Project Build a Butt - Level One: Activation

If you have trouble activating your glutes then ONE of these is where you should start. As a physio this is my collection of go-to glute exercises.

These are isolated exercises that SHOULD exclusively use the gluteus medius and gluteus maximus - two of the most important muscles (and biggest muscles in our body).
 

Don't be alarmed if you find your glutes don't fire in all of them, just find the one that works for you and start from there.

At this level the focus is not so much on strengthening but on reprogramming your brain and increasing the area in your brain that is dedicated to your glutes. 
Basically, we need to turn the lights on in your brain before we can start strengthening.

1) CLAM SHELLS

This is the "classic" physio exercise that most people will have been given at some stage. It works well most of the time but it can also be done with your back, IT Bands and TFL. If you feel it here then this exercise is not for you. Make sure you feel the burn around your glute medius.

Set up:

• Start by lying on side with your knees bent to 80 degrees

• Set your back by pushing your top hip away to elongate your spine (you should get a small gap around your waistline)

• Set your hips by reaching your top leg forwards whilst keeping your heels together- your top knee should slightly overhang your bottom one

• Keep hand on hip to make sure your hips aren't rolling backwards, squeeze your heels together and lift your knee up to hip height... STOP the movement before you roll backwards. You'll see in the video below that Lisa can't get her knee that high yet & that's ok as she is still feeling the burn in her glutes with this small range of motion

NOTE: can also be done lying against the wall with a tennis ball between your top hip and wall. This will help give you feed back as to how much your back is moving (it shouldn't move)

2) BUTT BUSTERS

This is a carry over from my days as a personal trainer and it very rarely fails to make your butt burn. Still I have had some people find a way to cheat and use their quads and ITB/TFL instead.

Set up

• Lying on side with legs straight, rotate your leg so the toes of your top leg are always facing the ground

• Lift your leg up into the air to about 45 degrees

• Repeat x 10 leg lifts at a normal pace

• Then x 10 leg lifts super slow (count to 3 as you lift up and again as you lower)

• Then x 20 small pulses at the top of the movement

NOTE: like clam shells this can be done against a wall, put a thin plastic sheet between your heel and the wall and slide your leg up and down- to recruit more fibers push your heel firmly into the wall

3) BENT KNEE LIFTS

This series is fast becoming one of my favorites. Its easy to do and hard to cheat with.

Set up:

• lying on side with a 90 degree angle at your hips and knees

• set your back by pushing your top hip away to elongate your spine (you should get a small gap around your waistline)

• Set your hips by reaching your top leg forwards whilst keeping your heels together- your top knee should slightly overhang your bottom one

• Lift your entire leg up to hip height- repeat x 15

• Hold your leg at hip height then rotate your hip so your knees kiss, return to hip height and rotate so that your toes touch (knee kisses and toe touches) x 15 each

• Still holding at hip height (it should really be starting to burn now if you are doing it correctly!) draw 10 small circles in the air with your knee cap in each direction

4) GLUTE SERIES

This series was borrowed from the lovely Laura at Wild Pilates

• Start by lying on your side with your legs straight but with a 45 degree angle at your hip

• Point your toes and lift your leg up to hip height

• Flex your toes and drag your heel back down to the floor (like you are moving your leg through thick molasses) x 10

• Now for rainbows: lift to hip height point your toe and tap it to the ground in front of you, then like you are drawing a rainbow, flex and touch your heel behind you  repeat x 10

• And finally circles: from hip height draw 10 x small (50c piece size) circles in each direction with your heel

• Repeat on both sides

5) SHOULDER BRIDGES

I prescribe this one when there is poor glute activation on both legs and general weakness in all muscles groups of the hips. Done both ways it will get all the muscles around your hips working including your core. But remember you're not supposed to feel it in your back. 

• Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and hip width apart

• Tie a theraband/power band around your knees and then stretch your knees out to place tension on the band

• Lift your toes off the ground & press through your heels. Lift your back and butt off the ground until there is a straight line from your knees to shoulders. Watch out for your ribs/chest popping up (this is a sign of poor core control and will lead to a sore back)

• Lower back down to the ground. Repeat x10

• Finish up in the full bridge and whilst holding this position stretch your knees out even further, resisting against the band, first with 20 x pulses outwards, then 20 x thrusts upwards - careful to ensure the movement is coming from your hips.

Repeat all of the above but this time squeezing a soft ball (flat soccer ball/beach ball) between your knees instead of using the band.

• Squeezing the ball will focus more on glute maximus, adductors and pelvic floor

• Stretching the band will focus more on glute medius & minimus  

So find the exercise that makes your butt burn and start doing it lots- if you find it easy then your glutes probably aren't working (none of these should feel easy).

As your brain gets better at firing your gluts these exercises will start to feel harder and then you can progress onto strengthening exercises (Level 2).