Why should I press with only one arm at a time?

Unilateral pressing forces your core to work harder to prevent your body from rotating, which builds functional stability and identifies strength imbalances between sides.

Is this better than a standard bench press?

It is not necessarily better, but it serves a different purpose by integrating the lower body and core into a traditionally isolated upper-body movement.

What if I feel this more in my lower back than my glutes?

Ensure you are tucking your pelvis slightly and driving through your heels. If your back arches too much, your glutes may not be fully engaged to support the bridge.

Glute Bridge Single-Arm Press Guide

Master the Glute Bridge Single-Arm Press with our step-by-step guide to improve chest strength, glute activation, and core stability.

How to Perform

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, holding a single dumbbell in your right hand.
Drive through your heels to lift your hips toward the ceiling until your body forms a straight line from knees to shoulders.
Squeeze your glutes to maintain a stable bridge and position the dumbbell directly over your shoulder with your palm facing forward.
Lower the dumbbell slowly until your upper arm touches the floor at a forty-five-degree angle from your torso.
Press the weight back to the starting position by contracting your chest while keeping your hips level and stable.
Complete your repetitions on one side before lowering your hips and switching the weight to the left hand.

Common Mistakes

Allowing the hips to sag or rotate toward the weighted side
Flaring the elbow out too wide, which increases stress on the shoulder joint
Arching the lower back excessively instead of engaging the glutes and core
Rushing the tempo and losing control during the eccentric lowering phase

Muscles Worked

Primary movers

Chest

Stabilizers

Glutes
Triceps
Core
Shoulders

Related Guides

Chest · Chest