The glutes are the biggest muscle group we have. With their size and prime real estate on the body, they play the most important role in explosive movement, lateral quickness, change of direction, and plyometric strength.
Even overhead athletes like pitchers, quarterbacks, and tennis players rely on their glutes to generate the majority of their power while throwing or serving. Golfers and boxers need their glutes to maximize force generation with a right hook or long opening drive. Every athlete needs strong glutes!
The glutes or gluteal muscles refer to the three primary muscles in the buttocks: gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. These are powerful muscles that control the movements of the leg, help to support the spine, and assist the core muscles. A lack of activation or weakness in the glutes can lead to a variety of issues in the ankle, knee, and throughout the entire kinetic chain.
Strengthening the Glutes:
The first step to strengthening the glutes is learning how to activate them by creating a better neuromuscular – or brain-body – connection. Muscle pliability is often the missing link for people that have muscle activation issues. It's possible and quite common to have good muscle tone and strength in the glutes, but still lack activation.
A lack of activation can often be caused by muscle tightness. It is critical to use the TB12 Vibrating Pliability Roller or Sphere to address the areas of tightness or restrictions in the glutes prior to exercising. Another factor that can contribute to poor glute activation is improper form with exercises. While working through exercises involving the glutes, it's crucial to focus on trying to fire or tighten the glutes – you want to really feel the muscles squeeze and stabilize when you do this. This deliberate action will help to improve the neuromuscular pattern and strengthen the mind-body connection, which will make it easier for your muscles to activate unconsciously over time. T
The Role of Nutrition and Hydration
Nutrition and hydration are critical to the overall health of our muscle tissue. The muscles are made up of 75-80% water. A dehydrated muscle will not fire or function well, regardless of the amount of exercises you do to prepare it. Aim to drink at least half of your body weight in ounces of water daily to meet the demands the of the body. Fueling our muscles with proper nutrients will help to improve performance – try to avoid or limit pro-inflammatory foods such as processed sugars, refined starches, fried foods, processed meats, and alcohol. These lifestyle changes will have a large impact on the overall health of your muscles.
Your 4-Week Path to Stronger Glutes
This is a four week plan to develop stronger glutes in 30 days. Begin and end each workout by using the TB12 Vibrating Pliability Roller or Sphere . There are five exercises listed for each week, starting with foundational movements and progressing to more advanced movements by the end of the month – focus on these foundational exercises and learn to activate the glutes while maintaining proper form. This will be critical as you progress week to week. Follow along with the time frame in the video and repeat each circuit three times.
Good luck!
Week 1:
Glute Bridge
Contract your glutes and core to lift your hips off the ground until they’re straight, being sure to not flex your hamstrings. Then lower your hips to the ground. Repeat this motion continuously.
Glute Resisted Squat Jumps
With a short looped band around your knees, jump straight up into the air, landing on both feet and sitting back onto your glutes. Keep your knees apart and jump straight up again. Repeat this motion continuously. Be sure to not let your knees move past your toes.
Lateral Band Walks
Step to your right by pushing off of your left leg for 3 steps, then return to your left by pushing off of your right leg for 3 steps. Keep your feet apart throughout the movement and do not move your upper body from center. Repeat this motion continuously.
90:90 Single Leg Balance
Hold your balance in this position. Do not lean to either side or tap your raised leg to the ground — if you need to regain balance, try hopping on your plant leg instead. Switch to the other side and hold your balance on your other leg.
Leg Assisted Side Plank
This exercise is leg assisted side plank. Lie on your side, supported by your elbow, with your bottom knee bent. Hold your top leg straight and parallel with the ground and your top arm straight up. Repeat this motion continuously.
Week 2:
Banded Glute Bridge
Contract your glutes and core to lift your hips off the ground until they’re straight, being sure to not flex your hamstrings. Then lower your hips to the ground. Repeat this motion continuously.
Hip Thruster
Sit back into a half squat, then press your hips forward and stand up straight. Lower your hips back and down again, then repeat this motion continuously.
Lateral Band Walk
Step to your right by pushing off of your left leg for 3 steps, then return to your left by pushing off of your right leg for 3 steps. Keep your feet apart throughout the movement and do not move your upper body from center. Repeat this motion continuously.
Four Directional Toe Tap
Tap your elevated foot straight out to your side, then, tap your same leg back and diagonal from your body, then tap your foot straight behind your body and then cross your leg behind your planted leg and tap your foot to the other side of your body. Repeat this motion continuously. Switch sides and repeat the same motion with your other foot.
Leg Assisted Side Plank W/ Leg Lifts
This exercise is leg assisted side plank. Lie on your side, supported by your elbow, with your bottom knee bent. Hold your top leg straight and parallel with the ground and your top arm straight up. Hold the side plank for 10 seconds, then begin raising and lowering your top leg continuously. Keep your body stable. Repeat this motion continuously.
Week 3:
Lateral Resisted Glute Bridge
Contract your glutes and core to lift your hips off the ground until they’re straight, being sure to not flex your hamstrings. Then lower your hips to the ground. Repeat this motion continuously. Turn 180 degrees and repeat this motion continuously on the other side. Stay stable and do not lean to either side.
Banded Deadlift
Push up with your legs and glutes and stand straight up quickly, making sure to not bend your arms. Lower back down to a half squat, then repeat this motion continuously.
Resisted Lateral Shuffle
Push off your inside leg and shuffle sideways away from the attachment for 2-3 steps, keeping your feet apart. Return toward the attachment. Repeat this motion continuously. Turn 180 degrees and repeat this motion on your other side.
Anterior Reach
Hinge at your hips, leaning forward with your upper body. Extend your arms over your head and lean until your upper body is parallel to the ground, while elevating and extending your non-plant leg. Return to the starting position, then repeat this motion continuously.
Glute Resisted Leg Assisted Side Plank
With a short looped band above your knees, hold your top leg straight and parallel with the ground and your top arm straight up. Hold the side plank for 10 seconds, then begin raising and lowering your top leg continuously. Keep your body stable.
Week 4:
Single Leg Glute Bridge
Extend your hips off the ground by contracting your glutes. Stop when your hips are straight, then bring them back down to the ground. Repeat this motion continuously. Do not use your hamstrings to raise your hips.
Glute Resisted Squat Jumps
With a short looped band around your knees, jump straight up into the air, landing on both feet and sitting back onto your glutes. Keep your knees apart and jump straight up again. Repeat this motion continuously. Be sure to not let your knees move past your toes.
Glute Resisted Foot Splits
With a short looped band around your knees, separate your legs to either side, then return them to shoulder-width apart. Repeat this motion continuously.
Resisted Anterior Reach
Hinge your hips and lean forward with your upper body, raising your non-plant leg behind you. Lean until your upper body is parallel with the ground, then stand up straight. Repeat this motion continuously.
Glute Resisted Leg Assisted Side Plank W/ Leg Lifts
This exercise is leg assisted side plank. Lie on your side, supported by your elbow, with your bottom knee bent. Hold your top leg straight and parallel with the ground and your top arm straight up. Hold the side plank for 10 seconds, then begin raising and lowering your top leg continuously. Keep your body stable. Repeat this motion continuously.
