TRY THESE FOUR glute exercises at home or in the gym and you’ll wonder what you’ve been doing with your life up until now…
Romanian dead lift
Stand upright and hold a barbell in front of your body at mid-thigh height.
Place a slight bend in your knees, maintain a flat back, bend at the waist, and slowly slide the weight along the front of your legs until it reaches your shins.
Hold the stretch for a second before powerfully contracting your glutes and ‘snapping’ back up to starting position.
Keep your hips stationary and emphasize the stretch behind your knees.
Three sets of eight reps is plenty if done correctly.
Donkey kicks
Start on your hands and knees, with your wrists aligned under your shoulders and your knees under hips.
Drawing your abs in, lift your left leg parallel to the floor (and beyond if you feel good!), with your knee bent and your foot flexed.
Return to starting position and repeat 15 to 20 times on each side.
Sumo squats
Stand tall with a wide stance and hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in between your legs. Draw your shoulders back, maintain a flat back and slowly squat down until your quads are parallel with the floor.
Use your core and a strong lower back to resist hunching forward. Powerfully contract your glutes, press through your hamstrings and heels and return back up to start. Your heels drive the upward movement, not your toes.
Go through three sets of 10 reps.
Clams
Lie on your side, keep both knees bent and flex the hips slightly. While keeping your heels together, open your knees by contracting your gluteus medius. This is a very slow and specific movement.
Close again.
The longer you hold them open the harder the exercise.
To make it even harder, keep your heels from touching, holding your top leg free of any support.
Do three sets of 20 reps on both sides.