The 5 best Glute Strengthening exercises for runners.
As a runner and coach, I have seen multiple colleagues and friends go through some sort of "running injury". Plantars, shin splints, stress fracture, Iliotibial-band syndrome (ITBS) you name it, I've seen it, heard it, lived it. With so much technology and history at our disposal, why do these types of injuries keep reoccurring? All runners are instructed/educated to work core, cross train and a myriad of other exercises specific to running your best. Yet, the one area that often gets neglected and is the culprit to many of the injuries mentioned above is the Gluteus Maximus or simply put...the buttocks. Hey, have you looked at the majority of the runners butts? They are non-existent!!! So I rest my case.
The glutes hold our pelvis level and steady, extend our hip, propel us forward, and keep our legs and torso aligned. So when our glutes are faulty, our biomechanics gets disrupted. I assume everyone knows that running is quads dominate sport, glutes aren't as active as other running muscles during routine activities, but yet it is vital to our running success/longevity. By strengthening your gluteal muscles it should help you to:
- Reduce the risk of injury and tightness in the pelvis and knee area
- Increase your power and strength when running
- Improve your biomechanics & posture
So what do we do to improve on our glute strength, prevent injuries and reimage our flat derriere to a nice onion butt? Here are my top 5 exercises that I believe will help you run healthy and keep you strong.
1. Bird Dogs
This will not only strengthen your gluteals but it will also work your core.
1. Begin on hands and knees – hands in line with your shoulders and knees in line with your hips.
2. Extend your left arm to just under ear level as you extend your right leg back. Make sure that the right leg is fully extended and parallel to the floor. Focus on pulling the toes back (dorsiflexed) and keeping a straight line from finger tips to heel.
3. Hold for 3-5 secs then bring the left arm and right knee back in (focus on a tight core) and touch elbow to knee.
4. Repeat
Tip: Find something directly in front of you to focus on and make sure you are pressing down with your opposite hand and knee to keep your balance.
2. Gluteal Bridge
This exercise focuses on the downwards movement, leading into a bridge and into a leg extension.
1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your arms at your sides, palms facing down.
2. Squeeze your glutes and slowly raise your butt off the ground until your body forms a straight line.
3. Extend one leg toward the ceiling. Hold for 3 to 5 seconds, bring your leg back on to the ground and slowly lower yourself back to the floor.
4. Repeat.
3. Side Lying Clam
This is a very popular and effective physio exercise.
1. Lie on your side, legs together, keep both knees bent and flex the hips to 30 degrees.
2. Keep your ankles together and separate your knees by raising your top knee.
3. Bring your top knee back down to complete the movement. Do not roll your hips during the movement.
4. Repeat.
Tip: For added resistance, place your top hand on top knee and apply pressure.
4. Leg Lifts on Hands and Knees
A great alternative for individuals who may have difficulty performing squats.
1. Begin on your hands and knees – hands in line with your shoulders and knees in line with your hips.
2. Extend from your hip and keep your knees bent, breathe out and lift your leg up until the thigh is parallel to the floor, foot flat and parallel to the ceiling and the knee bent at a 90 degree angle.
3. Breathe in and slowly lower your knee back to the ground to complete the movement.
4. Repeat.
5. Single Leg Squats
This is a great test of leg strength and balance.
1. Stand on one leg.
2. Start to sit back slowly into a squatting position on one leg.
3. Keep your back straight, chest up, hips go back and knee stays behind the toes.
4. Only go back as far as you feel comfortable.
5. Using your glutes, extend back up to starting position.
6. Switch legs and repeat.
Once you have done these for 2-6 weeks, 3x a week you can move onto more functional exercises including:
- Swiss Ball Leg Extension, Curl & Squat.
- Moving narrow and wide leg squat.
- Lunge & multidirectional lunge.
- TRX Squats & Lunges.
So how many sets and reps, my recommendation is 2-3 sets, 10-15 reps on each leg, or 20-30 in total with the focus on the gluteal muscles. At no point should there be any pain in the knee or lower back. Ensure you warm up, and cool down accordingly.
Kyle
Train Hard = Race Easy, Train Smart = Race Fast ™
The glutes hold our pelvis level and steady, extend our hip, propel us forward, and keep our legs and torso aligned. So when our glutes are faulty, our biomechanics gets disrupted. I assume everyone knows that running is quads dominate sport, glutes aren't as active as other running muscles during routine activities, but yet it is vital to our running success/longevity. By strengthening your gluteal muscles it should help you to:
- Reduce the risk of injury and tightness in the pelvis and knee area
- Increase your power and strength when running
- Improve your biomechanics & posture
So what do we do to improve on our glute strength, prevent injuries and reimage our flat derriere to a nice onion butt? Here are my top 5 exercises that I believe will help you run healthy and keep you strong.
1. Bird Dogs
This will not only strengthen your gluteals but it will also work your core.
1. Begin on hands and knees – hands in line with your shoulders and knees in line with your hips.
2. Extend your left arm to just under ear level as you extend your right leg back. Make sure that the right leg is fully extended and parallel to the floor. Focus on pulling the toes back (dorsiflexed) and keeping a straight line from finger tips to heel.
3. Hold for 3-5 secs then bring the left arm and right knee back in (focus on a tight core) and touch elbow to knee.
4. Repeat
Tip: Find something directly in front of you to focus on and make sure you are pressing down with your opposite hand and knee to keep your balance.
2. Gluteal Bridge
This exercise focuses on the downwards movement, leading into a bridge and into a leg extension.
1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your arms at your sides, palms facing down.
2. Squeeze your glutes and slowly raise your butt off the ground until your body forms a straight line.
3. Extend one leg toward the ceiling. Hold for 3 to 5 seconds, bring your leg back on to the ground and slowly lower yourself back to the floor.
4. Repeat.
3. Side Lying Clam
This is a very popular and effective physio exercise.
1. Lie on your side, legs together, keep both knees bent and flex the hips to 30 degrees.
2. Keep your ankles together and separate your knees by raising your top knee.
3. Bring your top knee back down to complete the movement. Do not roll your hips during the movement.
4. Repeat.
Tip: For added resistance, place your top hand on top knee and apply pressure.
4. Leg Lifts on Hands and Knees
A great alternative for individuals who may have difficulty performing squats.
1. Begin on your hands and knees – hands in line with your shoulders and knees in line with your hips.
2. Extend from your hip and keep your knees bent, breathe out and lift your leg up until the thigh is parallel to the floor, foot flat and parallel to the ceiling and the knee bent at a 90 degree angle.
3. Breathe in and slowly lower your knee back to the ground to complete the movement.
4. Repeat.
5. Single Leg Squats
This is a great test of leg strength and balance.
1. Stand on one leg.
2. Start to sit back slowly into a squatting position on one leg.
3. Keep your back straight, chest up, hips go back and knee stays behind the toes.
4. Only go back as far as you feel comfortable.
5. Using your glutes, extend back up to starting position.
6. Switch legs and repeat.
Once you have done these for 2-6 weeks, 3x a week you can move onto more functional exercises including:
- Swiss Ball Leg Extension, Curl & Squat.
- Moving narrow and wide leg squat.
- Lunge & multidirectional lunge.
- TRX Squats & Lunges.
So how many sets and reps, my recommendation is 2-3 sets, 10-15 reps on each leg, or 20-30 in total with the focus on the gluteal muscles. At no point should there be any pain in the knee or lower back. Ensure you warm up, and cool down accordingly.
Kyle
Train Hard = Race Easy, Train Smart = Race Fast ™
Running Times Article on Key Exercises That Keep The World's Best Runners Healthy.
I am a little behind on updating my execises for the week but Thank goodness for Running Times!!! They saved me this week with their article on The Oregon Project Stability Routine. I actually currently perform 3-4 of these movements myself in preperation for this 2013 training.
Give it a read and consider adding some of the movements to your weekly workout routine. The worse think that can happen is that you become a stroner runner or have some bullet proof glutes :)
Kyle
Train Hard = Race Easy, Train Smart = Race Fast ™
Give it a read and consider adding some of the movements to your weekly workout routine. The worse think that can happen is that you become a stroner runner or have some bullet proof glutes :)
Kyle
Train Hard = Race Easy, Train Smart = Race Fast ™
Alter G-Training, not just for injuries!
You wake up for your morning run and something is just not feeling right. You go through your normal routine before you head out the door and still, something is just off. You head out the door and can't even go a 1/2mile before you tell yourself "damn! Hope this is not an injury".
Well, I am sure there are plenty of us who have been in some sort of situation like this and are just pissed at the fact that a potential injury could sideline us for an undetermined amount of time. It's only when you go to your Dr. that he/she indicates that yes you have a stress fracture and you need to rest (oh No!!! the "R" word) for 6-8 weeks. For runners, this is bad news when we are 1-2 months from our goal race. The only option before was to do "aqua jog"...
Well, I am sure there are plenty of us who have been in some sort of situation like this and are just pissed at the fact that a potential injury could sideline us for an undetermined amount of time. It's only when you go to your Dr. that he/she indicates that yes you have a stress fracture and you need to rest (oh No!!! the "R" word) for 6-8 weeks. For runners, this is bad news when we are 1-2 months from our goal race. The only option before was to do "aqua jog"...
