Glute Activation Exercises To Fire Up Those Glutes BEFORE Your Workout
We can do all the weight training, HIIT workouts, and machines we want, but if you want to build a booty you first have to turn those glutes on! When you are not being active you are not using your glute muscles, so in order to get them back on and ready to work you need glute activation exercises to fire up those glutes before your workout! These exercises are going to warm your booty muscles up and get them ready for a great workout. And all you need is a resistance band! If you don’t have a resistance band, you can do this without one, but the band is really going to help get the muscles working!
1. Squat walks
Throw a resistance band just above your knees. You need to use the band that works best for you. Start with an easy band and work your way up to a heavy one. You are going to crouch in a squat position with your butt parallel to the floor. Keeping your back straight you are going to side step 5 times back and forth for a total of 3 times. Do this as many times as it takes for you to feel it in those glutes.
2. Standing side kicks
Do this one 10 times (or however many times you need in order to feel it) on both legs. Keep that resistance band just above your knees, hold onto a bar or the wall, and kick your leg out to the side. Remember to only move your leg and not the rest of your body. You want to only be using your muscles to do this controlling the movement, rather than using the momentum to get your leg up.
3. Standing back kicks
This exercise is the same as the last one, except instead of kicking your leg out to the side you are going to be kicking it behind you. Leave the resistance band just above your knees and bring your leg slowly up behind you. Do this move 10 times or however many time it takes to get you to feel the muscle working. Don’t forget to do both legs!
4. Glute raises
For this exercise you are going to use a little bit bigger of a band. Laying on your back, tuck the band underneath your feet. Then bring the band up and hold it at your hips. You are then going to push your hips up and squeeze your butt at the top. You are going to do this move 15 times. Hip thrusts are a great way to build you butt so adding some weight to this move during your workout is really going to help you grow your butt.
5. Kneeling kick backs
This is the same movement you were doing standing up, but now you are going to do it on your knees. Sitting on all fours tuck that large resistance band under your hands. Then reach it back around the foot you are going to raise in the air. Kick your foot back raising it as high as you can. Complete this move 15 times.
6. Reverse lunges
Step through your large resistance band. You are going to stand on it with one foot to keep the band in place. Then you are going to place the band behind your should blades. Once you have the band wrapped around your body, you are going to step backward with the leg not holding the resistance band into a backwards lunge. The resistance from the band is going to make this a bit more difficult rather. Do 10 of these lunges on each leg.
7. RDL
Most of these glute activation exercises are moves you can turn into weight training just by adding weight. Before you do RDL’s with a barbell, you can do them with a resistance band to get the glutes moving. As you are still inside of the resistance band, hold the band down with both feet. Keeping the band behind your shoulder blades, you are going to hinge at the hips and bring your chest parallel with the floor. Make sure to keep your back straight and stick that booty out. You will comeplete this move 15 times.
8. High knees
Rather than doing this quickly like a cardio exercise, you will do this glute activation exercises slow and controlled. Tuck your light, medium, or heavy band around your feet. While keeping your foot parallel to the floor raise the band until your leg is at a 90 degree angle. Repeat this movement on each leg at least 10 times.
9. Hip rotation
Keeping both of your feet in the band lift your foot up to a 90 degree angle. Push your leg out to the side without moving the rest of your body. Complete this exercise 10 times on both legs. Remember to keep your torso tight to ensure good form, but better yet, this is one of the glute activation exercises that will work your abs as a secondary exercise. Pretend your middle is zipped up and tight.
10. Lunge walks
Move the bad so it is around both of your ankles. Keeping your knees bents, walk forward for 10 to 12 steps. Before you begin to take your next step makes sure to place your forward foot completly on the ground before lifting your other leg. When doing this, as well as all the other glute activation exercises, really think about working your glute. Focusing on the muscle will help activate that muscle mind connection and working that glute engaged throughout the movement.
11. Glute Bridge Marching
Place your band just above your knees. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Lift your hips off the ground until your body is in a straight line. Then, lift one leg up the ground pulling it towards your head. You should have a bit on a bend in your knee, but you should not just be bringing your knee to your face. You want to make sure you are controlling the movement of your entire leg. You should do this movement on each leg 10 times.
12. Side lying hip external rotation
Lie on your side with the band just above your knees. With your top leg, push the band out while keeping your feet together. Think of your legs opening and closing like a clam. You will be keeping your legs a little bent while you are opening and closing your legs. Make sure to really focus on your glute while you are doing this exercise. Do this move 10 times on each side.
