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Exercise library - Glutes

Exercise library - Glutes.

Glute bridge – Lie on your back with the hips bent at 90 degrees and the palms flat on the ground. Pushing through the heels, raise the hips as high as possible using the gluteal muscles. Moving solely around the hip joint and keep the lower back in neutral position. Hold the bridge in the top position for a moment, and then lower the hips to starting position. https://youtu.be/qU8t_res8wc

Glute march – Once you master the glute bridge, experiment with the marching variation. At the top of the movement, lock your body into position and then raise one leg by flexing at the hips. This is challenging because you’ll be forced to stabilise your body weight on just one leg. Lower the leg to the ground and then alternate to the other leg. https://youtu.be/qU8t_res8wc

Single-leg glute bridge – After you’ve become proficient at the glute bridge march, move on to the single-leg glute bridge. Simply keep one leg bent 90 degrees at the hip and knee and perform the bridging movement on one leg. After completing all the repetitions, repeat with the other leg. https://youtu.be/fJJewltaGCM

Shoulder-elevated hip thrust – Facing upward, place your upper back on top of a sofa, sturdy chair, or weight bench with your feet on the ground. Place the hands on the ears and extend the hips by squeezing the glutes. Push through the heels and keep the lower back in a neutral position. Rise as high as possible through the hips and then lower your hips to starting position. https://youtu.be/HD1ldLun6EY

Shoulder-elevated hip thrust march – When the shoulder-elevated hip thrust becomes easy, experiment with the marching variation. Simply rise to the top of the bridging motion, stabilise the body, and march by raising one leg after another through hip flexion. Marching variations are excellent hip stability exercises. https://youtu.be/HD1ldLun6EY

Single-leg hip thrust – Once the marching variation is no longer challenging, perform the single-leg hip thrust. This is an advanced variation that requires considerable hip extension strength and rotary stability in the lumbopelvic region. Rise up all the way; many exercisers skimp on their range of motion when the movement gets difficult. https://youtu.be/QqafQKG_I2s

Shoulder-and-feet elevated hip thrust – Facing upward, place your upper back on a sofa, sturdy chair, or weight bench and your feet on a small table, stool, or chair. The two surfaces should be roughly the same height. Extend the hips by squeezing the glutes. Push through the heels and keep the lower back neutral. Rise as high as possible through the hips and then lower the hips to starting position.

Single-leg shoulder-and-feet-elevated hip thrust – Once you reach proficiency in the double-leg shoulder-and-feet-elevated hip thrust, you can try the single-leg version. Many people foolishly rush into this variation before they’re ready for it. The single-leg shoulder-and-feet-elevated hip thrust is likely the most challenging bodyweight exercise for the hips because it requires tremendous glute strength and stability. Frankly, most beginners and even most intermediate exercisers don’t posses this. Take your time moving up through the exercise progressions so by the time you start performing the single-leg shoulder-and-feet-elevated hip thrust you can perform it correctly. This means moving the hips through a controlled and full range of motion while preventing lateral and rotational energy waste. Pause briefly at the top of each repetition to ensure proper performance. https://youtu.be/U8sqTE87Usw

Donkey kick – Start on all fours (table top position) with the head, neck and spine in neutral position, the hands under the shoulders and the knees under the hips. No flexion, extension, lateral flexion, or rotation in the neck and spine. Kick one leg to the rear until you reach full extension. Return to starting position. Complete all repetitions on one leg before switching legs. https://youtu.be/DkvDCCoHzpw

Bent-leg donkey kick – The bent-leg donkey kick, in which the knee is bent to 90 degrees while the leg is lifted, shortens the hamstring and reduces the participation of the hamstrings in the movement. Because the hamstrings are weakened, the stronger glutes will pick up the slack, which makes this movement a more targeted glute exercise because it requires less hamstring and spinal erector torque while keeping the tension on the glutes. Squeeze the glutes at the top of the movement and keep the spine straight as the hip rises. https://youtu.be/lGfI2026J94

Bird dog – The bird dog exercise builds on the donkey kick be adding a diagonal upper body movement pattern to complement the lower body movement and allow for proper transfer through the core. During this movement alternate between extension patterns of diagonal pairs-left arm combined with right leg and right arm combined with left leg. The diagonal movement, which makes for an effective core-stability exercise. https://youtu.be/k2azbhhuKuM?t=10

Side-lying clam – Start in a side-lying position with the hip bent at about 135 degrees and the knees bent at about 90 degrees. The neck rests on the arm on the ground. The other arm is braced on top of the hip. With the heels touching each other, rotate the top hip up. Be sure to move at the hips. Don’t lean to one side or move at the spine. The heels stay together for the entire set. Return to starting position. Complete the desired number of repetitions and repeat on the other side. https://youtu.be/kvxR5LoOu8Y?t=35

Side-lying clam at neutral position – The side-lying clam can also be performed in a hips-neutral manner by keeping a rather straight line from the shoulders to the knees. Keep the heels in contact with each other through the duration of the set and avoid leaning or twisting at the spine. https://youtu.be/kvxR5LoOu8Y?t=35

Side-lying hip raise – From side-lying position, lift up onto the lower elbow and place the hand of the arm on the hip. Making sure that the body is in a straight line from the shoulders to the knees, raise the body by simultaneously abducting the bottom and the top hips. Lower yourself to starting position. Complete the desired number of repetitions and repeat on the other side. https://youtu.be/mxWissvKVj0?t=40

Bench glute kickbacks - https://youtu.be/dZEDlPvXS-s

Single leg bench glute kickbacks - https://youtu.be/9QTJ9PAs3Qo

Enjoy.

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