Our glutes are the powerhouse of muscles of the body, so we need to fire them up regularly. If we’re sedentary, these three main muscles in the buttocks simply don’t activate effectively, and because their job includes stabilising the hips and supporting the spine, weak glutes can lead to lower back, hip or even knee pain.
Together with our quads, and hamstring strength, our glutes are key for our everyday life, from propelling us forwards with each stride we take to enabling us to get in and out of a chair and retain independence as we age.
To increase our lower body strength we need to incorporate exercises which target the glutes into our workouts – think squats, lunges and glute bridges
This short and sharp 10-minute lower-body workout includes a range of exercises which target the literal seat of our strength, and mimic day-to-day movements. For example, when you perform a deadlift, you hinge at the hips with a flat back to then lift dumbbells back to standing. That’s also how you would pick something up from the floor (never with a rounded back). Goblet squats recreate the correct form for getting in/out of a chair and are a fabulous exercise to target all the lower body muscles. Similarly reverse lunges target the glutes, the quads and the hamstrings. They require balance, so you’ll soon know if you haven’t engaged your core! Glute bridges, meanwhile, are a good alternative exercise to target the glutes if you cannot squat due to knee issues.
Anyone can improve their lower body strength and it can be life-changing.
Workout 3: Lower-Body Strength
Goal: Legs and glutes focused – two dumbbells required. If you’re a beginner, I would suggest starting with 2kg weights and building up gradually.
Do each exercise for 40 seconds, followed by 20 seconds’ rest. Repeat for two sets total.
1. Goblet Squat
Focus: Quads, glutes
With all the weight in your heels and a sumo stance position (toes pointing out), sit back as if into a chair. Keep the back straight and the chest lifted. Hold the weight into the chest and keep your shoulders back. Go as low as feels comfortable for you, and you can also do this just using your bodyweight to start.
2. Romanian Deadlift
Focus: Hamstrings, glutes
Keeping your back flat, hinge at the hips, your knees soft, taking the dumbbells down the front of your thighs until your chest is parallel with the floor. Don’t arch your back and keep your head from dipping. Slowly rise back to standing.
3. Reverse Lunge (right and left alternating)
Focus: Quads, glutes
Standing at the top of your mat, step back with alternating legs into a lunge position, with the back knee lowering to 90 degrees (or wherever feels comfortable for you) and then pushing through the front heel to come back to a standing position. Hold the dumbbells by your side or start with just your bodyweight.
4. Lateral Lunge
Focus: Inner thighs, glutes
With your feet wide on the mat, send your hips back as you bend from one side to the other while keeping the other leg straight. Try to keep a straight back and gaze forward. You can hold a weight or perform this move just with your bodyweight.
5. Dumbbell Glute Bridge (hip thrust)
Focus: Glutes, hamstrings
Start on your back with a dumbbell resting on your on hips. Bring the heels towards the bottom. Tilt the pelvis towards you as you drive up through the heels to raise the hips off the floor. Once at the top, slowly lower the body with minimal rest at the bottom before repeating. You can also do this without a weight or for a more advanced exercise you can make it a single leg bridge.
Next week, Caroline’s four-week programme concludes with her killer core routine
carolinescircuits.com
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