Glute Activation
If you had to guess what most people, included active people, use their glutes for, what would it be? You got it! Sitting!!
Glute activation is just simply waking up and loosening our tired muscles that get tight during our day to day routines, most of which require sitting at a desk.
Targets- Glute Medius (muscle at the side of the hip)
How to perform the exercise:
Lying on your side, keep the heels together and the hips stacked one on top of the other. Make sure your heels, hips and shoulders form a straight line.
Lift the top leg 3 – 4 inches while maintaining that contact of the ankles. Try to make sure that your hips are not rotating. If your hips rotate or move, try lessening the range of motion.
Movement should be slow and controlled throughout.
Try 10 repetitions in a row, switch sides, then repeat.
Targets- Gluteus Maximus (the largest of your three glute muscles, and the bulk of your booty)
How to perform the exercise:
Begin in a tabletop on your hands and knees, with your abdominal muscles drawn in toward your spine.
Lift one leg up behind you while keeping your knee bent, and raise your leg until it is in line with your body and your flexed foot is parallel to the ceiling.
Repeat 10 times on each leg.
Targets- Glute Medius (important for balance)
How to perform the exercise:
Start in a tabletop position with your wrists stacked directly under your shoulders and hips over your knees. Keep a straight line from the crown of your head to your tail bone
Keep your belly button drawn in toward your spine, back flat, and your right leg bent at 90 degrees. Lift your leg out to your right side, stopping at hip height.
Return to start. Repeat 10 times on each leg.
Targets- primary mover for the exercise is the gluteus maximus, however it does fire up your gluteus medius and gluteus minimus to help stabilize your hips during the movement.
To perform the exercise:
Lie flat on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor.
Think of pressing both feet into the floor as you squeeze your glutes, raising your hips until your body is in a straight line from shoulders to knees.
You want to make sure all of the weight is pressing through your feet and you don't feel any pressure in your neck.
Repeat 12 times.
Targets- Hip abductors, gluteus medius
How to perform the exercise:
Position your feet shoulder-width apart.
Bend your knees slightly and move into a half-squat position to activate the gluteus medius.
Keep your feet in line with your shoulders and face forward with your body weight evenly distributed over both feet.
Maintaining the half-squat position, take smalls steps to the right and then repeat on the left side.
10 steps each side.
Weak Glutes
Weak glutes can lead to poor posture, trouble with balance, and low back pain.
Also, if you train a lot and your glutes are not firing properly then you can become "quad dominate", meaning the front of your thighs take over and they become overworked and tight.
Having strong glutes is not just about having a perky booty. It will also help you generate power in other movements such as running, swinging a golf club, and squatting. So, if you are looking to PR at the squat rack or run your best race yet, start with these simple exercises to get those glutes fired up and that booty working.
