One thing that I try to do after my kids head off to school is to go for a morning walk.
It is easy to enjoy morning walks in the summertime, but I am starting to enjoy walking in the morning during winter as well.
I hope you make sure that you spend some time outside every day, no matter what season it is.
Today, I have some exercises that you can do to help fire up your glutes as you head back inside the house after your morning walks.
Enjoy!
CLICK HERE to watch the YouTube video.
I got Jenna to demonstrate the exercises.
#1 – Single-leg Glute Bridge
Lie flat on the floor with your knees bent and your feet about hip-width apart. Place your hands to your sides, relax your upper body and tighten your abdominal area. Straighten out your left leg, push through your right heel, lift your hips up and then lower back down. Switch to the other side.
Single-leg Glute Bridge
In this exercise, we are targeting the glutes. If you want to intensify the exercise, focus on pushing through the heel as opposed to the ball or the middle part of the foot.
Perform one set of 5 reps on each side in a smooth, controlled movement with a good contraction at the end, especially in the glutes, creating an intensity of feeling the muscles work in the glute area.
#2 – Hip Thrust
Lie flat on the floor with your knees bent and your feet about hip-width apart. Place your hands to your sides while your toes are pointing straight ahead.
Grab some dumbbells or plates for resistance. Place the dumbbells on your hips. Thrust your hips up to the point where your knees, hips and shoulders are in a straight line. Lower back down and repeat.
Hip Thrust
Focus on pushing through your heels to target the glutes rather than mainly the hamstrings. While there is no to complete this exercise without activating the hamstrings at all, we want to ensure that we are also activating the glutes.
Perform one set of 5 reps in a smooth, controlled movement, with a good contraction at the end, creating an intensity of feeling the muscles work in the glute area.
#3 – Donkey Kicks
Move into a four-point position, with your head, shoulders and hips in proper alignment. Tighten your abdominal area. Keeping your right knee bent, drive it straight up, bringing your heel towards the ceiling. Lower it back down.
Donkey Kicks
In this exercise, we are targeting the glutes, especially on one side.
Perform one set of 5 reps on each side in a smooth, controlled movement, with a good contraction at the end, creating an intensity of feeling the muscles work in the glute area.
#4 – Single-leg Deadlifts
Grab some dumbbells as resistance out front to help you counterbalance. Stand in an upright position, and then bring one leg back to a point where your head, shoulders, hips and legs are in a straight line. Hold this position and then return to a standing position.
Single-leg Deadlifts
When stabilizing the leg, bend your knee slightly and return to the starting position by contracting the glutes.
Perform one set of 5 reps on each side. Progress to a smooth, controlled movement with a good contraction back up to the starting position, creating an intensity of feeling the muscles in the glutes and the stabilizing knee. You will also feel the muscles of the foot working to balance.
Those are the four great glute exercises that you can do at home that will target your glutes to help overcome hip pain and knee pain. Give those a try.
Take care!
Rick Kaselj, MS
If you want to improve the activation, endurance and strength in your Gluteus Maximus, then click here to check out the Best Gluteus Maximus Exercises program!
