If one of your goals for 2022 is to sculpt and sculpt your glutes, you may not achieve it by spending hours on the squat challenge. Squats are great for strengthening the entire lower body, but they primarily target the quads, so if you really want to target the glutes, it might be a good idea to expand your exercise mat and add glute bridges to your routine. (Looking for a new exercise mat? If you're looking for a new exercise mat, here's a great selection of the best yoga mats.)

The gluteus maximus bridge targets all three muscles: gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. Like squats, it also works the backs of the legs, so the hamstrings also feel the burn, and the core and adductor muscles are also worked. For first-time exercisers or those just returning to fitness, glute bridges are a great way to learn what the gym instructor means when he or she says, "Work the glutes." The glute bridge is also one of the best exercises for people who sit all day.

But how do you perform glute bridges to see results, and how should you progress your movements to single-leg glute bridges or glute bridges with weights or resistance bands? Here is everything you need to know to add this exercise to your home workout routine.

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To perform glute bridges with proper form, first lie on your back on an exercise mat and press your feet into the floor about hip-width apart. Engage your core (imagine your navel sucking into your spine) and squeeze your glutes as you lift your hips and pelvis into the air. At the top, engage the glutes and slowly bring the hips back to the starting position. This is one rep. For a harder weighted glute bridge, raise the arms to the sky.

The single-leg glute bridge is the same as the standard weighted glute bridge, but this time only one leg is on the floor, making the exercise more difficult. To perform the single-leg glute bridge, place the left foot on the floor and raise the right foot at a 45-degree angle. Keep the hips horizontal by engaging the glutes as you raise. Concentrate on keeping a straight line from the outstretched leg through the hip joint to the head.

With the addition of weights, the glute bridge looks very similar to the hip thrust, with one important difference. In hip thrusts, the back is usually on the bench, but in glute bridges, the back is on the floor. Using dumbbells or a bar, place weights over the hip bones. Push up, pausing at the top and lowering down to the starting position, while keeping pressure on the glutes. Make sure the entire exercise is slow and controlled.

Another way to increase the intensity of your gluteal bridges once you have mastered the body weight version is to add a looped resistance band. Resistance bands add extra resistance to the movement and make your gluteal muscles work harder. To do resistance band buttock bridges, apply the looped resistance band on your knees and push your thighs out against the band as you raise your hips off the mat. If you don't have a looped band, you can also use a longer Theraband and tie it around your leg, just make sure the resistance band is not actually on your knee.

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The last glute bridge variation to add to your workout is the glute bridge over a medicine ball, stability ball, or Pilates ball. Dip your heels into the ball to prevent it from moving. Continue to push the ball while performing glute bridges.

Alternatively, if using a Pilates ball, the glute bridge may be performed while placing the ball between the knees. If using a Pilates ball, a Pilates ball may also be placed between the knees while performing glute bridges.