Don’t neglect the glutes – add a great glute circuit to your weekly routine!

Your glute muscles are an important set of muscles that take up the majority of your backside.

While many want to build glute muscles solely for aesthetic purposes, strong glutes play a larger role than just looks…

Why Having Strong Glutes Is Important

Composed of three primary muscles (glute maximus, medius, and minimus) your glutes play a diverse role in a variety of important musculoskeletal functions, from athletic performance to providing support for the lower limb and stability for the spine and pelvis.

It’s important, because of this, to make sure they’re strengthened.

Strong glutes can do a variety of things.

• Boost Athletic Ability

Yes, stronger glutes can boost your athletic ability. As glute max is one of the biggest muscles in the body, it can create a lot of power for a number of different activities.

The simple squat, although easy to associate with increased quads strength (front of your thigh), it’s also a formidable workout for your glutes. A strong squat is linked to speed, higher jump height, and easier/quicker lateral (side-to-die) movement.

• Provide support for the legs and spine

Strong glutes take stress and pressure off your spine when you lean over, bend downwards, or squat. If your glutes are strong, then your body doesn’t have to recruit the smaller, postural muscles to help with certain movements.

In other words, do your back a favour and strengthen those glutes.

What’s an easy way to strengthen your glutes, especially if you’re new to the world of fitness? See below for suggestions of a great glute circuit.

A Glute Strengthening Circuit For Everyone

The following circuit is composed of:

• hip hitches
• single leg deadlifts
• three-way leg raises (with a theraband)
• single leg squat
• clams (also with a theraband).

We’ll give an explanation of each and let you do the rest.

• Hip Hitch:

Stand with one foot on a step or box with one foot on the ground.

Raise your unsupported leg and hip off the ground with the leg that’s elevated.

Once even with your supporting leg, drop your unsupported leg back down, almost to where it initially began.

Repetitions: 2 x 20

• Single-Leg Deadlift (Performed with a weight of some sort):

With a weight such as a dumbbell or a kettlebell in each of your hands, stand on one leg.

Keeping that knee slightly bent, bend at the hip, extending your free leg behind you for balance. Continue lowering the kettlebell until you are parallel to the ground, creating a T-shape with your body and legs. Stop at any point in the movement if you feel you’re unable to keep your back straight. Return to the upright position.

Repetitions: 2 x 20

• Three-Way Leg Raises (With Band):

Standing in an upright position with your feet positioned close to one another, wrap an exercise band around both of your thighs, ideally an inch or so above your knees.

Keeping your hands on your hips for balance, bring your knee and thigh up towards your chest, so that your thigh is perpendicular to your torso.

Keeping your thigh and lower leg in a square shape, bring your knee level with your other knee and position your lower leg behind your body so that it’s perpendicular to your thigh (which should be parallel with the thigh of your other leg).

In the same position, push your knee away from the other until it’s at a 45-degree angle.

Repetitions: 2 x 20

• Single-Leg Squats:

Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Raise one leg up so that it’s almost perpendicular to your waist.

Keeping the knee of the leg on the ground above the toes, lower your torso so that your thigh is roughly perpendicular to your lower leg.

Take care to keep your back straight and your knee in one place.

Find your comfort level when you first start. Use a sturdy support if needed e.g. holding on a doorframe can provide some stability. You could also have a chair to sit on to start with, while you’re working towards performing the full squat i.e. lowering to the ground.

Repetitions: 2 x 20

• Clams (With Bands):

Lie on your side and support your head on your upper arm.

Your legs should lie on top of each other, in an identical 90-degree shape.

With an exercise band attached above both of your knees, slowly bring your top knee up towards the ceiling, while keeping your feet together. Stop when you start to feel your hips moving backwards and return to the start position.

Repetitions: 2 x 20

Questions?

Trying out different exercises is key to improving and maintaining the body’s flexibility, which in turn can help with recruiting muscles efficiently.

If you’ve got any questions on the above, then please let us know (click for contact details). If you’re wanting a more personal plan then book in for an appointment with one of our physios, who can assess how you’re moving and give you suggestions on what’s best to work on.

Remember – Listen to Your Body!

Please remember to listen to your body. Get any aches and pains checked out sooner rather than later.

Disclaimer:

As with all information given for exercises and exercise programs, when using our exercise videos or information, please use your common sense and don’t do anything that will hurt you. By performing any fitness exercises, you are performing them at your own risk. PhysioFit Health will not be responsible or liable for any injury or harm you sustain as a result of information shared on our website or YouTube channel. This includes emails, videos, and text. Thanks for your understanding.