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Today we explore the glutes.  The glutes are the largest of the muscle groups in the body and play a vital role in providing strength and stability in many movements - both in day-to-day life and exercise. Developing stronger glutes is a major fitness goal and essential for developing strength.

What is Glute Activation?

Best Weight loss exercises : Glute activation is a term used for a series of warm-up exercises to properly strengthen the gluteal muscles, which helps boost the ability to perform everything from pulls and squats to jumps and sprints.

The Benefits of Training the Glutes

The gluteus maximus is the most significant muscle (in regard to size) in the body and is primarily responsible for hip extension. This joint action is vital for nearly every strength and fitness exercise. Strong glutes play a significant role in increasing the potential to squat, deadlift, and overall athletic ability. The gluteus medius and gluteus minimus are two muscles that make up the glutes and are vital for stabilising the knee in both closed and open chain movements, such as squatting, running, jumping, and walking. Our glutes are likely a primary player in pretty much anything involving moving the body.

Why Are The Glutes So Inactive?

Because people who are even quite active use their glutes primarily for one purpose only, i.e., sitting down.

If you have weak glutes, it means you are less prepared to handle strenuous exercise and transferring additional stress to other muscle groups.

If you sit for extended hours during the day, it results in weak glutes, tight hamstrings, and tight hip flexors. These can lead to stressed muscles in the lower body, causing low back pain, an altered gait or poor mobility. So, it is necessary to create muscular balance in this area.

How Can You Activate Your Glutes?

Below are few exercises that can be very helpful in improving the process of glute activation. Try these exercises after a spell of warm-up exercise.

Clam — 20 Repetitions

1. Use a resistance band looped around the lower thighs, lay on the right side with your arm extended along with the mat and the head relaxed on your arm. Bend both knees and extend them forward slightly to bring the feet in line with the glutes, confirming that your hips are stacked and that you maintain a small gap between your waist and the floor. This is the starting position.
2. Inhale extensively.
3. Exhale while keeping the feet together, activate the right glute to elevate the right knee towards the ceiling, assuring a gap between your waist and the floor.
4. Inhale and lower the right knee to return to the starting position.
5. Repeat 10 times on the right side and then 10 on the left side.

Crab Walk — 20 Repetitions

1. Using a resistance band looped around the lower thighs, place both feet on the floor apart, ensuring that the knees are in line with the toes. Look straight ahead and bend at both the hips and knees. Make sure that the knees remain in line with the toes. Continue bending the knees until the upper legs are in a position parallel to the floor. Keep your back between a 45- to 90-degree angle to your hips.
2. Exhale while maintaining a squat position and keep your right foot on the floor; step the left foot outwards until feet are slightly further than shoulder-width.
3. Inhale and repeat the step with left foot inwards and vice versa.
4. Complete 10 repetitions on one side and 10 on the other side

Donkey Kick — 20 Repetitions

1. With a resistance band looped around the upper thighs, take a position on a yoga mat, ensuring that the knees are below the hips and the hands are below the shoulders. Keep your spine straight.
2. Now inhale.
3. Exhale while keeping the knee bent, extend and elevate the right leg until the thigh is up to the spine level, making sure that the foot remains fully flexed.
4. Inhale and lower the leg to the starting position without resting the knee on the mat.
5. Complete 10 repetitions on the right and then switch on the left side.

How to donkey kick: Visual

Glute Bridge — 15 Repetitions

1. With a resistance band looped around the lower thighs, lie flat on your back on a yoga mat. Bend both knees and position your feet on the mat, keeping them hip-width apart with your spine in a neutral position. Allow the arms to rest by your sides on the mat.
2. Exhale while pressing the heels into the mat. Activate your glutes and raise the pelvis off the floor to a level that the body is in line right from chin to the knee, resting on your shoulders.
3. Again, inhale and lower your pelvis to remain flat on the mat.
4. Repeat 15 times.