Straight Bridges form#1674

Should I feel my lower back and glutes aching after doing these bridges? And are they supposed to suck this much haha compared to glute bridges..I mean i try to squeeze everything while at the top keeping core and glutes tight

Hey. This is Chrys, one of the trainers at Hybrid.

Yeah, a little bit of lower-back fatigue is normal on bridges, but you shouldn’t feel sharp pain or a deep ache like something’s being stressed wrong. Bridges hit your entire posterior chain, so your glutes, hamstrings, and the muscles around your lower back all pitch in to hold that top position.

That said, if your lower back is working more than your glutes, it usually means your hips are drifting too high or your core isn’t braced enough. Try keeping your ribs down, squeeze your glutes first before lifting, and stop the rep at the point where you feel your glutes doing the majority of the work, not your back.

And yes, they do suck more than glute bridges at first. They demand more control and stability, not just raw squeezing. Once you dial in that tight core + controlled lift, they stop feeling like a lower-back fight and start feeling like pure glute work.