Artist: PeopleImages

Glute Activation Before Leg Workout

by john harris

The majority of us spend most of our days sitting – in front of a computer at the office, in class at university, or driving in a car. Due to extended periods of sitting, the muscles in our buttocks, or glutes, often don't function as they should during movements and workouts. This can lead to lower back pain, hip pain, and even knee and joint discomfort. To prevent this, it's crucial to start your workout with glute activation exercises.

In addition to glute activation, it's important to loosen up tight and tense muscles beforehand. This allows all muscles to engage and grow. Incorrect or insufficient preparation can cause your body to compensate with other muscles, often affecting the lower back. Injuries and decreased performance are common consequences.

Step 1: Loosening Up

To loosen up your muscles, you can use a foam roller, for example. This helps release tension in tight muscles and break up adhesions between muscles and their fascia. It's particularly important to roll out the front and back of your thighs and your lower back.

Step 2: Activating the Glutes

The gluteal muscle consists of three parts: gluteus minimus, medius, and maximus. The latter, the gluteus maximus, is the largest muscle in volume and also the strongest in the body. As people spend more time sitting, it becomes weaker and doesn't always activate when it should. That's precisely why glute activation exercises before a leg workout are important. With activated glutes, you can lift more weight and reduce the risk of injury.

Artist: LumiNola

Exercises

When performing these exercises, it's crucial to do them slowly and with control. Hold the position for a few seconds at the peak of contraction. Ideally, you should do three to four exercises with 10 to 15 repetitions each. Take only a few seconds of rest between exercises. Here are the exercises:

Fire Hydrant

Start on all fours, with hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Lift one knee slightly off the ground. Bring the bent knee out to the side, holding it up for a few seconds, then return to the starting position. Your knee should never be higher than your foot. Keep your arms extended throughout the movement. Avoid leaning your upper body to the side during the exercise.

Glute Bridge

Lie on your back, bend your legs, and place your feet hip-width apart. Your feet should be positioned so you can just touch your heels with your fingertips. Place your arms at your sides. Raise your hips by contracting your glutes. Hold the position at the top for a few seconds, then slowly return to the starting position. Your hips should never fully rest on the ground during the exercise. Repeat 10 to 15 times. To make the exercise more challenging, use a resistance band around your knees.

Side Shuffles with Resistance Band

For this exercise, place a resistance band around your knees. Start with a slight bend in your knees and push your hips back, as if starting a squat. Take a big step to the side and bring the other foot to meet it. Repeat 10 to 15 times, then switch directions. The deeper you squat, the more challenging the exercise becomes.

Kick Backs

This exercise can be done with a resistance band or on a cable machine. Attach a resistance band around your ankles and find a wall, squat rack, or other anchor point. Keep one leg firmly on the ground and lift the other leg slightly off the ground while keeping it straight. Slowly move the lifted leg backward. Keep your core engaged and only extend the leg as far back as it can go without arching your lower back. Hold the extended position for a few seconds, then slowly return to the starting position. After 10 to 15 repetitions, switch legs.

Now you're ready to start your actual leg workout. Enjoy trying out these exercises and good luck!