The 5 Minute Glute Workout With No Equipment

Because we're all about working out at home and how to maintain discipline when working out at home, here is the next in my home workout series, again focusing on exercises to perform without gym equipment.

Glute Strengthening Exercises

What Are Glutes?

Glutes are basically the Gluteal Muscles present in the Gluteal Region, which is more commonly called Buttock or posterior hip muscles, so Gluteal muscles are also known as ‘Hip Muscles’.

There are three muscles which come under the category of Gluteal Muscles, namely:

1. Gluteus Maximus: It is the largest muscle in the human body that lies at the outermost part of the hip and forms the curvature of the hip.

This Muscle has its origin on the ilium (a part of hip bone), sacrum & coccyx (vertebral bones) and sacrotuberous ligament. Originating from these three points, it terminates at the iliotibial tract and gluteal prominence on the femur; these two are the points of its insertions.

2. Gluteus Medius: As the name indicates, it is the middle gluteal muscle present between Gluteus Maximus and Gluteal MInimus.

It has its origin on ilium’s outer surface and its insertion on the femur bone (the longest bone of the human body).

3. Gluteus Minimus: This is the innermost and smallest muscle of the gluteal family. It has the same points of origin and insertion as that of Gluteal Medius.

Gluteus Maximus receives its nervous supply from a nerve called the Inferior Gluteal Nerve, whereas both Gluteus Medius and Gluteus Minumus receive their sense of sensation from Superior Gluteal Nerves.

Gluteus Maximus performs the function of extension and lateral rotation of the hip joint along with the extension of the knee joint (because it has an insertion of the iliotibial tract). Gluteus Medius and Gluteus Minimus do not just have the same nerve supply, but also perform the same function, which is the abduction (outward) of the thigh as well tilting of the pelvis.

The 5 Min Glute Workout with no Equipment at Home

This video includes end range glute strengthening exercises in the ‘90/90 stretch’ position and in standing kicking positions.

90/90 exercise

The first exercises is performed with 10 reps and 10 pulses, with the leg bent then with the leg straight.

Kicking

This exercises starts with one rep and you add a rep each time until you can do 10.

Why Are Glute Strengthening Exercises Important?

The pelvis is the center of our body and also the center of support and strength. In order to live a healthy and injury-free life, it is important to maintain the health and strength of the Gluteal Muscles of the Pelvis. The reasons that healthy glutes are integral are the following:

• Knee Injury Prevention

Strong Gluteal Muscles help in preventing knee injury because the entire network of muscles in the lower limb is closely linked together. When a person has strong and well built gluteal muscles, the knee is stabilized through iliotibial tract with the help of which gluteus maximus provides the extension to the knee.

• Back Pain Alleviation

As already mentioned, Gluteus Maximus takes its origin from Sacrum and Coccyx bones of the lower back, so it has a function in the lower back mobility as well. Stronger Glutes ensure lower back strength by giving more stability to the trunk and the pelvis.

• Enhanced Sporting Potential

Strong glutes guarantee great athletic power because they are involved in the most essential movements that athletes use to build their robustness and strength. The Dead-lift is an exercise of great importance to athletes and glutes are the muscles that help in lifting up the chest in this exercise. Other than dead-lifts, the basic workouts like jumping and forward movements have a grand use of glutes, so powerful glutes are essential for successful sportsmen.

• Reduce Chance of Injuries

If Gluteal muscles are weak, there is a great chance of injuries like Achilles Tendinitis (inflammation of the Achilles tendon) and runners knee in athletes, so it’s of utmost importance to strengthen glutes.

Best Glute Exercises For Strong Glutes

The key to all the glute exercises is firm and strong glutes. The main idea is not only to change the shape of the glutes but to ensure that they get the firmness and strength that they are supposed to have. Below are some of the most fundamental exercises that you can perform that will give your glutes the strength that they need:

Squats – More than Just core

The major exercise, out of all the other exercises of glutes, is squats. Squats not only work the glute muscles specifically, but also help other parts of the body. They help with the core as well. The key to all these exercises is to do them right.

Process:

• With hips and legs shoulder-width apart, the key is to bend the knees with the torso up & tight.
• Make sure not to bend your torse.
• Sticking the butt out is okay, but ensuring that the torso remains straight is fundamental to Squats.
• This exercise is supposed to be repeated for at least 10 – 20 times and with a couple or more sets.

For better and more enhanced results, you can try different variations of squats.

Lunges – My Favorite Glute Exercise

The Lunge involves the glutes in a bigger context and it ensures that the glutes are being worked on, over and over again with every move. As long as the body stays stabilized, the glutes can really do the magic.

Process:

• The way it works is to keep one foot forward and one step back. Although it can vary from person to person, however in most cases, it is around 2 and a half to 3 feet apart.
• Bending both the knees at the same time, lunge down and push forward towards the frontal knee. Keep repeating it for a certain good number of times for both the knees.
•  Again, the exercise is to be repeated 10 – 20 times and with a couple or more sets.

One Leg Stance

The one-leg stance is the exercise that will determine the strength of your glutes for you.

Process:

• Stand up straight and upright with your both hands raised upwards.
• Lift one of your lower legs upwards to the level of your knee.
• If the side of your leg that is on the ground dips down, it indicates a weakness in your glutes.

One-Leg Deadlift

The single leg dedlift is is a simple deadlift exercise that will slowly build your glute strength when done regularly.

Process:

• Get up on your feet and stand with your feet being hip-width apart.
• Keep the entire weight of your body on one leg and raise the other leg backward while bending your upper body to let your hands reach the ground.
• Repeat it on the other leg and gradually start holding weights in your hands when you think that enough strength has been built.

Lunges can be done in more than one form to get the butt of your desires.

Leg Lifts while lying down on one side

The side leg lift exercise involves lifting one leg at a time from the point of insertion of glutes and work to strengthen them by this movement.

Process:

• Lie down on one of your sides with your chest and abdomen supported up by your forearm.
• Keep your legs as straight as possible and then raise the leg that’s placed above to the maximum extent.
• Lower down the leg and place it back on the leg below.
• Repeat this for 10-15 times in 3 sets for both legs.

Hip Thrust/Propulsion

Hip thrust exercises are the exercises that work by the thrusting-up motion of both hips together.

Process:

• Lie down with your face directed upwards.
• Bring your legs towards your hips and then raise the hips as well.
• Raise your chest, abdomen and torso by supporting the weight on both of your arms and thrush your hips upwards.
• Repeat this action for 12-15 times in three to five sets.

Glute Bridge

The Glute Bridge is an exercise similar to hip thrusts; however, there is some differences that help to strengthen glutes by specialized action.

Process:

• Lie down on the ground with your back completely straight and your arms lying flat on the ground.
• Move your calves towards your hips and keep them shoulder-width apart.
• Raise your torso upwards with full force while keeping your head and neck firmly on the floor.
• Repeat this exercise for 15-20 times in 4-5 sets. 

Hiking – Nice Casual Way of working up your glues

One of the best and casual ways to work on the glutes or hips is by hiking. Although it is more of a cardio activity, but most of the cardio activities which focus on the core also focus on glutes and lower body movement. It won’t only burn a lot of calories but also when we are hiking and moving up, our glutes and butt get involved and with every expansion of our hike and legs, the glutes get worked on.

Cycling is More than just Fat Burning Exercise

Bicycle ride doesn’t only involve glutes but it works out the core and helps with many things. With all the time involved to ride a bike, we are getting a lot of workouts and glutes get engaged with every single move. So, this perpetual engagement up glutes in cycling helps to strengthen the hip muscles

Conclusion

Exercise, when combined with a healthy diet, has a pivotal role in maintaining the quality of your life. There is no joy in life if your body is aching every now and then and limit your mobility. You get to live just once, so make sure to add exercise as an essential part of your daily routine to live a healthy and active life. Make sure to work-out every group of muscle, including the Glutes (usually skipped in most training programs) so that the integrity of all body muscles is preserved and strengthened. So now you've done the glutes, why not move further down your body and learn how to build up strength in your legs?