Bridge

How to do it

Lie on your back with the knees bent and the feet flat on the floor, heels close enough to the hips that you can almost touch them with your fingertips. Arms rest along the sides. Press into both feet — especially the heels — to lift the hips up into a straight line from knees to shoulders. Squeeze the glutes. Hold and breathe steadily.

Why it's good for runners

This is one of the most useful active poses in the catalog for a runner. Bridge trains glute activation — the same hip extension your body uses every time your foot pushes off the ground. Most runners have glutes that are technically strong but lazy to fire; Bridge as a hold or as repeated reps teaches them to switch on quickly. That carries over directly into a stronger push-off on every stride.

Common mistakes

Don't push the hips higher by arching the lower back — the lift comes from the glutes, not the lumbar. If you feel it in the low back, your feet are probably too far from your hips; pull them in closer. And don't let the knees splay outward; they stay tracking over the feet.