How Long to Hold

Key Points:

• Hip strength and endurance, particularly in the glutes and pelvic stabilizers, are crucial for maintaining mobility and independence after age 60, as they support everyday functional movements and balance.
• The single-leg bridge exercise isolates one side of the posterior chain, effectively testing the endurance of the glutes, hamstrings, and pelvic stabilizers without requiring equipment or much space.
• Holding a controlled single-leg bridge for around 30 seconds per side after 60 is considered a strong indicator of hip and posterior chain endurance, although exact age-specific percentile rankings are not established by research.
• Proper form during the single-leg bridge is essential; the hold should end when form deteriorates, such as hips dropping or drifting, rather than simply reaching a target time.
• Research shows greater hip abductor strength reduces fall risk in older adults, making the single-leg bridge a valuable test for assessing and improving hip strength crucial for functional mobility and fall prevention.