A Glute Workout for Runners to Help Power You Through
Your Hardest Miles
When it comes to
working out, most runners are happy just lacing up their shoes and
hitting the pavement. But slotting in a glute workout for runners alongside
your regular mileage can pay big dividends. So get ready to add in some
new butt exercises!
Before we get
into why strong glutes matter, here’s a quick anatomy refresher. Your glutes
are a muscle group consisting of three key players: your gluteus maximus, or
your biggest butt muscle, as well as your gluteus medius and gluteus minimus,
the two smaller muscles
that form your side butt. While all three muscles are
important and should work together to complete various functions and movements,
your gluteus maximus and gluteus medius are particularly important for runners
looking to boost their performance and decrease their risk of injury, certified
strength-and-conditioning specialist Janet Hamilton, CSCS, an exercise
physiologist and running coach with Running Strong in Atlanta, tells
SELF. So she created a four-move glute workout for runners—which you can get
all the details on below—that does just that!
As for why butt
strength matters in running? Your glutes basically form the “seat of your
power” as a runner, says Hamilton. That means the stronger your glutes are, the
more powerful your stride. Moreover, since your glutes are attached to your
legs, having strong glutes can help reduce your risk of lower leg injuries
including “runner’s knee” (a vague term referring to a number of conditions involving
the patellofemoral joint), iliotibial band syndrome, medial tibial stress
syndrome (also known as shin splints), and plantar fasciitis, says Hamilton.
Another reason
to care about glute strength: A strong butt can help your runs simply
feel easier. As
Hamilton explains it, any physical activity—whether that’s lifting a heavy bag
of groceries, walking up stairs, or holding a yoga pose—will feel less taxing if you have a greater reserve of muscle
strength to call on. In the case of running, having stronger glutes will make
any given run feel like a lot less work.
With all that in
mind, Hamilton developed the following butt workout that you can do at home
with just your bodyweight and a mini-band, making it an easy addition to your routine. (Here are
some great mini-band
choices if you’re not sure which to choose!) You’ll see there are
suggested ranges for the reps, sets, and rest periods, so listen to your body
and tailor the program accordingly. For optimal results, do this workout two to
three times a week, either on days that you have an easy run or no run at all
planned, says Hamilton.
However you slot
this butt circuit into your schedule, do a brief warm-up first so you don’t
jump in with cold muscles. It doesn’t need to be long or complicated—something
as simple as a few minutes of walking can do the trick.
Feeling ready to
fire up your glutes and become a stronger, more resilient runner? Keep
scrolling for an amazing four-move butt workout for runners that may just
become a new go-to in your arsenal of at-home workouts.
The Workout
What you
need: An exercise mat for
comfort and a mini-band. Pick a band with enough resistance that completing the
prescribed reps below with proper form feels challenging but doable.
Exercises
- Squat
- Standing Glute Kick-Back
- Glute Bridge
- Donkey Kick
Directions
- If you’re a beginner, start by trying 10
reps of each butt exercise. If that feels easy, feel free to increase the
rep range. If you’re an intermediate to advanced exerciser, do up to 30
reps of each move. The right number of reps will vary based on your fitness
level and other factors, but as a general guide, do as many reps as it
takes to get to the point where completing reps with good form starts to
feel challenging (though definitely stop before your form suffers). If
you’re getting to the high end of the rep range and it still feels too
easy, make the move more challenging by doing one of the progression
options listed below.
- Rest minimally in between moves (though of
course take breaks if you feel like you can’t catch your breath or your
form starts to falter).
- Do 1–3 rounds total, taking as much rest
as you need in between rounds to ensure you can tackle the next round with
good form. The right amount of rest will vary based on your fitness level
and other factors, but as a starting point, aim for 1–2 minutes.
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart
and core engaged.
- Send your hips back and bend both knees to
drop into a squat, allowing your knees to bend to at least 90 degrees, so
both thighs are parallel to the floor. If you can’t lower to 90 degrees,
that’s ok; go as far as your mobility allows.
- Return to the starting position by
squeezing your glutes to stand.
- That’s 1 rep. Do 10–30 reps.
This functional
movement works your glutes as well as your quads, hamstrings,
and calves. It’s great before a run as a warm-up, says Hamilton. Make it harder
by holding dumbbells or looping a resistance band around your thighs.
- Loop a mini band around your ankles and
keep a soft bend in your knees. Put your hands on your hips. You can also
stand in front of a wall to touch lightly for balance.
- With your glutes engaged, slowly extend
one leg out behind you. Make sure you don’t arch your back. Carefully
bring your leg back down. This is one rep.
- Do 10–30 reps on one side, then switch
sides and repeat.
This move works
the glute on the side that’s moving as well as the lateral hip, lower leg
muscles, and foot muscles on the side that’s stationary, says Hamilton. As you
perform reps, keep your upper body completely still; it can help to imagine
you’re balancing a book on your head, Hamilton says. Make it easier by removing
the band and doing the move with just your bodyweight. Make it harder by using
a stronger band.
- Lie on your back with your hands at your
sides, knees bent, and feet flat on the floor hip-width apart. This is the
starting position.
- Squeeze your glutes and abs and push
through your heels to lift your hips a few inches off the floor until your
body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Hold this
position for a second, making sure to maintain tension in the band so your
knees don't collapse in.
- Slowly lower your hips to return to the
starting position. This is one rep.
- Complete 10–30 reps.
This move is
great for isolating your glutes. The glute max in particular is engaged when
you move from slight hip flexion at the bottom of the movement to full hip
extension at the top of the movement. Make it harder by doing single-leg glute
bridges Or place a mini-band around your thighs.
- Loop a mini-band around the bottom of your
left ankle and right foot. Start on all fours 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. Hold briefly at the top.
- Return your right knee to floor for 1 rep.
- Do 10–30 reps on one side, then switch
sides and repeat.
The all-fours,
bent-knee position in this move targets your glutes while keeping the
hamstrings disengaged, says Hamilton. That means your glutes are the primary
drivers in this exercise, which makes it a great choice for really
strengthening this muscle group. Be sure to continually engage your core as you
perform reps; this will prevent your back from arching as you lift your foot
into the air, says Hamilton. Make it easier by removing the band and performing
reps with just your bodyweight. Make it harder by using a stronger band.
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