The Secret To Glute Activation & Strengthening

  

Got Glutes?

Yes, we all have Gluteal muscles, but (pun intended) are we training them correctly and to their fullest potential?

 The Glutes have the potential to be the largest and strongest muscle in our body if you can learn to activate them.  You can squat, lunge, and deadlift your heart out, but if your not activating your glutes when doing so, then your backside is getting ripped off!

I like to start my clients with "glute activation/strengthening" exercises; this exercise targets all four of the Gluteal muscles: maximi, medii, minimi, and TFL (not pictured above).  Why do we need to activate our Glutes?  Well, because they are more then likely suffering from "Glute Amnesia", and we need to wake up.  When we learn to wake up our Glutes through activation exercises this allows us to be able to recruit them when performing targeted, smaller movements.  Nothing makes my glutes burn and seize up more then clamshells and the other activating exercises listed below... Who would have thought, right?  And with the proper training of Glute activation and strengthening, you will be able to transfer that "burn" over to larger movements, such as squats.

With the help of my 7yr. old son I have displayed some pictures to go along with my favorite glute activation exercises.  The pictures may be a bit blurred, but I was grateful for his help as he was eager to do so.

1. The static hip flexor stretch.

(Opens up the hips... A great stretch to perform daily, especially for those who sit at a desk all day).

Hold each stretch for 30 seconds each, alternating sides 3-5times.  Make sure forward knee does not extend over the toe, trying to keep it in line with the ankle.

2. Clamshells

Lie on your side on the floor, with your hips and knees bent 45 degrees.  Your right leg should be on top of your left leg, and your heels together.  Keeping your feet in contact with each other, raise your right knee as high as you can with moving your pelvis.  Pause and contract your glute, then return to the starting position.  Don't allow your left leg to move off the floor, or your hips to rotate back.

3. Quadruped

Get on all fours on the floor and extend on leg up towards the ceiling keeping a 90 degree bend in the knee and foot flexed.  Draw your naval in to support your lumbar spine.  In a small movement, push your heel to the ceiling, being careful not to push too high and compromise your lower back.  Be sure to keep a 90 degree bend in your knee to ensure your hamstrings stay out of the movement as much as possible.

4.  Bridging or hip raises

Lie in a supine position with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.  Raise your hips so your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.  Pause, contracting your glutes for 5 seconds in the up position, then lower your body back to the starting position.

5. Side-lying abductor raises

Lie on your side on the floor.  I prefer and recommend for you to internally rotate your hip so that your top knee and toe point down towards the leg on the floor (this is your starting position).  Holding that starting position, exhale as you raise your leg as high as you can without moving any other part of your body.  You may increase this movement's intensity by adding resistance bands around your ankles.... That will send your Glutes blazing!!!

Below are two other variations of a side-lying leg raise that I train myself and clients to do along with the one above.

1. Lie on your side with the your leg extended out in front of your with the knee and toe still pointing down (this is the start position).  Then holding your form, raise the leg up so that your hips align, pause and contract the glute for 5 seconds, and return to the start position.

2. Lie on your side with your leg extended behind the leg on the floor (you will need to move the non-working leg forward a bit to get into the position).  Keeping your knee and toe pointing down as pictured (this is the start position).  Holding your form, raise the leg up as high as you can without moving the rest of your body.  Pause and contract your glute for 5 seconds (if you can... ouch), then return to the start position.

If you'd like to intensify the abductor raises with resistance bands please do so; and give this a try:

do 3 sets of 10 reps of each movement.  And on the 10th rep pause and hold for 10 seconds, then pulse it out for 10 seconds!  It would be as this....

1. Side-lying leg raises 10 reps/10pulse reps/3x on each leg.

2.  Side-lying leg raises with leg extended in front 10 reps/10pulse reps/3x on each leg.

3.  Side-lying leg raises with leg behind 10 reps/10 pulse reps/ 3x on each leg.

Your Glutes will thank me for it when the soreness subsides in a few days!!!!

So there you have it... The secret to Glute activation and strengthening success.  Incorporating these movements into your training routines 3-4 times per week will not only wake your booty up, but you will find that you can ignite your glutes like never before when you perform squats, lunges, deadlifts, reverse hypers, etc.. Are you excited to get started?  I'm excited for you!  

Work Hard... Never Quit... Love2LiveFit