7 Glutes Activation Exercises to Fire Up Your Lower-Body Muscles

“When your hips, knees, and ankles have good mobility, you’re able to activate and engage your glutes more effectively, meaning better results,” says Kelsey Wells, personal trainer for the Sweat app. “Without mobility, your body might compensate by using other muscles, like your lower back or quads, which could lead to imbalances or even injuries.”

From warming up to winding down, these glutes activation exercises are your new go-to for a more flexible, powerful lower body.

Join the movement

If you’re following along with our October 2024 Movement of the Month Club, these are the moves for week 1. You’ll do one exercise each day, Monday through Sunday, for 60 seconds (or 30 seconds on each side). Repeat for 3 total rounds.

As a bonus, you can follow along with Wells and the full-length workout below. Perform each of the seven exercises for the specified amount of time, resting for 15 seconds between each move, completing three rounds in total.

Here are your glutes activation exercises

1. Squat and extend

This exercise not only stretches and strengthens your lower-body muscles, it also builds stability in your core and flexibility in your shoulders with the overhead extension.

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Bend at your hips and knees, lowering your butt while making sure your knees stay aligned with your toes. Continue lowering until your thighs are just below parallel to the floor, maintaining a back angle of 45 to 90 degrees to your hips.
3. Place your hands on the tops of your feet, tucking your fingers under your toes. This is your starting position.
4. Take a deep breath in. As you exhale, straighten your legs by extending your knees and lifting your hips while keeping your back straight and fingers under your toes.
5. Hold the stretch for three seconds, feeling the tension in your hamstrings. With each exhale, try to straighten your legs further to deepen the stretch.
6. Inhale again, and as you exhale, bend your knees and lower your hips back down to the starting position.
7. Repeat for 45 seconds, focusing on maintaining proper form and deepening the stretch each time.

2. Downward facing dog and calf pump

Combine the benefits of stretching your hamstrings and lower back with targeted calf activation, improving both flexibility and circulation in the lower legs.

1. Place both hands on a mat, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Position your feet together behind you, resting on the balls of your feet in a push-up position.
2. Maintaining a neutral spine and engaging your core, lift your hips toward the ceiling to form an inverted V-shape with your body.
3. With your knees slightly bent, press your heels toward the mat and tilt your tailbone upward to deepen the stretch.
4. To perform the calf pump, bend your left knee slightly, lifting your left heel off the floor while pressing your right heel firmly into the mat.
5. Switch sides by bending your right knee and pressing your left heel into the mat. Alternate between right and left calf pumps for 45 seconds.

3. Squat and reach

The squat portion of this exercise effectively targets the entire lower body and core, while the reach extends the benefits to the upper back and shoulders, improving posture and upper-body mobility.

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and hands by your sides. Engage your core by gently drawing your ribs toward your hips.
2. Inhale, then bend at your hips and knees, lowering your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor (or lower if that’s comfortable).
3. Exhale, pressing evenly through your feet as you place one hand on the ground and lift the other arm up to the sky while still in a deep squat.
4. Twist slightly toward your outstretched hand, reaching for sky.
5. Repeat on the side, and continue alternating sides for 45 seconds.

4. Alternating knee hug

This dynamic movement primarily boosts lower-body flexibility and promotes circulation, while also helping to relieve tension in the lower back and hips.

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and hands by your sides.
2. Bend one leg at the knee and bring it up toward your chest. Place both hands around the bent knee and gently pull it toward your chest.
3. Gently press the bent knee further toward your chest and face to deepen the stretch.
4. Release the bent leg and extend it back to the mat.
5. Switch sides by bending the opposite leg, pulling it towards your chest, and repeating the stretch.
6. Alternate between legs, performing the stretch for 45 seconds.

5. Kneeling hip flexor stretch

Focused on improving flexibility in the hip flexors and quadriceps, this stretch can help alleviate tightness associated with prolonged sitting and enhancing pelvic alignment.

1. Begin kneeling. Take a large step forward with your right leg into a low lunge, ensuring your left knee stays aligned over your ankle and doesn’t extend past your toes.
2. Keep your torso upright and gently push your hips forward until you feel a stretch along the front of your right thigh.
3. Hold for 30 seconds, focusing on deep, controlled breaths.
4. Switch sides and repeat the stretch with your right leg forward for 30 seconds.

6. Pigeon pose

This yoga pose offers a deep stretch for the hip rotators and the iliotibial (IT) band, crucial for preventing lower back pain and improving lower body mobility.

1. Begin in a tabletop position on your hands and knees.
2. Bring your right knee forward and place it behind your right wrist, angling your right shin across your mat, with your right foot positioned in front of your left hip.
3. Extend your left leg straight back, keeping your hips square to the floor and resting the top of your left foot on the mat.
4. Inhale as you lengthen your spine and lift your chest, keeping your hands on the mat for support.
5. Exhale as you lower your torso forward, placing your forearms or forehead on the mat, depending on your flexibility, and extending your arms in front of you.
6. Hold the position for 30 seconds, focusing on releasing tension in your hips.
7. To release, lift your torso and gently shift back into the tabletop position.
8. Repeat on the other side by bringing your left knee forward and extending your right leg back.

7. Supine glute stretch

Also called the figure four stretch, this move targets the glutes and piriformis muscle effectively, which is essential for relieving sciatic pain and improving hip joint flexibility.

1. Lie on your back, bend your knees, and position your feet hip-width apart.
2. Turn out your right leg, placing your right ankle on your left thigh, just above your knee.
3. Gently pull your left knee toward your chest, holding the back of your left thigh with both hands.
4. Hold this position for 30 seconds, breathing deeply to relax into the stretch.
5. With each exhale, draw your left knee closer to your chest and gently press your right elbow into your right knee to deepen the stretch, while keeping your spine neutral and tailbone grounded.
6. After completing the stretch on your right side, switch legs and repeat on the other side.