The kas glute bridge has been making its way around the fitness industry as the "ultimate glute-building and strengthening exercise". Not to be confused with the standard glute bridge or hip thrust, the kas glute bridge puts much more of a stress and emphasis on strictly the glute muscles. If you want to improve glute strength the kas glute bridge is an awesome exercise to add to your program.
Why The Kas Glute Bridge?
It's not a secret that squats and deadlifts can get old very fast (and risk lower back pain). While both of the exercises work the glute muscles, that is not the main focus of the lift. The kas glute bridge is such an elite glute movement because of how it isolates the glute muscles unlike any other exercise. The kas glute bridge is different from the regular glute bridge primarily on position setup. Being on an elevated surface such as a bench or box allows you to target your glutes more effectively. The position of the exercises tied in with the slow and controlled tempo is what makes the kas glute bridge so beneficial for building glute muscle and strength.
Kas Glute Bridge - How To Guide:
1. To set up the kas glute bridge exercise, have the middle of your shoulder blades resting against a bench or box with your feet placed slightly wider than hip-width apart. If you decide to use weight, put a barbell or dumbbell in the crease of your hips and hold it there with both hands.
2. To begin the kas glute bridge exercise, slowly lower your hips by two to three inches while maintaining a flat lower back and strong knees while also engaging your glutes.
3. Once at the bottom of the movement, drive through your heels and raise the barbell to the ceiling by extending your hips to return to the starting position while maintaining good posture. Your body should create a straight line from the shoulders to the knees, with the knees aligned with the heels and bent at 90-degree angles.
4. Return to the beginning posture by continuing to lift the hips until the body is in a straight line from the shoulders to the knees.
Kas Glute Bridge - Muscles Worked: Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Medius, Gluteus Minimus.
Kas Glute Bridge vs Hip Thrusts:
A common comparison to the kas glute bridge is the hip thrust exercise. The main differences between the two movements in the time under tension and the intention behind the exercise. The kas glute bridge is a slow and controlled exercise intended for building muscle and strength. The hip thrust exercise on the other hand is intended for fast activation and explosiveness. Both exercises work the same muscles, however, they have many different results. Check out the hip thrust visual below and see how it differs from the one above.
Kas Glute Bridge - Pain Relief:
Developing tight and sore glutes are very common in today's world. Whether that be from sitting all day or overworking your glutes from the kas glute bridge exercise, you need to break up your tight tissue and tension if you want to be pain-free.
To rid the muscle of painful trigger points and find relief, you must apply targeted deep-tissue massage to the muscle. A deep, soothing deep tissue massage will release glute pain of its constant muscle tension and allow it to exist as a normal, non-pain-inducing muscle. A great tool for this is the QL Claw.
[1] Donnelly, Joseph M. Travell, Simons & Simons Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: the Trigger Point Manual. 3rd ed., Wolters Kluwer Health, 2019.
[2] Davies, Clair, and Amber Davies. The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief. 3rd ed., New Harbinger Publications, Inc., 2013.