Painful knees can ruin your leg workout and severely limit your range of motion. Strong glutes are essential for healthy knees and performing leg exercises safely and effectively. When our glutes are weak, our knees are easily injured, and repeated movements of any kind can lead to pain. Here are some glute exercises you can do to reverse the pain and strengthen your knees.
5 Exercises to Build Better Glutes
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#1 – Single Leg Deadlifts
Begin standing with your feet together. Hold a weight in both hands in front of you. Balance on one leg and lift your other leg back behind you. Hinge forward at your hips, keeping your spine long. Come down as far as you can while maintaining a neutral spine. Squeeze your glutes to stand back up.
Start with 1 set of 5 reps on each side, working your way up to 3 sets of 10 reps on each side.
#2 – Split Squats from TRX
Place your back ankle in the TRX strap. Balance on your front leg and lunge into your front knee, keeping your front knee behind your front toes. Your back leg will push out behind you. Squeeze your glutes to stand back up.
Start with 1 set of 5 reps on each side, working your way up to 3 sets of 10 reps on each side.
#3 – Glute Bridge from TRX
Place both feet in the TRX straps. Place your arms at your sides with your palms down to the floor. Press into your feet to lift your hips toward the ceiling. Once here, press your feet out until your body is as straight as possible. Make sure to keep your feet about hip distance apart throughout the movement. Pull your heels back toward you and repeat.
Start with 1 set of 5 reps, working your way up to 3 sets of 10 reps.
#4 – Clamshells with Band
Place a miniband around your thighs, just above your knees. Lie on one side, supporting yourself with your forearm. Bend your knees and stack your legs and feet. Keep your feet together and lift your top knee away from the bottom knee. Hold at the top for a second and then lower back slowly.
Start with 1 set of 5 reps on each side, working your way up to 3 sets of 10 reps on each side.
#5 – Hip Thrusts with Band on Ball
Place a miniband around your thighs just above your knees. Lie on your back and put a stability ball under your feet. Press your heels into the ball and lift your hips up toward the ceiling. Hold for a second at the top and then slowly lower back to the floor to repeat.
Start with 1 set of 5 reps, working your way up to 3 sets of 10 reps.
Having flexible and strong muscles is the best way to keep your knees healthy and prevent further injury. So, give these stretches a go!
If you want to eliminate your knee soreness once and for all, then check out the Knee Pain Solved program, here!
