If you’re looking to build stronger or more defined glutes, your warm-up matters! In this post, I’ll be teaching you 5 glute warm-up exercises for before your workout.
This warm-up is great for days when you don’t have access to cardio equipment or for days when you want something more isolated to the glutes. These exercises are specifically designed to activate and engage your glutes before a lower body weight training session.
Why Glute Activation Matters
There are a few reasons why you might want to do specific glute warm-up exercises before a lower body workout.
It could be because your goal of weight training is glute muscle growth. It could also be that you have weak glutes and want to improve their activation, especially in exercises like squats where maybe you’re typically more quad dominant. You can learn more about how to become more glute dominant vs quad dominant here: Work Your Glutes More Than Your Quads
Warming up your glutes before your workout can help to:
- Improve your mind-body or mind-muscle connection
- Prevent compensations from your low back or hamstrings
- Help you to be more glute dominant in exercises that work both the glutes and the quads
- Maximize glute growth over time
- Reduce risk of injury during heavier lifts such squats, lunges, or deadlifts
The exercises that you’ll find below are quick, effective, and can be done at home with minimal equipment.
If you’re having difficulty activating your glutes, don’t worry you’re not alone! Download my FREE Glute Activation Guide to help you build a strong foundation so that you can start seeing better results from your workouts!
5 Glute Warm-Up Exercises For Before Your Workout
How to Use These Glute Warm-up Exercises
You want your warm-up to last at least 5 minutes. So 1 set of these exercises might be enough for you before you get into your other lifts, but you do have the option to do 2 sets as well.
No need to power through all of these exercises, take your time and take breaks in between the exercises. Rest for around 30 seconds before moving on to the next exercise.
Please remember, when you do go to your heavier lifts, still start light and then build your way up.
You can also use these exercises for standalone glute training. This would be great if you’re just starting your fitness journey or for a day that you just want to focus on improving glute activation. (Or if you just need a light day! Oftentimes I will do a light day when I’m in my menstrual phase so this would be perfect for this.) If this is a standalone workout for you, then I recommend 3 sets of each exercise.
As always, make sure you are breathing with your exercises! I also listed these glute warm-up exercises in my preferred order below.
Disclaimer: Before beginning this or any exercise program, you should consult with your physician, assess your fitness level, and follow all safety instructions. If an exercise isn’t right for you due to an injury or certain medical condition, modify or hold off on that exercise.
1. Traditional Bridges
I like to start this warm-up with some regular bridges. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat, knees/feet should be hip-width apart.
Press through your heels to lift your hips off the floor, focus on using your glutes
Make sure your feet aren’t too far away (which makes the exercise more hamstring dominant) or too close (which limits your range)
Also make sure your knees stay in line with your ankles
Lower back down with control
Repeat for 10 reps
2. Quadruped Hip Extension
Start in a tabletop (quadruped) position with your hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Keep a slight bend in your elbows so that they aren’t hyperextending.
-
Extend one leg straight back, lifting with control and focusing on using your glute
-
Keep your toes pointing down and knee straight through your lifted leg
-
Keep your spine in neutral (don’t let your low back collapse down)
-
Lower your leg back down and repeat
-
Perform 10 reps on each side
3. Quadruped Hip Circles
Start in the same position as your hip extensions.
-
With your leg lifted, draw small circles, your knee should stay straight
-
Focus on small, controlled movements coming from your hip and really focus on using your glute while you make these circles
-
Make sure to keep your spine in neutral (don’t let your low back collapse down)
-
Perform 10 circles in one direction, then 10 in the opposite direction
-
Switch legs and repeat
4. Bridges With Hip Swings
From your bridge position:
Keep your hips lifted
From here you’ll swing the hips so that the left hip is lifted slightly higher, then you’ll come back down (but not all the way to the floor) and then swing the hips so that the right hip is lifted slightly higher
This helps isolate each glute a little bit more than your traditional bridge
Repeat 10-12 times on each side
5. Bridges With Hip Abduction
Grab a resistance band and place it just above your knees. Your starting position is the same as your traditional bridges.
Lift your hips and at the top, press your knees out into the band, then bring them back to center
Don’t let your knees cave in, keep them in line with your ankles
Lower down and repeat
Repeat 10-12 times
If you don’t have a band, then you can just do another set of traditional bridges but the band is great for activating through the side glutes (gluteus medius). These are the bands I use: Resistance Bands
Final Thoughts
Activating your glutes before your workout isn’t just about aesthetics, many people have underactive glutes and the glutes are an important muscle group to keep strong for functional reasons.
I hope these glute warm-up exercises help you feel more connected and confident in your workouts!