Most people don’t realise how important their glutes are - plenty of people like the aesthetics of well-developed glutes, but the benefits are far more than just surface level - both in and outside of the gym.
What are the Benefits of Strong Glutes?
The glutes are some of the most important muscles in your body, keeping them strong can help with everything from your posture to your ability to run, jump, sit, or even just walk without leg pain.
They also play a large part in many exercises in the gym, and weak glutes may limit your performance on seemingly unrelated lifts – such as the standing overhead press or bench press, which require bracing and stability.
What are Common Signs of Weak Glutes?
Bad Posture
Slouching or anterior pelvic tilt (where your pelvic is lower on the front and raised up on the back) can both be signs that your glutes are weak.
Pain in the Hips and Knees
Pain in the outside of the hips or the front of the knees often indicate that your glutes aren’t supporting your posture correctly.
Altered Gait
When walking your glutes are responsible for keeping you stable – so if your gait is off then it may be a sign that they are weak.
What are Exercises to Strengthen Glutes?
Hip Thrusts
A staple glute building exercise – the hip thrust is perfect for directly targeting the glutes and progressively overloading over time. Perform them on a Hip Thrust Bench for increased comfort.
Glute Bridges
Perfect for a living room exercise, glute bridges require no equipment and can be done between other exercises or just on your own time.
Romanian Deadlifts
While the conventional deadlift is also a great option, the RDL keeps the glutes under tension through the entire range of motion for superior glute activation, whether you're using dumbbells or a Barbell.
Bulgarian Split Squats
Not for the faint of heart, the Bulgarian split squat will leave you sore the next day but is one of the best glute and hamstring builders out there.
Lunges
Can be done either weighted by holding a pair of Spinlock Dumbbells, or just with bodyweight by placing your hands on your hips.
Weak glutes are common in today’s society where most of our jobs and hobbies have us sitting all day, but they can be corrected with just a little effort and consistency. By adding some of the above exercises into your routine – or just into your daily life – you can help build up those glutes and prevent any long-term problems down the road!
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