Prone Neck Bridge
- Primary muscleLevator Scapulae
- EquipmentBodyweight
- DifficultyAdvanced
- TypeCompound · Hip-dominant
- Secondary muscles
- Traps, Upper Back, Abs
- Body part
- Neck
- Position
- Prone
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Strength
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A controlled way to load the neck directly: from a piked position with your forehead on a thick pad, small weight shifts train the deep neck muscles isometrically. This is advanced work with a strict prerequisite of a tucked chin and tiny shifts, and the hands stay down to assist every rep. Progress by time, not range.
How to do the Prone Neck Bridge
- Place a thick pad on the floor; kneel with toes tucked, hands under shoulders, and forehead on the pad.
- Gently tuck the chin to create a long neck and brace your abs.
- Press into your forehead and toes to lift the knees slightly, raising the hips into a pike.
- With hands lightly assisting, slowly shift your body forward to load the forehead without collapsing the neck.
- Pause briefly, then shift back to reduce load while maintaining alignment and steady breathing.
- Perform small, pain-free rocks for reps, keeping movements slow and controlled.
- Lower the knees back to the floor to exit the position.
Tip: Push through the heels, drive the knees out slightly and exhale as you squeeze to the top.
Muscles worked
Primary
Levator Scapulae · Back
The neck and upper shoulders hold the head steady on the bench and should stay relaxed, not straining to look up.
Secondary
- Traps
- Upper Back — The upper back braces against the bench and is the pivot point for the whole movement.
- Abs — The abs keep the ribs down and the pelvis tucked so the movement comes from the hips rather than the lower back.
Common mistakes
- Overarching at the top — the finish is a flat line from shoulders to knees with the pelvis tucked; if the lower back arches, you have gone too far.
- Feet placed too far out — shins should be vertical at the top of the rep; if the heels are too far forward the hamstrings take over.
- Chin pointing at the ceiling — keep the chin tucked and the eyes forward so the ribs stay down and the glutes get the squeeze.
- Not pausing at the top — hold the lockout for a full count and squeeze the glutes hard on every rep, since that is the whole point.
Where it fits in a workout
Hip thrusts can be a main lift early in a glute day or an accessory after squats and deadlifts. Superset them with a band abduction or a leg curl.
How many sets, how heavy and how hard: see what the ACSM position stands support.
Variations and alternatives
When to talk to someone
- Chest discomfort, feeling faint or lightheaded, or trouble breathing during or after exercise can be signs of a heart attack. In the US, call 911 right away; elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
- Heart, metabolic or kidney disease, or symptoms like these when you are active: talk to your doctor before you start or step up training.
- Pregnant: ask your obstetric care provider which exercise suits you.
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More exercises
Sources
- ACSM position stand on exercise quantity and quality (Garber et al., 2011)
- ACSM preparticipation health screening (Riebe et al., 2015)
- ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804 on exercise in pregnancy (2020)
- CDC: About Heart Attack Symptoms, Risk, and Recovery (2024)
Sources checked on October 17, 2026. Full citations are in the exercise library.
Animation and exercise data: ExerciseDB, licensed to SetGrip. General information, not medical or coaching advice.