Building a Better Bridge

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Using bridge exercises? Want to make it more effective? Here's one simple way: bend the weight bearing knee to 135 degrees rather than the traditional 90. It preferentially activates the g max and med more (relatively, compared to the hamstring ; the actual values for the max and med remained similar) and the hamstring significantly less (24% vs 75%)

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CONCLUSION:

"Modifying the traditional single-leg bridge by flexing the active knee to 135 ° instead of 90 ° minimizes hamstring activity while maintaining high levels of gluteal activation, effectively building a bridge better suited for preferential gluteal activation.

 

Lehecka BJ, Edwards M, Haverkamp R, et al. BUILDING A BETTER GLUTEAL BRIDGE: ELECTROMYOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF HIP MUSCLE ACTIVITY DURING MODIFIED SINGLE-LEG BRIDGES. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. 2017;12(4):543-549.

link to free full text: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5534144/