GLUTE EXERCISES: Low Impact on the knees Ball Bridge Thrusts 1. Begin in the seated position on a stability ball. Walk your feet out in front of you until you are able to rest your head and shoulders on the ball. 2. You should be in the bridge position with both feet on the floor, knees at a 90 degree angle, back and hamstrings parallel to the floor, butt up, and core tight. 3. Dip your glutes down towards the floor, and then lift your hips back up to the starting position. Squeeze glutes at the top position. 4. Dip glutes back down and repeat at a slow and controlled pace contracting glutes at the top position. Ball/Wall Squats 1. Place ball between lower back and the wall. 2. Stand with feet wide and toes pointing out while leaning back against ball.
3. Sit back in your heels (keeping bodyweight on heels) as you lower your body down as far as possible to perform a single squat. Make sure to keep knees behind toes in order to protect your knees from injury. 4. As you squat, push glutes back towards the wall and keep your back as upright as possible. 5. Push bodyweight through your heels and stand back up to the starting position. Immediately perform another squat. 6. Repeat at a slow and controlled pace. Ball Bridge Lifts 1. Lie on the floor on your back. Place both feet flat against the ball and hands lateral to the body with palms down on the floor for stability. 2. Lift glutes up off of the ground while contracting glutes and hamstrings, keeping core locked for balance. 3. Lower back down slowly but do not rest at the bottom of the movement. Touch glutes back down and repeat. Ball Superman Glute Lifts
1. Lie with lower stomach/upper hips on ball in the push-up position with hands on floor in front of you. 2. Lift both legs up (straight legs) while squeezing glutes at the top position. 3. Slowly lower legs back down and repeat at a slow and controlled pace. Bent Knee Leg Lift Glute Raises 1. Position body on the floor with hands down, one knee up off floor, and one knee on the floor. 2. Bend the up knee back at a 90 degree angle. 3. Lift up knee back/up in a manner as if you were pushing the ceiling up with the heel of your foot. Slowly lower the knee and bring back in to the starting position. 4. Keep 90 degree angle throughout entire set in order to engage glutes. Repeat on same side at a slow and controlled pace. Bosu Bridge Lifts 1. Lie down on your back on the floor with feet up on ball side of the Bosu ball. 2. Lift glutes up off of the ground by pushing through the heels and squeezing glutes at top position. 3. Lower glutes back down slowly and repeat without resting at bottom position.
Bosu Bridge Lifts (single leg) 1. Lie on your back on the floor with right foot up on ball side of Bosu ball and left foot up in air. 2. Pushing through your right heel, lift glutes up off floor. 3. Lower back down and then lift back up without resting at the bottom. Repeat on same leg. DB Deadlifts *You can perform this exercise with a barbell as well. 1. Stand with legs stiff and knees slightly bent holding 2 DB s at front thigh area. 2. Lean forward with a flat back (DO NOT ROUND BACK) and lower DB's down towards toes as if you were stretching. 3. Bend knees slightly as u lower. 4. Lift upper body back up in a straight up position, squeezing glutes at the top. 5. Repeat at a slow controlled pace. Glute Bridges- Single Leg
*Can perform on floor or up on bench. 1. Lie on floor on your back. 2. Place right foot flat against floor and left foot up in air. 3. Place hands lateral to body with palms down for stability. 4. Lift glutes up off ground by pushing through right heel. Contract glutes and hamstrings at top position and keep core locked for balance. 5. Lower back down slowly. Do not rest at bottom of movement. Touch glutes back down and repeat. "Fire Hydrant" Side Kick-Outs 1. Position body on the floor with hands and right knee down on floor. 2. Lift left leg out to the side with left inner thigh parallel to floor and knee bent. 3. Extend from knee to foot straight out in order to kick your foot with a fully extended leg. Push heel out and then bring heel back to starting position. 4. Repeat at a slow and controlled pace, keeping knee high throughout the entire set. Hyperextensions
1. Position body on slant/hyperextension board with legs straight and hips right above top of board. 2. Keeping back straight, lift body up in order to squeeze glutes at top position. 3. Lower body back down. Repeat. Kettlebell/Dumbbell Hip Thrusts
*KB will rise up in front, but do not use arm strength to lift it. Instead, use momentum of hip thrust to bring it forward. 1. Stand upright with a wide stance and stiff (slightly bent) legs. 2. Hold one kettlebell/dumbbell by the handle between legs with arms fully extended down. 3. Lean forward and swing kettlebell/dumbbell back between legs. 4. Immediately swing the kettlebell/dumbbell forward, back through legs. Swing KB forward by popping/thrusting hips forward and squeezing glutes. Repeat in a controlled manner. Step Bridges 1. Lie on floor on your back. 2. Place both feet flat against bench or step and put hands lateral to body with palms down for stability. 3. Lift glutes up off ground while contracting glutes and hamstrings and keeping core locked for balance. 4. Lower back down slowly. Do not rest at bottom of movement. Touch glutes back down and repeat. Step Bridges-Single Leg
1. Lie on floor on your back. 2. Place right foot against step/bench and left foot up in air. 3. Place hands lateral to body with palms down for stability. 4. Lift glutes up off ground by pushing through right heel. Contract glutes and hamstrings at top position and keep core locked for balance. 5. Lower back down slowly. Do not rest at bottom of movement. Touch glutes back down and repeat. Straight Leg Lifts/Raises 1. Position body on the floor with hands down, one knee up off of the floor, and one knee on the floor. 2. Lift the leg of the up knee back behind your body. 3. Slowly lift up a few inches, keeping leg completely straight with foot in the flexed position. 4. Slowly lower the leg and bring back in to the starting position without touching foot to the floor. 5. Repeat at a slow and controlled pace on the same leg for the entire set. Single Leg Bridges on Hands in Seated Crab-like Position
1. Sit on the floor in the crab like position with one foot on floor in front of you and other up in the air in front of you. 2. Hands will be behind your body, rear facing the floor, and feet out in front of you with slight bend in both knees. 3. Push body (glutes) up, with weight on your hands and down foot. 4. Using the side of the down foot, push bodyweight through heel and lift glutes up as high as possible. Engage and contract glutes at top position. 5. Slowly lower glutes back down as close to floor without touching. Lift up again off of same foot for the entire set before switching. 6. Keep other foot up throughout entire set. Repeat. TRX Band Bridges 1. Lie down on the floor on your back with TRX in front of you. 2. Place each heel in a handle. 3. Position arms on floor lateral to body for support. 4. Lift glutes up off floor and then lower back down without resting at bottom of movement. Repeat.