Glute Strengthening Exercises

When teaching yoga and Pilates, it is evident how common gluteal (glute) weakness is. The glute (buttock) muscles are the big ‘powerhouse’ muscles, which hold your pelvis level and steady and also generate power when extending the hip – taking the leg behind the mid line of the body. Lack of glute strength can cause back pain and overuse injuries in other muscles such as the quadriceps and hamstrings, which is common in runners.

These muscles can become weak for a variety of reasons. If you sit down a lot the glutes become elongated and weak and the hip flexors and hamstrings become tight. Through inactivity these muscles can also become weak. Certain posture types can also cause weak glutes. An anterior pelvic tilt, where the bottom tends to stick out, can results in tight lower back muscles and hip flexors, and weak abdominal muscles and glutes.

Recently in my Yoga and Pilates classes I have been adding some focused glute strengthening asanas and exercises. Here are some simple exercises to improve glute strength.

Glute activation

It is important to activate the glutes before performing any of these exercises. Get to know how it feels to activate the glutes by practicing this throughout the day. The mind-muscle connection is important to 'wake up' and 'switch on' inactive muscles. 

Get the mind-muscle connection by lifting the gluteal fold (the creases under the buttocks) and gently squeezing the glutes. Imagine you are holding a 10p between you buttocks. Gently sending the tailbone to the floor will also help activate the gluteus. 

Aim to maintain 'GOOD POSTURE' throughout the following exercises

 An anterior pelvic tilt can be corrected by contracting the abs (keep the space between the ribs and the hips short without changing the neutral position of the spine) and sending the tailbone to the floor. You should feel the glutes activate.

Tight hip flexors may inhibit the activation of the glutes, so hip flexor lengthening is also important. 

Single leg squats/Uktanasana

Maintain a neutral posture throughout the movement. Gently tuck the tailbone under and activate the abdominal muscles. Not so far that you take the spine into a posterior tilt (excessively rounding the lower back).

Until your balance can be maintained you can perform this exercise with both feet on the ground or doing single leg squats using the wall for support. 

Single leg lifts

Gently send the pubic bone to the floor and lift the area between the pubic bone and the belly button away from the floor to activate the abdominal muscles. This will also help activate the glutes and support the spine. Exhale and lift and extend one leg. If you feel this more in your hamstrings, you are overusing these muscles and not the glutes. Don’t lift as high and focus in engaging the glutes before you lift the leg. This is also the case if you feel it in the lower back. 



As strength in the gluteus develops, gradually progress on to double leg lift 

Virabadrasana 3 (Warrior 3) 

From a standing position, start to extend one leg behind and shift your weight forward. Maintain glute connection and neutral pelvis throughout the movement. Try to focus on dropping the hip on the extended leg and lifting the hip of the supporting leg. This will help maintain a neutral pelvis. If this posture is too challenging for balance, adopt a more supported position by holding onto the back of a chair. 

Add controlled squats when your strength develops.

Shoulder bridge

Activate the glutes before you lift the hips from the floor. Keep pelvis neutral throughout the movement. Gently tuck the pubic bone towards the belly button and lengthen the tailbone to activate the abdominal muscles and glutes.

Where do you feel it activated? If you feel it more in the lower back, imprint the spine by tucking the pubic bone towards the belly button and keep the space between the hips and the ribs short.

Push the feet to floor and extend into the hips to activate glutes. Don’t over activate the hamstrings or you will experience cramp in these muscles which can be very painful. Focus on maintaining a glute connection throughout the movement by gently lifting the gluteal fold and squeezing the gluteus. 

Kneeling leg lifts

Start in a kneeling position. Maintain control and stability of the pelvis throughout the movement. Lift and extend one leg by activating the glutes. Try to complete 8-10 lifts on each leg. 

Progress the exercise by adding little circles with the extended leg. Imagine you have a pencil sticking out of the heel and draw circles on the wall behind you. 

Alternatively you can keep the leg extended and gently raise the heel to the ceiling. Focus on squeezing the glutes each time you raise the heel. Try to complete 10 reps on each leg. 

Lunges

Start in a neutral pelvis position. Tuck the tailbone under and shorten the pace between the ribs and the hips to activate the abs and glutes, and lengthen the hip flexors.

With control, lower the back knee to the floor maintaining the glute connection throughout. If you have tight hip flexors, try not to arch the lower back as you return to a standing position. 





Runners you may also want to check out this this link for glute strengthening tests.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-5VD3rJTrU

Yoga for Runners

I know many runners, including myself, who suffer from tight hamstrings, glutes, claves…..I could go on, but generally, the muscles around the hips and the legs. Running and other repetitive forms of exercise can cause muscles to become short and strong and often referring pain to other areas of the body such as the lower back and knees.

Performing the following yoga asanas regularly will lengthen short, strong muscles and draw your awareness to any muscle and joint imbalances, which have developed.

Performing Sun Salutations is a great way to lengthen and mobilise the entire body. (see Morning Energiser post)

Hold in downward facing dog and walk through the feet. This can help alleviate sore feet.

Keep one knee bent and drop the hip. Gently ease the opposite heel to the floor. This will lengthen the hamstrings, calves and the muscles around the hips.  Repeat on the opposite side.

From downward facing dog, step the foot through towards the hands. Drop the back knee to the floor and flatten the back foot. Gently lower the hip towards the floor. Gently tilt the tailbone under to prevent over arching the lower back.

 

The front of the foot should be placed flat on the floor and not flexed as is shown  in the picture.

This will lengthen the hip flexors.

Repeat on the opposite side.

Pigeon pose.

From downward facing dog, step one foot forward. Flex the front knee and slightly externally rotate at the hip joint so that the outside of the leg is resting on the floor.

Gently lower upper body to the floor, resting on the forearms or lying flat. Hold for a few breaths and then change the angle of the stretch by moving the upper body clockwise and anti clockwise. Holding for a few breaths each time.

Raise upper body. If flexibility in the hip flexor and quadriceps allow, flex at the knee and hold the foot. This will lengthen the hip flexors and quadriceps (front of the thigh). 

If you cannot reach your foot, assist by placing a band around your foot and gently drawing it in towards the bottom. If any pulling in the knee is experienced, leave the foot on the floor. Gently tilt the tailbone under to prevent hyperextending the lower back.

End your running sessions with this series of asanas (yoga postures) to help lengthen short muscles. 

Lemon and Ginger Tea

Follow your morning energiser routine with a zingy lemon and ginger tea. This non-caffeine ‘pick-me-up’ is the perfect way to start the day.

The combination of ingredients in this tea will boost the digestive and circulatory system by stimulating blood flow and digestive function. The high mineral content of the salt detoxifies and cleanses the body.

If you are pushed for time in the morning, prepare it the night before, leave it in the fridge and just add boiling water:

·      Thumb size piece of root ginger (grated or thinly sliced)

·      A thick slice of lemon. Squeeze and leave in the cup.

·      A pinch of Himalayan sea salt (optional)

·      A few cloves

Morning Energiser

Morning energiser

How do you start the day? Do you hit the snooze button several times until you're running out the door late, stressed and still half asleep?

Take advantage of the bright summer mornings. Use the natural morning light as a wakeup call. Is your alarm loud and harsh? Try a more natural sounding alarm such as bird song or a light, which mimics the onset of dawn.

Try to give yourself an extra 30 minutes in the morning and start the day with some gentle stretching exercises or energising Sun Salutations. Coordinate your breath with each movement, allowing your breath to lengthen and energise your body. Your muscles will feel tighter in the morning so don’t overdo it. Listen to your body and keep the movements gentle and flowing. The more you practice this routine, the easier it will become.

Inhale with a full body stretch.

Exhale and hug your knees to your chest, exhaling all the residual air out of your lungs and gently massaging you digestive organs.  Repeat x 3

Exhale and hug one knee to your chest.

Inhale allow the knee to drop to the floor.

Exhale and hold.

Inhale take the knee to the opposite side. Keep the shoulders in contact with the floor. Allow a gentle rotation of the spine, which will massage and stimulate the internal organs.

Inhale return to the centre and repeat on the opposite side.

Sit in an easy cross leg position. If your pelvis rocks backwards or you feel that you cannot sit upright, sit on a cushion. Ensure you are sitting tall and the spine is long.


Inhale, raise one arm up, keeping sitting bones in contact with the floor

Exhale gently reach to the side, keeping sitting bones in contact with the floor. 

Repeat on the opposite side. x 2

Inhale lengthen spine.

Exhale, gently rotate the spine, taking the gaze over the shoulder. This will stimulate the digestive organs.

Repeat twice each side.

Cat, cow postures - Start in a neutral kneeling position with wrists directly under the shoulders and knees under the hips (or slightly behind).

Inhale, gently drop the belly to the floor, stretching the front of the body.

Exhale, round through the spine and arch the back towards the ceiling.

Repeat a few time then exhale and sit back on the heels (extended child's pose)

Follow the above with a few rounds of energising Sun Salutation. Gradually work up to a full Sun Salutation. Complete 3 – 6 rounds. 1 round is completed on the right and left leg.

(shiningsoulyoga.com)

For an alternative low-intensity Sun Salutation keep the movements smaller and provide additional support by substituting the following into the Sun Salutation sequence:

2. Inhale, reach towards the ceiling. Keeping the eyes forward.

3. Exhale, bend the knees and place hands on the thighs to add support to the lower back in forward bend.

5. Inhale, step back with the right leg and then the left to a kneeling position.

7. Inhale to baby cobra. Extend only from the upper back and keep the lower ribs in contact with the floor.

8. Exhale to extended child’s pose (as illustrated above).

Start the day with an element of calm….it is sure to carry on throughout the day.