Your glutes, aka your booty muscles, are some of the most powerful muscles in your body! A lot of us either don't know how to activate them or aren't activating & strengthening them on the regular with butt workouts.
So how do you know you have weak glutes?? Here are the top 3 signs!
Knee or Hip Pain: Do you frequently have pain on the outside of your hip or in the front of your knee while exercising or performing daily tasks like walking or going up a set of stairs?
Poor Posture: Do you slouch in your chair at work? at the dinner table? Do you have low back pain?
Plantar Fasciitis: Do you have heel pain or inflammation? While this is most common in runners, it can happen to those that spend a lot of time on their feet.
If you answered yes to one (or all) of these questions, it's a good indication that your glutes aren't activating properly. Other indicators of poor glutes can include never having pain in your glutes, frequent blisters on your feet, and an abnormal running gait. **If pain is severe please consult your physician or a medical professional!
So now that we've identified the problem, here's the solution:
You need to be doing glute activation exercises ASAP!
I've listed 5 of my favorites (which also happen to be some of the most effective ones) below. You can do all of these exercises without a resistance band, but I highly recommend investing in a set of mini loop bands or booty bands. Rubber/Latex mini bands runs will run ya about $5-$15 and fabric booty bands go for $15-$35. (Mine are from @Movéo Fit Co)
If you're doing these as a standalone workout, perform 5 sets of 10-15 reps (per side) if applicable. As a warmup, 1-2 sets of 10-15 reps per side is good. Adjust to fit YOUR needs though!
1. Monster Walk
2. Clams
3. Squat Side Shuffle
4. Donkey Kick
5. Glute Bridge
Squats and lunges are great glute exercises as well, but it's essential to focus on these more isolated exercises first. I like to do the 5 exercises above as a warm-up for leg day or before a run or bike ride. If you're just beginning 1-3 sets of 10-15 is a great start. Gradually build up to more sets/reps as you get stronger.
Work your glutes 2-4 times per week, either on their own or as part of a lower body workout. It's important to also work the hamstrings, quadriceps, calves and abdominals as all of these muscles work in sync with your glutes. I frequently work these moves and more into my Booty Bootcamp classes, twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday, at Gem Fitness! Would love to see you in a class.
Do you suspect you have weak glutes? If so, try these exercises and let me know if you notice any improvements!
xoxo,
Briana