Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Glute Bridge March: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The glute bridge march is a bodyweight exercise that targets the glutes while also engaging the hamstrings and quadriceps. It involves holding a glute bridge position and alternately lifting each knee towards the chest in a marching motion, challenging hip stability and core strength.

Primary muscles
Glutes
Secondary muscles
Hamstrings , Quads
Equipment
Body Weight
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the glute bridge march
Front view: muscles worked by the glute bridge march. Primary: glutes. Secondary: hamstrings and quads.
Back view: muscles worked by the glute bridge march. Primary: glutes. Secondary: hamstrings and quads.
Primary Secondary

How to do the glute bridge march

  1. Step 1: Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
  2. Step 2: Engage your glutes and lift your hips off the ground, forming a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
  3. Step 3: While keeping your hips lifted, lift one foot off the ground and bring your knee towards your chest.
  4. Step 4: Lower your foot back to the ground and repeat the movement with the other leg.
  5. Step 5: Continue alternating legs in a marching motion while maintaining the bridge position.
  6. Step 6: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the glute bridge march by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Glute Bridge March alternatives

More exercises that train the glutes as their main target:

More glutes exercises

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.