Move of the day: Glute bridge on stability ball

What it works...

This power exercise is great for shaping and firming your glutes, as well as strengthening your core and hips for improved stabilisation. This takes a lot of strain off your lower back and can help you improve your performance in any number of physical activities.

Starting

Lie on your back, on a mat. Place your heels on the top of a stability ball. Maintain a small gap between your feet. Rest your arms on the floor with your palms facing down and flat on the floor. Push through your heels and contract your abdominal and core muscles to lift your lower back and glutes off the floor slightly. This is the starting position.

The movement

Roll the ball in slightly and push through your heels and feet to raise your hips off the floor. Press up until your hip joint is fully extended and your torso and legs form a straight line with each other. Forcefully contract the glutes hard at the top of the movement with as little hamstring involvement as possible. Pause for two seconds at the top of the movement, then return to the starting position.

TIP: Avoid hyperextending and arching your back by pushing your hips too high.

Progression 1: To increase the difficulty of the exercise move your feet closer together on the stability ball.
Progression 2: To make the exercise more challenging place your hands on your chest and only keep your elbows on the floor for stability.
Progression 3: Perform the exercise with one leg, by raising one leg off the ball toward the ceiling.
Progression 4: Glute bridge march – At the top of the double leg glute bridge movement brace your abs and lift your right knee toward your chest. Perform on the other side for the following rep.

Muscles targeted

Primary - Glutes
Secondary (synergists and stabilisers) – Core muscles of the abdominal (obliques, rectus abdominis,
iliopsoas) and lower back (erector spinae) regions, hip flexors (tensor fasciae latae and pectineus), the upper legs (quadriceps) and adductors.