- Holding dumbbells in each hand, stand on one leg, keeping the standing leg slightly bent.
- Hinge forward from your waist so your chest is almost parallel to the floor. Use your free leg for balance by straightening outwards behind you.
- Lift your upper body back up to the original position using your hamstrings and glutes.
- Repeat the movement.
2. Single Leg Glute Bridge
- Lay on your back with your knees bent to a 90 degree angle. Place a heavy dumbbell on your lower stomach, and hold the dumbbell on both ends.
- Keeping your arms straight (elbows slightly bent), pull the rope up from the floor to your shoulder height, hold for a count of two seconds, and slowly return to the starting position.
- With a flexed foot, straighten and lift one leg towards the ceiling - this leg stays straight in the air.
- Lower your body down so that it almost touches the floor while keeping one leg in the air.
- Drive your hips up as high as possible again to repeat the movement.
*Make sure not to let your hips dip.
3. Squat
- Set a bar (barbell or Smith Machine) on the height that best works for you.
- Step under the bar and place the back of your shoulders (just under your neck) across the bar.
- Hold on to the bar with both arms, palms facing forward.
- Lift up to unlock the bar by pushing your legs up and raising your torso.
- Twist your hands back to completely unlock the bar.
- If youâre not already, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent for a squat position.
- Bend your knees straight down as low as possible, and step straight back up while keeping your knees in line with your heels.
*If youâre unsure what weight youâre comfortable with, start off with something very light and see how it feels. Add to it until you find that comfortable but difficult weight level.
4. Hip Thrust
- Using a barbell or heavy dumbbell, use an amount of weight youâre comfortable with.
- Place your body under the barbell or put the dumbbell on the upper part of your thighs, and use a bench to support your back, neck, and head behind you.
- Keep your feet on the floor, put your feet directly under your knees so that when you extend, youâll make a 90% angle.
- KeepingKeepRaise the barbell up from the floor primarily using your glute muscles.
- Raise the barbell up from the floor primarily using your glute muscles.
- Repeat the motion until the set is complete.
*It is very important to focus on contracting your glute muscles throughout this movement - make use of the mind-muscle connection! If you need to, slightly move your feet to see if you can get your glutes to fire.
*Make sure to maximize the full range of motion, going all the way up with your hips before coming back down slowly!
*If youâre unsure what weight youâre comfortable with, start off with something very light and see how it feels. Add to it until you find that comfortable but difficult weight level.
*You can use a pad or a towel under the bar for comfort
