Legs
Elevated Hamstring Bridge
A hamstring bridge with your heels up on a bench or step. Raising your feet lets your hips travel farther, so the backs of your legs work through a bigger range than on the floor.
- Works
- Hamstrings, glutes, core
- Equipment
- One dumbbell and a bench, box or step
- Load
- Medium
How to do it
- 1Lie on your back with your heels on a bench or step and a dumbbell resting across your hips, held with both hands.
- 2Scoot your hips away from the bench until your knees are only softly bent.
- 3Press your heels down and lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from shoulders to knees.
- 4Lower until your hips are just above the floor, then lift again without resting.
Cues
- Press your heels down into the bench, not your toes.
- Constant tension: hover your hips just above the floor, then go again, so your hamstrings never rest.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top so your lower back stays out of it.
Common mistakes
- A bench that slides. Push it against a wall, or use something heavy that won't move when you press into it.
- Knees bent too much. That turns it back into a glute bridge. Slide farther from the bench until your knees are only softly bent.
- Arching up too high. Stop when your hips line up with your shoulders and knees. Going past that puts it in your lower back.
Easier
Tiff's version skips the dumbbell. You can also keep your heels on the floor.
Harder
Use a slightly higher bench for more range, or pause for 2 seconds at the top.
Try it: 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps, or 30 seconds on and 30 off.
Do elevated bridges work your hamstrings?
Yes. With your heels up and your knees only softly bent, your hamstrings do a lot of the lifting. Bend your knees more and the work shifts back toward your glutes.
