Glute bridges are a thrust-based exercise that's perfect for strengthening the muscles in your lower body.

Image Credit: bojanstory/E+/GettyImages Hip-thrust exercises (which include both hip thrusts and glute bridges) get plenty of praise for being among the best glute exercises. That’s why you should incorporate them into your workout regimen, says Daniel Saltos, CPT, a California-based personal trainer and founder of Train With Danny.

  Advertisement
 "[Training your glutes] is excellent for preventing injuries to the knees, hips and lower back," he says. "Almost anyone can benefit from incorporating glute work into their workout routine." Here are some of his favorite hip-thrust moves anyone can do anywhere with minimal equipment. Grab a pair of dumbbells and a resistance band to get your glutes firing.

  Advertisement
 Try This 20-Minute Hip-Thrust Circuit

Warm-Up Before you start this hip thrust-based workout, run through each of these warm-up exercises for one minute each.

  Advertisement
 1. Good Morning      
        Skill Level
       
        Beginner
      
        Time
       
        1 Min

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Brace your core as you fold forward at the hips, sticking your butt out and keeping your back flat. Stop once your torso is parallel to the floor. Engage your hamstrings and glutes to raise yourself back up to standing.

  Show Instructions
  Tip Keep your back as flat as possible, so that you can feel a stretch through your glutes and hamstrings, Saltos says.

  1. World’s Greatest Stretch
    Skill Level

         Beginner

     Time

     1 Min

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and fold over to plant your hands on the ground. Slowly walk your hands forward while keeping your legs straight until you’re in a high plank with your shoulders over your wrists. Step your right foot to the outside of your right hand so you’re in a runner’s lunge. Twist to your right side, reaching your right arm toward the ceiling and opening your chest. Bring your right elbow to the inside of your right foot, then reach your right arm toward the ceiling again. Return to a high plank, then switch sides.

  Show Instructions
  Related Reading This 60-Second Stretch Opens Your Hips While Relieving Neck and Back Tension

Circuit 1 Repeat this circuit for 3 rounds total, moving from one exercise to the next. Rest about 30 to 45 seconds after each round — but feel free to take longer pauses if necessary.

  Advertisement
 1. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift      
        Skill Level
       
        Beginner
      
        Reps
       
        12

Stand with feet about hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs. With a slight bend in your knees and a flat back, push your hips back, lowering the weights down along your legs until you feel tension in your hamstrings. Keep your shoulders back and down to engage your lats and brace your core. Pressing your feet into the ground, stand up to lift the weights, squeezing your glutes at the top.

  Show Instructions
  2. Dumbbell Hip Thrust      
        Skill Level
       
        Beginner
      
        Reps
       
        15

Lie on the ground with your back against the floor. Place your feet on the floor hip-width apart. Your feet can be slightly turned out, depending on what feels comfortable for you. Place a dumbbell horizontally across your hips. Squeeze your glutes and push through your heels to raise your hips and the weight up toward the ceiling. Lock your hips out at the top of the movement by fully extending the hips and squeezing your glutes. Pause, then slowly lower your hips down to the floor.

  Show Instructions
  Tip As you do your hip thrusts, you can also place a cushion or towel between the weight and your pelvis for extra comfort.

  1. Glute Bridge March
    Skill Level

         Beginner

     Reps

     20

Begin lying face-up with your feet flat on the floor, knees pointing up. Press into your heels to raise your hips up toward the ceiling until you form a line from knees to hips to shoulders. Raise your right foot a few inches off of the floor. Lower it back to the floor. Raise your left foot a few inches up. Set it back down. Alternate back and forth between legs until you get 10 reps on each leg.

  Show Instructions
  Booty Burn Finisher

Do this finisher for 2 rounds total, taking as little rest as possible between rounds (aim for 20 seconds but take longer if needed).

  1. Banded Hip Thrust
    Skill Level

         Intermediate

     Reps

     30

Lie on the ground with your back against the floor. Place your feet on the floor hip-width apart. Your feet can be slightly turned out, depending on what feels comfortable for you. Place a resistance band above your knees and put tension on the band by pressing your knees slightly apart. Squeeze your glutes and push through your heels to raise your hips toward the ceiling. Lock your hips out at the top by fully extending your hips and squeezing your glutes. Pause, then slowly lower your hips back down to the floor.

  Show Instructions
  2. Banded Hip Abduction      
        Skill Level
       
        Intermediate
      
        Reps
       
        30

Loop a resistance band just above your knees. Sit with your hands at your sides, knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Keeping your hips and feet on floor, spread your knees as wide as possible. Pause, feeling the tension of the band, then press them back together. Continue moving your knees in and out for 30 reps.

  Show Instructions
  3. Static Bridge Abduction      
        Skill Level
       
        Intermediate
      
        Reps
       
        30

Loop a resistance band just above your knees. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor hip-width apart. Raise your hips up toward the ceiling and hold here throughout the exercise. Spread your knees apart and pause for a moment. Bring your knees back to the starting position. Continue moving your knees in and out for 30 reps.

  Show Instructions
  
  Advertisement
 
  Advertisement
     






Glute bridges are a thrust-based exercise that's perfect for strengthening the muscles in your lower body.

Image Credit: bojanstory/E+/GettyImages

Image Credit: bojanstory/E+/GettyImages

        Skill Level
       
        Beginner
      
        Time
       
        1 Min

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Brace your core as you fold forward at the hips, sticking your butt out and keeping your back flat. Stop once your torso is parallel to the floor. Engage your hamstrings and glutes to raise yourself back up to standing.

  Show Instructions
  


        Skill Level
       
        Beginner
      
        Time
       
        1 Min

Keep your back as flat as possible, so that you can feel a stretch through your glutes and hamstrings, Saltos says.

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and fold over to plant your hands on the ground. Slowly walk your hands forward while keeping your legs straight until you’re in a high plank with your shoulders over your wrists. Step your right foot to the outside of your right hand so you’re in a runner’s lunge. Twist to your right side, reaching your right arm toward the ceiling and opening your chest. Bring your right elbow to the inside of your right foot, then reach your right arm toward the ceiling again. Return to a high plank, then switch sides.

  Show Instructions

This 60-Second Stretch Opens Your Hips While Relieving Neck and Back Tension

        Skill Level
       
        Beginner
      
        Reps
       
        12

Stand with feet about hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs. With a slight bend in your knees and a flat back, push your hips back, lowering the weights down along your legs until you feel tension in your hamstrings. Keep your shoulders back and down to engage your lats and brace your core. Pressing your feet into the ground, stand up to lift the weights, squeezing your glutes at the top.

  Show Instructions
  


        Skill Level
       
        Beginner
      
        Reps
       
        12
      


        Skill Level
       
        Beginner
      
        Reps
       
        15

Lie on the ground with your back against the floor. Place your feet on the floor hip-width apart. Your feet can be slightly turned out, depending on what feels comfortable for you. Place a dumbbell horizontally across your hips. Squeeze your glutes and push through your heels to raise your hips and the weight up toward the ceiling. Lock your hips out at the top of the movement by fully extending the hips and squeezing your glutes. Pause, then slowly lower your hips down to the floor.

  Show Instructions
  


        Skill Level
       
        Beginner
      
        Reps
       
        15

As you do your hip thrusts, you can also place a cushion or towel between the weight and your pelvis for extra comfort.

        Skill Level
       
        Beginner
      
        Reps
       
        20

Begin lying face-up with your feet flat on the floor, knees pointing up. Press into your heels to raise your hips up toward the ceiling until you form a line from knees to hips to shoulders. Raise your right foot a few inches off of the floor. Lower it back to the floor. Raise your left foot a few inches up. Set it back down. Alternate back and forth between legs until you get 10 reps on each leg.

  Show Instructions
  


        Skill Level
       
        Beginner
      
        Reps
       
        20
      


        Skill Level
       
        Intermediate
      
        Reps
       
        30

Lie on the ground with your back against the floor. Place your feet on the floor hip-width apart. Your feet can be slightly turned out, depending on what feels comfortable for you. Place a resistance band above your knees and put tension on the band by pressing your knees slightly apart. Squeeze your glutes and push through your heels to raise your hips toward the ceiling. Lock your hips out at the top by fully extending your hips and squeezing your glutes. Pause, then slowly lower your hips back down to the floor.

  Show Instructions
  


        Skill Level
       
        Intermediate
      
        Reps
       
        30

Loop a resistance band just above your knees. Sit with your hands at your sides, knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Keeping your hips and feet on floor, spread your knees as wide as possible. Pause, feeling the tension of the band, then press them back together. Continue moving your knees in and out for 30 reps.

  Show Instructions

Loop a resistance band just above your knees. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor hip-width apart. Raise your hips up toward the ceiling and hold here throughout the exercise. Spread your knees apart and pause for a moment. Bring your knees back to the starting position. Continue moving your knees in and out for 30 reps.

  Show Instructions