Let’s grow your glutes at home with these 3 easy exercises!
Before exercising and training legs, it is very important to learn how to warm them up properly!
We have so many small muscles in our legs that often get neglected but are responsible for so much of our stability. So for today, we will show you some of our favourite activation exercises!
All you need is a band – the thicker the resistance band, the harder the exercise will feel. Make sure you adjust your band to what you can tolerate and increase the resistance as you are able. Glute activation exercises can help you prior to squatting, deadlifting, leg pressing and even lunges! You can also do them when you are not looking to do a big workout too- these are great on-the-go exercises for you to do or for those who are often super busy!
Hi! it’s Lisa from Primal Physiotherapy.
I am a clinical educator.
Exercise #1 – Crab walks
This is such a common exercise to do and is often done incorrectly or for the wrong reason. This exercise helps to activate the external rotators of the hip such as glute medius. Glute medius has a major role in stability and also external rotation strength. Crab walks are best done with a slow pace to help control the motion. The lower the band is, the harder the exercise is as well – this is because you need to control more leverage. Gauge and see how much resistance you are after. You should be able to do the exercise with good control and not just after speed.
Step 1. Grab the band and pop it around your ankles
Another option is you can put it around your knees but the lower the band the harder the exercise will be.
Step 2. Feet are night and straight, Knees are in line with our feet
Step 3. Make sure your knees are in line where your feet are pointing
Step 4. Take one step out with the foot and half a step in with the other foot.
Step 5. Take 10 steps and then repeat it the other way.
Exercise #2 – Hit Extension
This exercise will work the muscles responsible for hip extension (moving your leg backwards). We need to make sure that we are moving with the hip and not the spine. This exercise works a muscle called your glute maximus as well as working a part of your hamstring, biceps femoris. You can keep your back straight by trying to hold onto something for balance. Work through the movement slowly and concentrate on the muscle contraction.
Step 1. Place your hand on a platform that provides stability. (bar, wall or table)
Place the band around your ankles and hands-on bar.
Step 2. Soften both knees
Step 3. Extend through one leg with a straight knee and back to start position
Step 4. Repeat 10 on each side.
Exercise #3 – Hip Abduction
This word will work the outside muscles of your glutes and focuses on the motion called hip abduction. The exercise can be made harder by using a harder band and doing the exercise slower. Make sure you are sitting up tall and tensing gently through your core to keep your back stable. Slowly move your knees out and then back into that original position.
Step 1. Place band around knees & sit up nice and straight
Step 2. Open up your knees against the band and back to your original position
Step 3. Repeat 10 times
Primal Physiotherapy has a team of professional sports physiotherapists and musculoskeletal physiotherapists that can properly assess your pain and where it is coming from. We use this information to develop a tailored treatment plan that can help get you back to your goals – whatever they may be!
Primal Physiotherapy Braybrook
10/227 Ballarat Rd Braybrook VIC 3019
(03) 9995 8044
https://primalphysiotherapy.com.au/braybrook
Primal Physiotherapy Taylors Hill
127 Gourlay Rd Taylors Hill VIC 3037
(03) 8315 7182
https://primalphysiotherapy.com.au/taylors-hill
Primal Physiotherapy Camberwell
782 Burke Rd Camberwell VIC 3124
(03) 9973 3090
https://primalphysiotherapy.com.au/camberwell