You’ve seen em on insta. You’ve seen em in the gym. The gals that are fitness fanatics, focused on toning up, running that extra mile and making sure every workout counts. And you know what? YOU CAN DO IT TOO!
Trending RN, one craze that PTs are smashing out with their clients is glute activation exercises. These bad boys are your pre-workout essentials if you wanna get properly warmed up, push yourself that little bit further and see better results.
Before you smash out your next gym sesh, here’s what you need to be gettin’ up to:
Glute Bridge
Why?
Activating core, leg and back muscles before you tackle your next workout, the glute bridge strengthens your glutes – i.e. workin’ that booty! It can make sure you’re fully warmed up before you smash out that cardio.
How?
You can do this move with or without a resistance band around your knee/thigh area. The resistance band can help with stability. Lying on your back with feet on the floor hip width apart, raise your pelvis until your back is straight. Make sure you’re not arching your back, holding tension in your shoulders or forgetting to breathe. Focus on engaging that core (oosh!)
3 sets of 30 reps
Donkey Kicks
Why?
Recently revealed as the exercise Bella and Gigi Hadid do in every one of their training sessions, donkey kicks can help to tone that booty like nothing else. This move will work your entire core area and warm up your body from head to toe.
How?
Starting on your hands and knees with your knees placed under your hips, raise one leg behind you until the knee is in-line with your head. Make sure your leg is bent at 90 degrees at the knee and your foot is flexed. Engage your core and push the sole of your foot towards the ceiling in a pulsing motion. Repeat on both sides.
For an extra-hard booty burner, try balancing on an exercise ball – keepin’ that core engaged.
3 sets of 15 reps on each side
Crab Walking
Why?
The crab walk gets those glutes burning, which means the essential muscles are warmed up before your gym sesh. Activating your muscles from every angle, with the help of a resistance band, these crab walks get the thighs, glutes and calves warmed right up. ?
How?
Place your resistance band around your lower calf area. Standing with your knees slightly bent and your back straight. Now start by stepping out to the side so that the resistance band is tight and then back together so that the feet are hip width apart. Continue to do this for three steps towards the left and then repeat as you head back towards the right. Make sure you don’t let your knees roll in and keep that core engaged.
Stepping 3 times to the right and then three times to the left counts as 1 rep.
Try 3 sets of 10 reps
Resistance Band Squats
Why?
Something to work that booty, target key areas and get you sweating like never before. Everyone loves a squat, but when you throw a resistance band into the mix it takes it to a whole new level.
How?
With the resistance band around your thigh/upper knees, squat down so that your glutes are fully engaged. Make sure to keep your back straight and feet hip width apart. You should imagine that you’re sitting down into a chair and then getting back up. That’s how far back you should be pushing.
Try these with a friend and position yourself to be pushing against each other until your core is engaged.
You’ve mastered the glute activation, you’re gym ready and now it’s time to work that booty to the max!
