It’s a must before any lower-body workout whether it be running or strength training in the gym.
When I first started running, I found it super difficult to increase the power in my stride. Turns out, I was skimping on something major: Glute activation.
Glute activation primes the muscle to do the actual work during the workout. It boosts blood flow to the muscle and works on the mind-muscle connection. When you activate your glutes before a workout, you’re telling your body that this is the muscle that’s going to work and other muscles are not going to take over.
The key to glute activation is to really focus on your butt muscles, and to make sure they are firing as hard as they can during the move. One way to make sure your glutes are working is to simply touch the muscle to feel it fire.
The best glute activation routine works key movement patterns of your hip, which you’ll likely be performing during a leg workout: hip extension, hip external rotation, and hip abduction. All of which we will work with the exercises below. You will be wanting low intensity work, so you can do the exercises with just your body weight. or you can add in a resistance band to advance each movement.
Completing the circuit once is enough for glute activation before a workout, but if you want to use this as a butt workout instead, you can complete multiple rounds
Ready to get started? See the workout below:
The Moves
- Side Lying Single Leg Raise
- Side Lying Single Leg Circle
- Glute Bridge March
- Single Leg Glute Bridge
- Donkey Kick
- Fire Hydrant
- Bird Dog
Directions
Complete 15–20 reps of each exercise (15–20 reps per side for single-leg moves), going directly into the next move without rest.
Do 1 circuit for a glute activation warm-up.
To make this a workout, rest for 30 seconds after completing all the moves and complete multiple rounds. I typically do about 4 rounds for a full glute butt burner.
Side Lying Single Leg Raise
Lie down on your right side on a mat or the floor. Your body should be in a straight line with your legs extended and feet stacked on top of each other.
Place your arm straight on the floor under your head or bend your elbow and cradle your head for support.
Place your left hand out front for extra support or let it rest on your leg or hip.
Gently raise your left leg off the lower leg. Stop raising your leg when you feel the muscles flex in your lower back or obliques.
Lower the leg back down to meet the right leg. Stack your feet again. This is 1 rep.
Do 15-20 reps, then switch sides.
Side Lying Single Leg Circle
Lie down on your right side on a mat or the floor. Your body should be in a straight line with your legs extended and feet stacked on top of each other.
Place your arm straight on the floor under your head or bend your elbow and cradle your head for support.
Place your left hand out front for extra support or let it rest on your leg or hip.
Gently raise your left leg off the lower leg. Stop raising your leg when you feel the muscles flex in your lower back or obliques.
Make 15-20 small forward circles from the hip. Then repeat and do 15-20 small backward circles.
Then switch sides/legs.
Glute Bridge March
Lie faceup on the floor or a mat, your knees bent.
Your feet should be hip-width apart and your hands at your sides; your fingers should be close to grazing the back of each heel.
Engage your core so your low back presses against the floor.
Push through your heels and lift your hips until they align with your knees and squeeze your glutes at the top.
Hold your bridge while you lift your right knee toward your chest, until your hip is at 90 degrees. Return the heel to the floor and lift the left knee. Do not let your pelvis sag or your back overarch while lifting and lowering your knees.
This completes one rep. Do 15–20 reps.
Single Leg Glute Bridge
Lie faceup on the floor or a mat, your knees bent.
Lift your right leg so it’s straight up in the air at hip height with your foot flexed.
Keeping your upper back on the floor, engage your glutes, drive through your left heel, and raise your hips off the ground until your knee, hips, and shoulders form a straight line. Keep your core engaged the entire time.
Pause at the top, squeezing your glutes for one to two seconds.
Then lower back down, this is one rep.
Do 15-20 reps, then switch sides
Donkey Kick
Start in an all-fours position with your knees under your hips, wrists under your shoulders, and your core engaged.
Keeping your knee bent and right foot flexed, kick your right leg up toward the ceiling. Pause at the top.
Return your left knee to floor for 1 rep.
Do 15–20 reps, then switch sides.
Fire hydrant
Start on your hands and knees. Place your shoulders above your hands and your hips above your knees. Tighten your core and look down.
Lift your left leg away from your body at a 45-degree angle. Keep your knee at 90 degrees.
Lower your leg to starting position, that’s one rep
Do 15–20 reps, then switch sides.
Bird Dog
Begin on all fours with your hands directly underneath your shoulders and knees directly below hips.
Engaging your core, bring the spine into a neutral position (straight back – neither arched, nor hunched over).
With control, raise your right arm straight out in front of you, and at the same time, extend you left leg out straight behind you.
Hold at the top of the motion and give you glutes a little squeeze to get your leg as high as it will go.
Lower back to the starting position, that’s one rep
Do 15–20 reps, then switch sides.
I hope the glute activation series above helps to level up your running and lower body workout game. Have you tried it? Comment below. I would love to know what you think.