The 21-Day Bodyweight Fitness Plan: Bench Bridge Series

Welcome back to the 21-Day Bodyweight Fitness Plan, your spark that will ignite a fitness habit. No equipment is needed, and there’s no guess work about what you should do on a given day. Just follow the plan outlined below for each day of the week for 21 consecutive days, and enjoy the progress as you discover the edge you’ve been looking for and your fitness habit grows.

Benefits: The bench bridge series will help you to develop your booty. It’ll make your backside look good, but strong hips and glutes are necessary for all locomotor-based activities.

How to modify: If this version of the bridge is hard to complete with perfect form or triggers any areas of pain, try a basic bridge with your shoulders flat on the ground, and work up from there.

Note: This exercise is demonstrated using an exercise bench. If you don’t have one at home, use a chair (without arms) or a sofa for support.

How to:

1. Start seated with your shoulder blades resting on the edge of a couch or bench and feet shoulder-width apart
2. Push your hips toward the ceiling until your butt is perfectly parallel to the floor
3. Slowly lower hips to the floor and repeat 14 more times
4. Complete 2 more sets.

How to:

1. Start seated with your shoulder blades resting on the edge of a couch or bench and feet together
2. Push your hips toward the ceiling until your butt is perfectly parallel to the floor
3. Raise one knee toward your chest
4. Lower yourself down with the other leg
5. Press back up with both feet on the ground and repeat 9 times
6. Complete 2 more sets.

How to:

1. Start seated with your shoulder blades resting on the edge of a couch or bench and feet together
2. Push your hips toward the ceiling until your butt is perfectly parallel to the floor
3. Raise one knee towards your chest
4. Lower yourself down with the other leg
5. Explosively push your hips away from the floor—your foot should leave the floor as if jumping
6. Land and repeat quickly 9 times
7. Complete 2 more sets.

Complete this support move between each set of bench bridges.

How to:

1. Start in an all-fours position
2. Straighten one knee behind you with toes still touching the ground
3. Cross the other leg up and under the straight leg knee
4. Set the straight leg knee back down to the floor
5. Sit down and back into the bent leg hip and hold for 45 seconds. Switch sides and hold for 45 seconds on the other side.

This exercise will help you to improve limited hip mobility.