Butterfly bridge

Who it's for

Glutes with the hips turned out, which is the position a drop knee or a wide high step asks for. It's strength work disguised as a mobility drill.

Any climber can start it, including someone in their first year. It's most useful if your knees won't go wide on a high step, or if one hip feels weaker when you turn it out. If your lower back or hip hurts lying in this position, skip it and get a physio to look at it.

Common mistakes

• Pushing through the lower back. Squeeze the glutes at the top, don't arch.
• Knees drifting together. Keep them out to the sides throughout.
• Skipping the two-second squeeze. That's where the work is.
• Dropping down fast. Lower slowly all the way to the floor. The way down keeps the glutes working in the turned-out position.
• Feet too far from the hips. Keep the soles together close to your body. Feet far away turn it into a hamstring exercise.

How to progress

Add reps, then slow the lowering down, then put a light weight across your hips. Three sets of twelve is a solid week's worth.

How to make it easier

Separate the feet a little so the knees don't have to fall as far out, and lift only part of the way at first. You can also press your hands into the floor beside you for balance. Keep the two-second squeeze even on a smaller lift.

Where it fits in your week

It fits a Base, Endurance or deload period. Do it on a rest day, after climbing, or as part of a warm-up before a session with lots of drop knees and wide high steps. It pairs well with the butterfly stretch and 90/90 work, which open the same hip range it strengthens.

Questions

What does a butterfly bridge work?

A butterfly bridge works the glutes with your hips turned out, which is the same position a drop knee or a wide high step puts you in. The soles together and knees out keep the hips in that rotation as you lift. It also strengthens the range your hips can reach, which helps it stick.

Is a butterfly bridge the same as a frog pump?

A butterfly bridge and a frog pump look almost the same. Both have the soles together and the knees out, and both lift the hips to squeeze the glutes. Here the focus is on a slow lift, a two-second squeeze at the top and a slow lowering, with three sets of twelve.

How often should you do butterfly bridges?

Do butterfly bridges two or three times a week. They're low intensity, so they recover quickly and fit easily on a rest day or after a session. Three sets of twelve each time is enough, and once that feels easy, slow the lowering down or add a light weight across your hips.