A Week of Great Glutes!

This Week...Great Glutes!

#1: Start off standing on a sturdy bench or chair. Have your feet together with your palms facing your thighs. If you choose, hold a set of dumbbells or other weight. Squeeze your shoulders down and back and engage your core. Hinge at the hips and bend forward with your legs and back straight, lowering the weights toward the floor. Engage your glute muscles and return to stand. Repeat for 12-18 reps!

#2...Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet planted hip distance apart and your arms resting by your sides. Lift your hips, engaging your glutes, off the floor as high as you can coming up to a shoulder bridge. Hold for a count of 3-5 and lower. Repeat for 12-18 repetitions.

#3…For this exercise you will need 2 paper plates and a hard surface (not carpet).
Stand with your feet hip distance apart and a paper plate under each foot. Find yourself centered, preparing to balance on your right leg. Keep your feet parallel and slide your left foot out to the side, bending your right knee into a lunge.
From the side, slide your left leg behind your right, crossing your left leg behind your right, maintaining your lunge. From here, still in your lunge, slide your left leg back out to the side slide it back to your starting position, standing with your feet hip distance apart. Switch legs and repeat for 12-18 repetitions on each leg.
Points to remember: keep your back straight, your knees pointing over your toes, your shoulders down and back and your core engaged and have fun!

#4...and hamstrings and core!
Begin this exercise on your stomach with your arms bent, your hands stacked and your forehead resting on the top hand. Drop your shoulders away from your ears and engage your core, bringing your navel up toward your spine.
Extend your legs out behind you engaging all your leg muscles. Using the strength of your glutes and hamstrings, maintaining your core engagement and keeping your shoulders relaxed lift your legs a few inches off the floor. Hold for 6-8 counts and lower. Repeat for 12-18 repetitions.
When you are finished, press back into "child's pose" and relax!

#5...And last but not least...
From child's pose, come to your hands and knees. Lift your left leg, still bent with your heel pressing toward the ceiling. Engaging your glutes, pulse your heel toward the ceiling for 30 small pulses. Lower and switch legs. When you have finished with 12-15 repetitions on each leg press back into child's pose and rest.

Cycle these glute exercises in together for a total of 2-3 sets and be sure to stretch!