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Glute activation is a set of warm-up exercises that get the muscles in the buttocks ready to work. As the lower body has a lot of big muscles, like the quads and hamstrings, that can make the glute muscles less powerful.
When you do an exercise, if the quads and hamstrings work too hard to make up for the glutes, that can lead to muscle imbalance and injury, especially pain and injury in the lower back.
If the glutes aren't properly warmed up, the body may use other muscles (like the lower back) to make up for weak or inactive glutes. Exercises that activate the glutes get blood to those muscles and get them ready to work.
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Glute Activation Exercises for Women
Check out the following six best glute activation exercises for women:
1) Banded Squat
Do banded squats to improve your form when you squat. The band makes you open up the hips, which lets you squat deeper without rounding your back.
To do this glute activation exercise:
- Place the resistance band around six inches above your knees on your thighs.
- Stand with your feet a little further apart than the hips to make the band tight (activating the glutes).
- Sit back into a squat, and lower your hips till they are level with the knees (90-degree angle). Put your weight on your heels and chest up.
- Push through your heels to get back up on your feet. At the top, squeeze the buttocks.
- For 40 seconds, do it again.
2) Banded Side-to-Side Squat
This glute activation exercise is excellent for toning the lower body. It activates the gluteus medius, hip abductors, and quadriceps.
To do this glute activation exercise:
- Place the resistance band around six inches above your knees on your thighs. Stand with your feet a little farther apart than the hips to make the band stretch.
- Step out with your right foot as far as you can to stretch the band.
- As you step out, sit back into a squat, and lower your hips till they're level with your knees. Put your weight on your heels and chest up.
- Hold the squat position for a second, and push through your heels; step back to center to get back to a standing position.
- For 40 seconds, repeat this step, moving to the other side each time.
3) Banded Deadlift
This glute activation exercise targets the hip extensions, glute, hamstring, and lower back muscles.
To do this glute activation exercise:
- Wrap the resistance band around both feet where the arches are. Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart.
- Grab the band at the top with both hands, and stand up to stretch it.
- With your knees softly bent and hips turned out, slide your hands down the front of your legs. Think about how you would do a deadlift by pushing your hips back behind you.
- Turn the hinge till you feel your back legs stretch (hamstring muscles).
- Push through your heels to stand up, pulling the band up to create tension. Go back to where you started.
- For 40 seconds, do it again.
4) Banded Kickback
The banded kickback activates the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus, as well as the hamstrings, spine, and back (entire posterior chain or backside of body).
To do this glute activation exercise:
- Put the resistance band on your shin or calf, about six inches below your knees. Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent.
- Sit back into a narrow squat, and lower your hips till they are even with your knees.
- Put your weight on your heels to stand up straight.
- Kick your right leg back behind you as far as you can while you do that. Move your arms up to the ceiling to make the back work harder.
- Bring your right leg back to the middle, and sit back into a narrow squat.
- As you push into your heels to stand up straight again, kick your left leg back behind you as far as you can to stretch the band. Put your arms up high.
- Repeat this pattern for 40 seconds, kicking back with a different leg each time.
5) Banded Monster Walk
It's a great way to strengthen the hips. The pelvic floor is supported by the hips, so building strength in the hips is important for a stable pelvic floor.
To do this glute activation exercise:
- Put the resistance band on your shin or calf about six inches below your knees. Stand with your feet a little farther apart than your hips to make the band stretch.
- To get into a loaded squat position, bend your knees.
- Step your right foot out wide to stretch the band and make tension.
- Step out wide with your left foot to stretch the band and make it tighter.
- To get into a loaded narrow squat position, step your right foot in and then your left foot in.
- Do that over and over for 40 seconds.
6) Banded Monster Walk (V-Walk)
This exercise activates the hips, hip flexors, gluteus medius, quads, and hamstrings.
To do this glute activation exercise:
- Put the resistance band on your shin or calf, about six inches below your knees. Stand with your feet a little farther apart than your hips to make the band stretch.
- To get into a loaded squat position, bend your knees.
- Take a step forward, and step your right foot out wide in front of you to stretch the band and create tension.
- Take another step forward, and step out wide with your left foot to stretch the band and make it tighter.
- Take a step forward with your right foot and another step forward with your left, keeping the tension on the band constant.
- Turn around, and take steps backward. Each time, take a step to the side, and keep the band tight.
- Do this front-to-back movement over and over for 40 seconds.
