Hinge / Posterior Chain

Band Glute Bridge

Glute maxgluteus mediushamstrings Strength/neural
i.

How to Do It

On your back, knees bent, feet flat, mini-band above the knees. Press the knees outward against the band. Drive through the heels to lift the hips into a straight line, squeezing the glutes at the top while maintaining outward knee pressure. Pause, then lower under control.

ii.

Why It Works

Adds an abduction demand to the bridge, recruiting the gluteus medius alongside the glute max so the hips extend while resisting knee collapse — training hip extension and frontal-plane stability simultaneously.

iii.

Hockey Transfer

Builds the combined hip extension and abduction control used to push off and hold edges; keeping the knees driving out under load trains the valgus resistance that protects the knee on crossovers and turns.

iv.

Coaching Cues

  • "Knees press out the whole time"
  • "heels down, squeeze the glutes"
  • "ribs down, don’t arch"
v.

Common Mistakes

Knees caving in (losing tension); over-arching the low back; pushing through the toes

vi.

Progression / Regression

Progression

single-leg banded bridge or hip load

Regression

lighter band or no band

vii.

Primary Muscles

Glute maxgluteus mediushamstrings
viii.

Energy System

Strength/neural

Ready to train?

Put it to work
on the ice.

This exercise is part of a fully periodized 12-week off-ice program — built by a sport scientist who coaches at the national level.

← Back to Exercise Library