Did you know glutes are the largest muscles in the body and play an important role? Strong glute muscles can help maintain a proper pelvic alignment during walking and running. It also supports your lower back and helps prevent injuries. So clearly they are important to maintain your overall posture and health. But most people think that it is only possible to do glute exercises at the gym and you can’t do it at home. Guess what, there are simple variations of glute exercises you do at the gym that can easily be done at home too. If you have been looking for ways to perform glute exercises at home, your search ends here!
NASM Certified Fitness Trainer and Nutrition Coach Tanvi Parikh recently took to her Instagram to share some of the best glute exercises you can do at home.
5 gym alternatives to glute exercises you can do at home
Here are some of the best glute exercises at home you can do if you don’t feel like hitting the gym:
1. Bulgarian split squats
Don’t like to push off the leg press machine with a single leg? Try doing a Bulgarian split squat instead. For the unversed, this exercise is basically a one-legged static lunge or squat that helps build strength.
How to perform? To perform this exercise, stand with one foot behind you on a bench. Lower your body into a lunge position, keeping your front knee over your ankle. Keep your back straight while you do this. Push through your front heel to return to the initial position. Switch legs and repeat on the other side.
2. Glute bridge walkout
Lying hamstring curls is an exercise that involves you lying on your stomach on the weight bench with the pad positioned between your ankles and slowly bending your knees. If you are looking for an alternative to this exercise you can do at home, you can try the glute bridge walkout.
How to perform? For this exercise, start by lying on your back with your feet flat and hip-width apart. Lift your hips into a bridge position. Walk your heels away, extending your legs forward. Reverse the walk back to the bridge while squeezing your glutes throughout the exercise. This exercise will target your glutes, and hamstrings, and build core strength.
3. Banded abduction
Hip abduction helps strengthen and grow the gluteal muscles. However, if you are looking for an alternative for this exercise, you can choose banded abduction that creates somewhat the same tension required to tone your glutes.
How to perform? Place a resistance band around your legs, just above your knees. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Now engage your core and step sideways while stretching the band. Return to the starting position while maintaining tension. This lateral leg movement targets the outer glutes, improving hip strength and stability.
4. Single leg dumbell hip thrust
Single-leg dumbell hip thrust is the perfect alternative to the Smith machine B-stance hip thrust. It is easy to perform and all you need for this exercise is a dumbbell.
How to perform? Begin in a supine position with your back on a bench one knee bent and the other leg extended. Place a dumbbell on the hip of the bent leg. Drive through the heel, lifting your hips and squeezing your glutes. Lower your hips and repeat the exercise. Alternate legs once you have completed the desired repetitions on one side.
5. Banded donkey kick
Glute cable kickbacks are an excellent isolation exercise that targets the glute muscles, along with your calves, hamstrings, and core. A good alternative to this gym exercise is a banded donkey kick.
Place a resistance band just above your knees, while positioning your hands and knees on the floor. Lift one knee, pushing your foot toward the ceiling against band resistance. Squeeze your glutes lower and repeat. This exercise targets the glutes, enhancing muscle activation and promoting hip stability. Switch legs and perform the exercise.
Benefits of doing glute exercises
Doing these glute exercises not only helps strengthen this muscle group but also helps stabilise your core and pelvic area, improving your posture and reducing the risk of injury, shares Tanvi Parikh. Plus, these exercises help build a strong core and pelvic area, by improving your posture, balance and your breathing. It will also help lower back pain and make everyday exercise easier.
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