Hold for 15 seconds and before lowering your hips to the starting position. Then, repeat

The glutes – otherwise known as your gluteal muscles, or simply your buttocks – form the largest muscle group in your body, so it makes sense that they play a huge role in your daily life and movement. These muscles are the things that you sit on throughout the day – and they also need to be trained well if you want to be a faster, less injury-prone runner.

‘The glutes, which are the muscles in your backside, need to be firing properly if they are to lead your legs when you run, rather than activating after other muscles,’ explains physiotherapist, sports scientist and author Paul Hobrough.

As such, glute activation exercises should be an essential part of any runner’s weekly How to do a reverse crunch, which should include a variety of key strength-based moves. Indeed, with a stronger backside, you’ll be able to add power to your stride while reducing your risk of muscle imbalances, tightness, pain or injury – so here are some top glute activation exercises to get you started.

As Hobrough notes, there are three glute muscles – but they can be neglected if we spend too little time working them.

‘The gluteus maximus, medius and minimus are the three key muscles in this group, but they can lie dormant during your working day if you spend most of your time sitting,’ he says. ‘This makes them slow to fire into action for their role as key drivers in the running gait cycle.’

‘When the glutes can’t do their job, your body compensates by relying more on the hamstrings and the iliotibial band (ITB), among others,’ says Hoborough.

‘The hamstrings are weak hip extensors, while the ITB – via the hip flexor tensor fascia latae (TFL) – is a poor controller of the knee compared with the gluteus maximus,’ he adds. ‘This compensation can lead to knee pain Get the best out of your behind with these runner-approved exercises to fire up your glutes.’

Glute activation test

Keeping your knee bent and your foot flexed, lift your left leg until it is lined up with your body:

1. Lie on your front on a flat surface.
2. Place one set of fingertips onto your glutes and the other on the hamstring on the same side.
3. Lie on your front and bend your knee to 90 degrees.
4. Feel which muscle (your glutes or your hamstrings) fired first and with the greatest strength.

If your hamstrings fired way before your glutes kicked in, then Hobrough says that you likely have poor glute timing and should try the simple glute activation moves detailed below...

Lying kickbacks

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2. Imagine a tray of glasses is balanced on the sole of your foot.
3. With your knee still bent to 90 degrees, you now need to lift this tray using your glute as the prime mover, without breaking a single glass.
4. Lie on your front and bend your knee to 90 degrees.
5. Begin with five bent knee lifts and one straight leg lift (as per the glute activation test above). Repeat this move five times before every run and, ideally, before you get out of bed in the morning so you can start strengthening those glutes straight away.

Top tip

• ‘Your glute should feel like it springs into action and becomes the primary hip extensor,’ says Hobrough.

Donkey kick

Once you have perfected the basic lying kickback move above, try doing the same exercise on all fours, making sure that you are recruiting your transverse abdominals. That way, you work your lower back Imagine a tray of glasses is balanced on the sole of your foot.

1. Begin on all fours, with your knees directly under your hips and your hands directly under your shoulders.
2. Keeping your knee bent and your foot flexed, lift your left leg until it is lined up with your body.
3. Return your left knee to its starting position.
4. Repeat, then switch sides.

Top tip

• Try balancing a yoga block on your lower back to make sure you’re not wobbling.

Clamshells

1. Lie on your side and bend your knees so that the soles of your feet are in a line with your back, in the foetal position.
2. Bend your lower elbow so that you can rest your head in your hand. Place your other hand in front of you for balance.
3. Lift up your hips so that they are in line with your knees and shoulders.
4. Feel which muscle your glutes or your hamstrings fired first and with the greatest strength.
5. Try balancing a yoga block on your lower back to make sure youre not wobbling.

Top tip

• ‘You will feel the small glute muscles working hard after a few repetitions. Keep pushing through the discomfort until you have completed the specified number of repetitions,’ says Hobrough.

Glute bridge

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2. How to do donkey kicks.
3. Make sure that your hips don’t drop.
4. Hold for 15 seconds and before lowering your hips to the starting position. Then, repeat.

Top tip

‘You’ll feel this in the glutes and stomach muscles, but you must not give in,’ advises Hobrough. ‘Maintain the hips at a good level position in line with the shoulders and knees.’

Single-leg glute bridge

1. Slowly lift your hips up into a bridge position.
2. Get the best out of your behind with these runner-approved exercises to fire up your glutes.
3. Maintain a straight line from your shoulder to your knee. Extend one leg so that the thighs are still in line but one leg is now straight.
4. Hold for 20 seconds, then lower your hips and the straight leg. Repeat this before switching to the other side.

Top tip

‘While the bridge offers a few variations, largely speaking, bringing your arms closer to your body makes the exercise so much harder,’ says Hobrough.