Our bums get to rest for hours on end. From the hours we sleep, to the hours we sit at our office chairs. Its only natural that we need to exercise our bums before a training session. In case you haven't guessed at this stage, the muscle in your bum is called the gluteal muscle.
So why do we need these gluteal muscles? Well, tThey are important for extending your hips and for creating stability at your pelvis and knees. Due to the low knee lift involved in distance running, the gluteals don’t really develop the way they do in sprinters. This is why you need to incorporate glute-strengthening exercises in our routines
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These exercises need to be done between 2 and 5 times a week to be effective. From the articles we've researched, you should try go two exercises together in sets to improve the glute strength. We've researched these and the best specific routines were on Mens Health and Competitor.com. Here's the workouts:
Exercise 1: Low Band Split Squat
For: Improve length of the hip flexor muscle group; allows for better hip mobility and better gluteal recruitment.
How: Hold a handle of a band that is attached to a low anchor point with your right hand. Step back to remove slack from the band then take a large step back with your right leg. Land on your big toe joint, get tall and squeeze your right butt-cheek. Keep your arm straight and without loosing your butt squeeze, bring your right knee toward the ground. You should feel a burning stretch in front of your right hip and thigh. Pause just before your right knee touches the ground. Hold this pose for 5 seconds. Return to standing and perform 10 reps. Complete 2 sets per leg.
Exercise 2: Glute Bridge with Leg Extension
For: Improve gluteal strength and stability.
How: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat. Lift your hips upward while pivoting from your shoulders. Your neck should be flat. Achieve full hip extension with a strong butt squeeze. Without dropping your hips, lift one leg upward. Hold for 2 seconds. Return the leg to the ground. Switch sides. Hold for another 2 seconds. Return your leg back down and perform 10 reps per leg. Complete 2 sets.
Exercise 3: Low Band Single Leg Deadlift to Knee to Chest & Row
For: Improve pelvic and ankle stability
How: Hold a band attached to a low anchor point with your left hand. Stand on your right foot and soften your right knee. Raise your left leg up behind you as you bow forward. Let your left arm reach forward toward the anchor point—notice a stretch in your right hamstring. Next, bring your left leg down and stand tall. Bring your left knee toward your chest and row the band toward you. Lock your right knee and hip—do not lean back or bend forward. Return to the starting position and complete 15 reps. Complete 2 sets on each leg.
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Exercise 4: Squat with Leg Lift
For: Improve leg strength and pelvic stability
How: Place a band around your knees and stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Squat down while keeping your heels flat on the ground. Stand and lift one leg in the air. Focus on keeping tension in the band. Bring your foot down and squat down again. Stand and lift the opposite leg in the air. Perform 30 squats and complete 2 sets.
Exercise 5: ¼ Squat with Wall Push
For: Improve leg strength and pelvic stability
How: Stand next to a wall and press your inside foot into the wall. Hold your arms in front of your chest, keep your outside knee tracking straight and squat down roughly 6-8 inches. Keep pushing into the wall with your inside leg as you squat up and down. You should notice a reflexive activation of your glutes on your outside hip as you go through the set. Perform 20-25 reps per leg and complete 2 sets.
Exercise 6: Hip Thrust
For: Gluteal strength
How: Sit next to an exercise bench. Carefully place a barbell or mini-barbell across your hips. For comfort, place a pad underneath the bar to protect your pelvis. Hold the bar in position and place your shoulders on the edge of the bench. Drive your hips upward while keeping your feet flat on the floor. Achieve full hip extension while pivoting your back on the bench. Lower your hips and pivot off the bench. Keep your head inline with your body at all times. This exercise works better if you open your knees and drive through your heels. Find a weight that is challenging for 15 reps. Complete 2 sets.