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Rear Decline Bridge animation

How to do the Rear Decline Bridge

CoreAbsBodyweightIntermediate

The rear decline bridge challenges your abs to stabilize and extend against gravity in a way flat-ground work simply cannot replicate. Master this movement and you build the kind of deep core strength that transfers directly to athleticism and posture.

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Muscles worked

Primary
AbdominalsObliques
Secondary
Hip flexorsLower back

Step-by-step

  1. Sit on the edge of a decline bench facing away, then walk your hands back and plant them firmly behind you on the bench with fingers pointing toward your body.
  2. Extend your legs out in front of you and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from heels to shoulders.
  3. Brace your abs hard, squeeze your glutes, and hold this rigid plank position without letting your hips sag or pike.
  4. Lower with control back to the start, maintaining tension throughout the entire range of motion.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hips sag toward the floor, which dumps load onto the lower back instead of the abs. Fix this by consciously driving your hips up and squeezing your glutes throughout the hold.
  • Holding your breath during the hold, which spikes internal pressure and reduces core control. Fix this by exhaling slowly and steadily while keeping your brace tight.
  • Placing hands too far behind the body, which stresses the wrists and shoulders instead of loading the core. Fix this by positioning hands directly below your shoulders at the bench edge.

Pro tip — As you hold the bridge, actively try to pull your heels toward your hands along the floor without actually moving them. This co-contraction of the hamstrings dramatically increases total core tension and turns a static hold into a full-chain stability drill.

Sets & reps by goal

Build muscle3–4 sets × 6–10 reps
Get stronger4–5 sets × 3–6 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 10–12 reps

Rest: 2–3 min between sets (60–90s on lighter days).

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