What muscles do the lateral leg raises activate?

The primary muscle that works during lateral leg raises is the gluteus minimus. The muscle is situated on either side of the buttocks and links the hip and femur (1). Contracting the glute minimus brings the leg to the side. 

Lateral leg raises also involve the rectus femoris to some degree (2). The muscle is one of four that make up the quadriceps and is the only one that crosses the knee and hip joints. As a result, the rectus femoris contributes during lateral leg raises by providing a stable knee and hip position.

Several core muscles also work during lateral leg raises. The rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, obliques, erector spinae, and psoas major stabilize the torso and support the spine.

Tips on Proper Form and Technique

The most important thing to remember for lateral leg raises is to do each repetition smoothly and with control. Unlike leg swings that work great to warm up the lower body, you should do lateral leg raises slowly, making sure to engage your glutes well on each repetition.

You should also strive to raise your legs as much as possible but avoid using momentum or ‘thrusting’ motions to lift your legs a few extra inches. Only raise your legs as high as you can with moderate speed.

It’s also important to keep your knees in line with your hips. Avoid having your legs behind or in front of your body as you raise them to the side. Ensuring good alignment will allow you to engage your muscles optimally.

Maintain a rigid torso throughout the movement by keeping your shoulders back and abs engaged. While seemingly simple, the lateral leg raise is a challenging movement that requires good stability.

Variations and Modifications of the Lateral Leg Raises

1. Unsupported Lateral Leg Raise

The unsupported lateral leg raise is a variation where you do the movement standing, but you don’t hold onto anything for balance. The only difference is that the unsupported variation improves your balance more, which can be beneficial.

2. Lying Lateral Leg Raise

The goal with lying lateral leg raises is to get down on one side and raise your top leg toward the ceiling. The variation is more challenging because you have to overcome greater resistance to lift your leg than standing.

3. Weighted Lateral Leg Raise

The weighted lateral raise is the logical step forward as you build strength. You can attach an ankle weight or use a cable machine for extra resistance once you’re strong enough and bodyweight lateral raises don’t challenge you as much.

Mistakes to Avoid

The most common mistake related to lateral leg raises is using momentum to do each repetition. Doing so might help warm up your hips before a workout, but it’s not going to optimize muscular development. Do each repetition slowly and with complete control from start to finish.

Another mistake related to the first one is using momentum for the last couple of inches when raising your leg. Trainees with little leg strength compensate by thrusting their legs laterally to reach a greater height. Doing so is unnecessary because it adds nothing to each repetition. Raise your leg gradually, go up as high as possible, and lower it to the starting position.

The third mistake to watch out for is not progressively overloading the movement. People would start with the bodyweight version and never do anything else. But, as with other exercises, increasing the challenge is key to long-term improvements. So, begin with the standing bodyweight version but consider adding weight after a while. Lateral leg raises work great on a cable machine because of the consistent tension and good overloading potential.

Similar Exercises to the Lateral Leg Raises

Lateral Squat

Lateral squats are a fantastic compound exercise you should do for overall leg development. The movement has you raise one leg, step to the side, and descend, which activates your glute minimus, quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. 

Curtsy Lunge

The curtsy lunge is a lesser-known leg exercise, but it works great for the lower body and shares some elements with the lateral leg raise. The movement has you bring one leg back and position your feet in a line before you descend. Doing so is good for overall stability and helps activate the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and core.

Fire Hydrants

The fire hydrant is a similar movement to lateral leg raises because it trains the same muscles. But instead of doing it from a standing or lying position, you get down on all fours and bend your knees. Once in position, you have to bring one leg out laterally as much as you can. The leg abduction forces the glute minimus to work as it does on lateral leg raises.

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Our glutes don’t receive nearly as much attention as they should. Instead, we focus on seemingly more important muscles, such as our quadriceps and hamstrings. But the glutes are the largest and most powerful muscle in the body. Developing them plays a huge role in our athleticism, whole-body strength, balance, posture, and much more. The best part is, we can start building them up with a simple exercise.

Glute kickbacks are the simplest and most effective exercises you can do to nearly isolate the gluteus muscle group. The movement is safe, simple to learn, and everyone can start doing it in the comfort of their home. You can also add glute kickbacks to your gym routine.

Unlike many exercises that train our glutes, kickbacks don’t stress other muscles in the body and don’t require much weight to cause a strong stimulus. The movement offers a good range of motion and puts our posterior muscles at a mechanical advantage.

How to do a Glute Kickback on the Floor 

1. Get down on all fours. 
2. Position your shoulders, elbows, and wrists in a straight line with your palms flat on the floor. Have your hands roughly shoulder-width apart.
3. Bend your knees and hips at a 90-degree angle. Your knees should be directly underneath your hips.
4. Straighten your back by pulling your shoulder blades back but avoid arching your lower back. Aim for a neutral spine.
5. Engage your abs, take a breath, and shift your weight slightly on your left knee.
6. Raise your right leg back by engaging your glute, and have it do all of the work. Keep your knee bent at a 90-degree angle.
7. Raise the leg until your thigh is parallel to the floor and in line with your torso.
8. Hold the top position and bring that leg to the starting position as you exhale.
9. Once finished on one side, shift your weight slightly to the right, and do the same number of reps with your left leg.

What muscles do glute kickbacks on the floor activate?

The primary muscle group that works during glute kickbacks on the floor is the glute (buttocks). The muscle group consists of three parts: gluteus maximus, minimus, and medius. All three muscles activate during the movement, but our glute maximus and medius do most of the work. 

The gluteus maximus is the largest of the three and is responsible mainly for the movement (1). The glute medius is smaller but assists during the exercise.

Our hamstrings also assist during glute kickbacks. The muscle group consists of three heads, all originate from the pelvis, cross the knee, and insert in the tibia or fibula (lower leg bones). The primary functions of our hamstrings relate to hip extension and knee flexion (2). The hamstrings primarily work to keep the knee flexed, but they also engage when we bring each leg back.

Proper Technique and Form

Glute kickbacks are easy to learn, but this doesn’t mean that technique is somehow irrelevant or less important. Doing the exercise with good form ensures optimal gluteal engagement, resulting in superior growth.

The most important tip to keep in mind when performing glute kickbacks is to do each repetition slowly and with control. Be mindful of your posterior muscles and ensure that your glutes work hard on every repetition. Adding a pause at the top position can help you learn to engage your glutes better.

You should also experiment with knee angle during kickbacks. We recommend doing the movement with your knees bent at 90 degrees, but you can also extend your knee as you bring your leg back. Doing so might lead to better gluteal activation for some people.

The last tip to keep in mind for glute kickbacks is to use a full range of motion on each repetition. Start with your knee pointing down and raise it until your thigh is parallel to the floor on each repetition.

Variations and Modifications of the Glute Kickback on Floor

1. Glute Kickbacks (Dumbbell)

The dumbbell version of the movement is good for keeping yourself challenged. Add extra weight by including a dumbbell once the bodyweight version gets too easy. Place the weight at the back of your knee and squeeze it with your thigh and calf muscle. Proceed to do repetitions as you usually would.

2. Standing Glute Kickbacks

The standing glute kickback is a neat variation of the floor version. The goal here is to place a looped resistance band over your thighs, just above your knees. You then have to extend one leg back as far as you can.

3. Glute Kickback Plank

If you’re looking to challenge yourself, the glute kickback plank is a great way to do so. Assume an elbow plank position and begin raising one leg toward the ceiling. Once finished, raise your opposite leg for the same number of repetitions.

Mistakes to Avoid

A common mistake relating to glute kickbacks is excessive arching of the lower back. Trainees would assume position but arch their lower back too much before they start doing the movement. Arching isn’t bad for muscular activation, but it can put unnecessary stress on the lower back, leading to discomfort. Avoid the mistake by keeping a neutral back.

Another mistake related to glute kickbacks is doing repetitions quickly and with poor control. For example, swinging the leg back, then letting it drop on the way down. The mistake leads to poor muscle activation, which reduces the effectiveness of the exercise. Aim to do each repetition slowly and with good control. Feel your glutes working hard on every repetition.

Cutting the range of motion short is another mistake to avoid. Trainees would start from the correct position but only kick their leg back halfway before lowering it. So, extend your legs back until your thighs are parallel to the floor.

The last mistake to avoid is letting your upper body turn soft. While primarily a glute exercise, the kickback involves the entire body. Bracing your core and keeping a rigid torso will make the movement more stable and effective.

Similar Exercises to the Glute Kickback on Floor

Glute Bridge

The glute bridge is similar to the kickback because both are assistance/isolation movements for the gluteal muscle group. Both activities are beginner-friendly, and you can do them at home with no equipment. The primary differences are the range of motion and movement pattern. Kickbacks depend on extending your legs back, where glute bridges require hip extension to train your posterior chain.

Hip Thrusts

The hip thrust is a similar movement to glute bridges. Both exercises have the same range of motion and movement pattern. The primary difference is, you would do hip thrusts with your upper back on a gym bench. In contrast, glute bridges have you lie on the floor. Thanks to this similarity, hip thrusts are also similar to the glute kickback. Both movements emphasize our glutes, leading to good growth. 

Glute Ham Raise

The glute ham raise is a fantastic assistance exercise that works and develops our hamstrings, glutes, back, and overall core. Glute ham raises are similar to kickbacks on the floor because both movements train our posterior chain well, even if we don’t have access to external weights. The primary difference is that ham raises emphasize our hamstrings more, whereas kickbacks focus on our glutes (3).

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The single-leg glute bridge is an effective exercise for developing your posterior chain: the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. Training one leg at a time is beneficial for preventing and fixing muscle imbalances, which often lead to visual disproportions, impaired athletic ability, and a higher risk of injuries.

Like the regular glute bridge, the objective is to engage your posterior muscles and practice hip extension while lying on the floor. But, you must support yourself on one foot, which makes the exercise more challenging and beneficial.

A notable benefit of performing unilateral exercises (training one side at a time) is that you develop your muscles more evenly, leading to more athleticism and functionality to perform everyday tasks with ease.

We recommend including the single-leg glute bridge early in your training and doing as many slow and controlled repetitions as possible. Once you become proficient, you can move the exercise to the middle or end of your lower body workouts.

Level of Exercise: Intermediate

How to do a Single-Leg Glute Bridge

1. Place an exercise mat and lie down with your arms to your sides and hands flat on the floor.
2. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, a few inches away from your buttocks.
3. Raise one leg in the air and bend the knee at a comfortable angle.
4. Take a breath and press through the heel of your other foot, engaging your posterior chain to drive your hips in the air.
5. Extend your hips until they are in line with your knee and shoulders.
6. Hold the top position for a moment and lower your buttocks to the floor, exhaling on the way down.
7. Perform as many slow and controlled reps as possible.
8. Anchor the foot you previously had in the air and raise the opposite one.
9. Perform the same number of repetitions and take a break.

What muscles does a single leg glute bridge activate?

The primary muscle that works during the single-leg glute bridge is the gluteus maximus, which makes up a large percentage of the buttocks and produces hip extension (1, 2). Our glutes engage off the bottom position and drive our hips to the top of each repetition, where they achieve peak activation. Similarly, the hamstrings assist the glutes with hip extension (3). The muscle covers the posterior of our thighs and produces force to drive our hips up.

Glute bridges are also beneficial for developing the erector spinae muscles that run along both sides of the spine. The muscle group serves essential roles related to spinal stability and health. 

Our midsection musculature also contributes during the single-leg glute bridge. Supporting yourself on one foot increases stability demands, making the glute bridge beneficial for strengthening the rectus abdominis, obliques, etc.

Single Leg Glute Bridge Vs. Single Leg Hip Thrust

Single-leg hip thrusts and glute bridges are identical and offer similar benefits (4). The primary difference between the two exercises is that you perform glute bridges on the floor but position your upper back on a gym bench during hip thrusts. 

Another difference between the two exercises is that hip thrusts almost always include an external weight, such as a barbell or dumbbell. In contrast, the glute bridge is a more beginner-friendly movement designed to train your muscles well without the use of extra weight. 

Hip thrusts are great for strength athletes because they allow you to overload your muscles with a lot of weight and almost isolate the gluteus maximus. In contrast, glute bridges serve as an assistance exercise that emphasizes the posterior chain with high-repetition sets.

Variations and Modifications of the Single Leg Glute Bridge

1. Regular Glute Bridge

The simplest way to modify the single-leg glute bridge is to keep both feet on the floor. Doing so makes the exercise easier, reduces the stability demands, and trains both sides simultaneously. Regular glute bridges are beneficial for beginners who lack the strength for the single-leg variation.

2. Weighted Single Leg Glute Bridge

The weighted single-leg glute bridge is a more advanced variation for people who find the bodyweight movement too easy. A simple way to perform weighted bridges would be to place a dumbbell or kettlebell over your hips and support the weight with both hands as you do reps.

3. Single Leg Glute Bridge Holds

The single-leg glute bridge hold is a fantastic movement for developing isometric strength in your hip extensors and improving the mind-muscle connection. Support yourself on one foot, extend your hips to the top position, and hold it for as long as possible.

Mistakes to Avoid

Arching Your Back

Many trainees think that raising their hips as high as possible would result in better posterior activation and growth. But, doing so hyperextends the back and places unnecessary strain on the area. Instead, you should squeeze your glutes as hard as possible, which will raise your hips to the appropriate height (in line with your shoulders and knees).

Uneven Hips

A mistake reserved for the single-leg glute bridge is raising your hips unevenly. Often, trainees new to the exercise would drive through one foot and only extend that hip, having the other remain close to the floor. Doing so isn’t beneficial simply because it makes it more challenging to maintain your balance and can place some stress on your back. Avoid the error by being mindful of the possibility, engaging your midsection, and keeping your hips even as you lift and lower them.

Similar Exercises to the Single Leg Glute Bridge

Hip Thrusts

As briefly discussed earlier, hip thrusts are similar to the glute bridge in many ways. Both exercises feature a similar movement pattern and range of motion, making them ideal for developing the posterior chain (4). The primary difference is that your upper back is on a gym bench, whereas glute bridges are performed on the floor.

Glute Kickback (Machine)

Glute kickbacks on a machine are a fantastic exercise for strengthening your glutes and hamstrings. Like the single-leg glute bridge, you’re training and isolating one side at a time, which is perfect for preventing side-to-side muscle imbalances and improving your mind-muscle connection. The primary differences relate to the specific movement patterns and your body’s position. You’re upright during kickbacks and must lie on the floor as you perform glute bridges.

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Hip thrusts are a simple and effective compound exercise that develops posterior muscles and hip extension strength (1). The goal with the movement is to place your upper back on a gym bench, plant your feet into the floor, and place a heavy barbell at the crease of your hips. Once in position, begin to thrust and lower the barbell. 

The hip thrust is highly beneficial because it offers a good range of motion and an impeccable overloading potential. It’s not uncommon for trainees to hip thrust 300 or 400 pounds after years of dedicated training. The enormous load places great mechanical tension on the hamstrings and glutes, forcing growth (2).

The hip thrust’s primary benefits are that it improves hip extension and core strength, leading to better athletic performance, more stability, and a lower risk of injury. We recommend including the hip thrust as a first or second exercise in a workout. It’s best to do the movement at your freshest, so you can lift more weight and maintain proper technique.

How to do a Hip Thrust

1. Sit on the floor and position your upper back against the edge of a bench.
2. Straighten your arms and rest them on the bench to your sides. You can have your palms flat on the bench for extra support.
3. Bend your knees and plant your feet firmly on the floor. Your knees should point forward and up, not to the sides.
4. Bring your shoulders back, make sure that your neck is in line with your torso, and take a breath.
5. Engage your glutes and push through your hips and heels to raise your butt off the floor.
6. Go up as much as you can – typically, as your hips become slightly more elevated than your shoulders.
7. Hold the contraction for a moment and lower your butt to the floor as you exhale.
8. Take another breath and repeat.

What muscles does the hip thrust activate?

The primary muscles involved in hip thrusts are the glutes (1). As the largest and most powerful muscle in the body, the gluteus maximus produces hip extension, which allows us to thrust the barbell from the bottom position (3). Glute medius also contributes to the movement.

Our hamstrings are the second major muscle group to activate during hip thrusts (1). The hamstrings are situated at the posterior of our thighs and act on our knees and hips. When contracted, the hamstrings cause hip extension, thus aiding the glutes in thrusting (4).

Quadriceps also play a role in hip thrusts, but to a much smaller degree (1). The muscle group covers the front side of our thighs, causing knee extension, which occurs when trusting the barbell to the top position (5).

The midsection musculature plays a significant role in balance. Our abs, obliques, transverse abdominis, erector spinae, and other minor muscles contract to keep our torso stable during hip thrusts.

Tips on Proper Technique when Performing a Hip Thrust 

The first tip to keep in mind for hip thrusts is to experiment with foot position until you find what feels most natural for you. Everyone is different and no single recommendation will work great. Some folks do better with a narrower stance; others thrive with their feet wider apart.

An important mental cue to remember with hip thrusts is to push through your heels off the bottom. Doing so will allow you to produce more force and engage your posterior chain more effectively.

Maintaining torso rigidity is also essential for hip thrusts. While primarily a lower body movement, the hip thrust requires excellent stability for safety and effectiveness. Engage your midsection and breathe into your belly before each repetition.

Adding a slight pause at the top position is also vital for a good hip thrust. Doing so reduces the risk of ego lifting and instead forces you to use a load you can handle well. Plus, the brief pause causes a better activation of your glutes and hamstrings, leading to more progress in the long run.

Variations and Modifications of the Hip Thrust

1. Single-Leg Hip Thrust

The single-leg hip thrust is a neat variation you can do, especially if you don’t have access to much weight. For example, you can start with the bodyweight version and introduce a weight plate or dumbbell later.

2. Resistance Band Hip Thrust

Resistance band hip thrusts are a fantastic variation that reinforces posterior chain activation. As the band lengthens, it offers increasingly greater tension, forcing your glutes and hamstrings to contract maximally at the top. A simple option is to loop a band over your thighs and feet.

3. Barbell Hip Thrust With Looped Band

You have to place a barbell over your hips and loop a band over your thighs for the banded hip thrust variation. Doing so is beneficial because it reinforces leg abduction (moving out), helping you better engage your gluteus minimus and tensor fasciae latae.

Mistakes to Avoid

A common mistake with hip thrusts is using too much weight. While straightforward, the movement is complex, so using the appropriate load allows you to maintain proper technique and engage the correct muscles. You should aim for eight to ten repetitions per set as a rule of thumb.

Another significant mistake with hip thrusts is cutting the range of motion short. Your knees, hips, and shoulders should be in a straight line at the top position. You should also lower the barbell enough for adequate eccentric overload before each new repetition.

The third error to be mindful of is putting too much weight on your toes. Ideally, you should load your midfoot and heel more and press off the back of your feet for maximum force production. 

You should also avoid arching your lower back. The goal with the movement is to maintain a neutral spine, which comes from engaging your midsection. A significant arch can place unnecessary stress on your lower back, leading to pain.

Similar Exercises to the Hip Thrust

Glute Bridge

The glute bridge is an effective bodyweight exercise that closely resembles the hip thrust. In both cases, you extend your hips, forcing your glutes and hamstrings to activate (6). The primary difference is that you would do glute bridges on the floor instead of placing your upper back on a gym bench.

Glute Ham Raise

The goal with glute ham raises is to place your knees on a pad and anchor your feet. Using a glute ham raise machine is the most practical option. Once in position, you have to use your posterior muscles to lower and raise your torso while keeping your hips fixed in place. Glute ham raises primarily train the hamstrings and our glutes stabilize the hips (7).

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The glute bridge is a simple no-equipment exercise that strengthens your posterior chain. Unlike many activities, the glute bridge is simple to learn, and you can even do it at home. 

One of the most notable benefits of the glute bridge is that the exercise strengthens your posterior chain: glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. The movement is also beneficial because you can adjust the difficulty to fit your athletic level, and there are numerous fun variations to try.

Aside from making you more athletic, the glute bridge promotes whole-body stability and proper spinal alignment. As a result, your posture improves, and you’re at a lower risk of injuries. Plus, everyday tasks like picking things off the floor and walking up flights of stairs get easier. 

We recommend including glute bridges near the end of your training and doing high-repetition sets with a steady tempo. You can do the movement as little as once per week or up to three times to develop your glutes more quickly.

How to do a Glute Bridge

1. Lie on the floor with your arms straight and to your sides. Place your palms flat on the floor.
2. Bend your knees and plant your feet firmly on the floor.
3. With your head, shoulders, and butt in contact with the floor, take a breath.
4. Push through your heels, contract your glutes, and shoot your hips toward the ceiling until your knees, hips, and shoulders are in line.
5. Hold the top position for a moment and exhale.
6. Lower yourself to the starting position and repeat.

What muscles does the glute bridge activate?

The primary muscle group that works during glute bridges is the gluteal complex, which consists of the glute maximus, minimus, and medius (1, 2). Together, these muscles produce hip extension, which occurs off the bottom during a glute bridge. 

Our hamstrings are also involved in glute bridges because one of their functions is assisting the glutes with hip extension (1, 3). The muscle group also provides stability at the knee, making it easy to keep our balance during a glute bridge.

The quadriceps are the third muscle with an active role during a glute bridge. The muscle group covers the front side of our thighs and produces knee extension, which occurs as we drive our hips to the ceiling (4).

Another muscle group that works during glute bridges is the erector spinae, which runs along both sides of the spine. These muscles flex isometrically and keep the spine in a strong and healthy position as we do the exercise. Similarly, the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and obliques contract to provide torso support.

Tips on Proper Form when Preforming a Glute Bridge

An essential tip for the glute bridge is ensuring that your knees are slightly behind your heels at the top position. Doing so places you in a stronger position and allows for proper glute activation (1). Having your feet too close to your glutes puts unnecessary stress on your lower back.

Another essential tip for glute bridges is engaging your core from the start. As you lie on the exercise mat, keep your lower back in contact with the floor. That way, you can engage your abs and promote a healthy spine position. Similarly, you should avoid raising your hips too high because that will lead to hyperextension and lower back stress.

As you initiate a repetition, do so by first engaging your glutes before thinking about driving through your heels. The simple cue can improve glute activation and make the exercise more effective. 

The fourth tip is to perform repetitions slowly and with good body control. Too many trainees rush through glute bridges to complete more repetitions but doing so prevents them from engaging the correct muscles or creating enough tension for growth.

Variations and Modifications of the Glute Bridge

1. Banded Glute Bridge

Banded glute bridges are a variation where you loop a resistance band over your thighs, just above the knees. Doing so forces you to keep your knees out against the band, improving glute activation.

2. Single-Leg Glute Bridge

Single-leg glute bridges are an effective variation that works great for more advanced trainees who find the classic exercise too easy. The objective is to anchor one foot on the floor and extend the other leg. Once in position, drive your hips to the ceiling by supporting yourself on one foot.

3. Glute Bridge Hold

Glute bridge holds are an effective static variation that builds strength and stability. Like planks, reverse planks, and other such movements, glute bridge holds develop isometric strength and improve the mind-muscle connection with your posterior chain. The objective is to extend your hips and maintain the top position for 30 to 60 seconds.

Mistakes to Avoid

One of the most common mistakes with glute bridges is overextending your hips. As mentioned above, doing so forces you to hyperextend your back, placing unnecessary stress on your spine. Instead, you should extend your hips until they align with your shoulders and knees.

Another mistake with glute bridges is improper foot placement, and trainees often place their feet too close to their buttocks. Having your feet too close makes the execution uncomfortable and stresses your lower back. You should keep your feet at a position that leads to almost vertical shins and heels slightly in front of your knees as you extend your hips.

The third mistake to avoid is not pushing through your heels. Trainees would often press from their toes, shifting the emphasis to the quadriceps and calves. Avoid the error by anchoring your heels on the floor and pushing through them once you’ve engaged your glutes.

Similar Exercises to the Glute Bridge

Hip Thrust

Hip thrusts are among the best compound exercises for the glutes and lower back (5). The movement pattern is similar to that of glute bridges with one difference. You have to support your upper back on a gym bench and place the weight (barbell) over the crease of your hips during a hip thrust.

Fire Hydrants

Fire hydrants are a simple exercise that strengthens your gluteus maximus, medius, minimus, and tensor fascia latae. Similar to glute bridges, fire hydrants require no equipment, and you can do them at home.

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There are plenty of good exercises for the glutes: hip thrusts, glute kickbacks, deep squats, and more. But few exercises can target critical areas of the glutes and hips as fire hydrants can. While simple to learn, the fire hydrant effectively strengthens the glutes, abductors, and core. 

Aside from developing important muscles, fire hydrants stretch the inner thigh muscles (adductors), contributing to hip mobility, and allowing you to perform more complex exercises like barbell squats and deadlifts.

Fire hydrants are also beneficial for your daily life, given the movements numerous benefits related to strength, stability, and mobility. For example, since the exercise promotes core stability, it improves your balance and whole-body strength, making everyday tasks more accessible.

We recommend including fire hydrants late into your workout. Do lots of slow reps, ensuring that your glutes work hard. You can also do some fire hydrants before training to warm up the hips and activate your glutes.

How to do the Fire Hydrants

1. Position yourself on your arms and legs with your knees below your hips and your shoulders, elbows, and wrists in a vertical line. You can also keep your shins flat against the floor.
2. Keep your palms flat on the floor, and maintain a neutral back.
3. Once in position, flex your right leg without changing the knee angle. Simultaneously push into the floor with both hands to create a sturdy position.
4. Breathe in, take the right leg out and bring it up to your side as far as your mobility allows and breathe out. Don’t let your torso rotate with the leg – keep it in a stable position.
5. Hold the top position for a second and slowly bring your right leg back to the starting position.
6. Keep repeating the movement. Once you’re done, do the same for your left leg.

What muscles does fire hydrants activate?

Fire hydrants train the gluteal muscle group: gluteus maximus, minimus, medius, and tensor fasciae latae. Of the four muscles, the minimus, medius, and tensor fasciae latae work the most in bringing our legs to the side (abduction) and controlling them on the way back (1). The gluteus maximus also works to a much smaller degree, mainly to assist the smaller muscles surrounding it. 

The fire hydrant exercise also trains the midsection musculature: abs, transverse abdominis, obliques, and erector spinae. These muscles flex isometrically to keep us in position while performing the exercise.

Proper Form when Performing Fire Hydrants

One of the most important tips related to the proper execution of fire hydrants is doing each repetition slowly and with reasonable control. In doing so, you force the correct muscles to engage, get fatigued, and grow. Jerking motions might help do you extra repetitions, but you won’t activate the correct muscles fully. Similarly, raise your legs as much as you can through smooth motions. There is no point in using momentum to abduct your legs more. 

The second tip related to fire hydrants is engaging your core and staying stable during each set. As you set up, engage your abs, keep your back in a neutral position, and raise your legs with fluid motions. 

It’s also essential to keep your torso in a steady position with hips pointing to the floor as you raise your legs. The goal is to open up the hips and develop the glutes. Rotating your hips in the direction of the leg raise prevents you from training the glutes effectively.

Variations and Modifications of Fire Hydrants

1. Ankle Weight Fire Hydrant

A simple way to make the fire hydrant exercise more challenging is by using ankle weights. The weights increase the resistance, forcing your muscles to produce more force on every repetition. You should introduce ankle weights once you’re confident in your technique, and you can do at least 25 to 30 repetitions on bodyweight fire hydrants. 

2. Forearm Fire Hydrant

In contrast to the previous variation, forearm fire hydrants are easier for beginners. The goal is to support your upper body on your forearms, making it easier to remain balanced while doing repetitions.

3. Fire Hydrant With Knees Off The Floor

Fire hydrants with knees off the floor are a more advanced variation that forces your core to work extra hard in keeping you balanced. You must balance your lower body on your toes and keep your knees an inch or two off the floor while raising your legs to the sides.

Mistakes to Avoid

A common mistake with fire hydrants is using momentum and jerking motions to complete each repetition. As mentioned above, doing so isn’t beneficial because it takes the tension away from your glutes, making the exercise less effective. Instead, perform repetitions smoothly and with complete control, engaging your glutes as best as possible.

Another mistake with fire hydrants is allowing your hips to rotate in the direction of each raise. For example, raising your left leg to the side and having your hips rotate to the left. While minor hip rotation is expected during the movement, it should occur near the top of each repetition. Your hips need to point to the floor as you abduct your legs. Avoid the error by raising your legs as much as your mobility allows and gradually increasing the range of motion.

The third mistake with fire hydrants is introducing external resistance (such as ankle weights) too quickly. Ankle weights and other accessories can be helpful for the natural progression of the exercise, but you should do the bodyweight version for at least a few weeks to build strength and skill.

Similar Exercises to Fire Hydrants

Hip Thrust

Hip thrusts are an effective compound exercise that trains many of the same muscles involved in fire hydrants. Some of the muscles worked during thrusts are the glutes (buttocks) and midsection (abs, transverse abdominis, and obliques) (2). The goal is to position your upper back on a bench, place a barbell over the crease of your hips, and lift the weight through hip extension.

Glute Bridge

Glute bridges are a simple and practical accessory exercise that strengthens your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back (3). Like fire hydrants, the movement requires no equipment, making it a fantastic option even if you’re training at home. 

Lateral Squat

Lateral squats are a quadriceps-focused accessory exercise that offers numerous benefits. Like fire hydrants, lateral squats develop your buttocks and involve the tensor fasciae latae, which is responsible for bringing your leg to the side.

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