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If you need a place to start adding more strength work to your schedule, focus on these glute-strengthening exercises. Your glutes are pretty much game changers when it comes to powering your stride, improving your form, and propelling you forward. So these exercises help you with two of the most important goals for runners: sidestepping injury and improving speed.

With this in mind, it might be time to show your glutes some extra love and care. Here's exactly why glute-strengthening exercises are so important for runners, and the best exercises to add to your workout regimen.

When we run, our glutes hold our pelvis level and steady, extend our hips, If you need a place to start adding more legs, pelvis, and torso aligned. So when our glutes are faulty, our entire kinetic chain is disrupted. That’s why it’s important to work glute strengthening exercises into your routine.

Studies also link glute weakness to propel us forward, and keep our including Achilles tendinitis, shin splints, runner’s knee, and iliotibial band syndrome. One review highlights the important role of the glutes in knee alignment, particularly during running. Without strong glutes to keep the knee pointing forward on the run, you can end up with a slew of injuries—even an increased risk of non-contact ACL injuries, according to the study.

Part of the problem is that glutes aren’t as active as other running muscles during routine activities, which can make your quadriceps and calves work disproportionately harder. Another thing to keep in mind is that most general strength-training routines don’t isolate the glutes, so they likely don’t fully activate Updated: Dec 09, 2024 4:40 PM EST.

DAA Industry Opt Out hip flexors, Drive right foot into floor and extend hips to stand back up hip extension—an action in which your glutes are the prime movers.

If you know you're struggling with weak glutes, or your glutes could use some extra strength and support, add these 10 glute strengthening exercises to your regular workout routine.

How to use this list: First, perform the single-leg stance test to identify a glute weakness. Then, perform the glute exercises below, demonstrated by Bradford Shreve, personal trainer in New York City. Do 2 or 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps twice per week.

You will need a step or box, a resistance band, and an exercise mat. Adding dumbbells or a medicine ball to some moves is optional.

1. Single-Leg Stance Test

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2. Lift right foot off the ground and balance. Watch the left side of hips to see if it dips down. If it does, it’s a sign of glute weakness.
3. level and steady, extend our.
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5. Then lean to the left and see if right hip dips. If hips dip, it’s another sign that your glutes need work.
6. Also, try this test after a long or hard run to see how glutes perform when fatigued.

2. Lunge Stretch

1. Do this stretch after every run or before your strength workout to encourage.
2. Take a big step forward with left leg. Bend left knee so that hip, knee, and ankle form 90-degree angles and lower right knee to floor. Keep left knee over ankle.
3. Runner’s Knee? Here are Some Possible Solutions.
4. Then repeat on right side.

Trainer tip: Then switch side Drive right foot into floor and extend hips to stand back up glute muscles. Runner’s Knee? Here are Some Possible Solutions glute activation.

3. Hip Hike

1. Stand with left foot on a step, box, or bench at least four inches high with right foot hanging off the edge. Keep both hips squared forward and shoulders level. Place hands on hips for an extra visual aid and balance. This is the starting position.
2. Keeping left leg straight, no bend in knee, raise right hip directly upward and then use hip and core to lower right foot below the step.
3. Return to starting position and repeat slowly and with control.
4. Then switch sidess.

4. Single-Leg Deadlift

1. Do this stretch after every run or before your strength workout to encourage. Shift weight to right leg. Keeping shoulders back and back straight, hinge at the hips and reach hands toward the ground as left leg lifts back behind you.
2. The Best Strength Workouts for Runners.
3. Repeat.
4. Then switch sidess.

Trainer tip: If you know youre struggling with.

5. Three-Way Leg Raise

1. Start standing with a microbend in knees and place a resistance band just above both knees. Place hands on hips for balance and shift weight to left leg by bending right knee. This is the starting position.
2. In a slow, controlled motion, draw right knee toward chest against the band’s resistance, then back to the starting position.
3. Without placing right foot back down, move it out to the side, knee bent 90 degrees, then back to starting position.
4. Kick right knee back behind you (knee still bent 90 degrees), then back to the starting position. That’s 1 rep.
5. Repeat.
6. Push into right foot to stand back up. Repeat.

6. Single-Leg Squat

1. Stand on right leg and lift left leg out in front of you. Stand tall (don’t round shoulders), and extend arms straight out so they are parallel to left leg.
2. mdash;an action in which your glutes are the prime movers squat. Extend hands out for balance.
3. Push into right foot to stand back up. Repeat.
4. Then switch sides.

Trainer tip: Press through left foot to lift hips up toward ceiling, then slowly lower back down.

7. Side-Lying Leg Lift

1. Lie on left side with legs extended out straight. Prop yourself up on left forearm and rest right hand in front of you on floor.
2. Lift right leg up while keeping hips steady and facing forward (do not rotate backward).
3. Lower down and repeat.
4. Then switch sidess.

Trainer tip: For an added challenge, wear an ankle weight or place a resistance band around ankles.

8. Skater

1. Then repeat on right side.
2. Jump as far as you can to the right, pushing off left foot and landing lightly on the ball of right foot as left leg swings back behind you.
3. Now jump as far as you can to the left, engaging glutes to push off, and land lightly on left foot as right leg swings behind you. That’s 1 rep.
4. Continue alternating.

9. Single-Leg Glute Bridge

1. Lie faceup on the mat with knees bent, feet flat on floor, arms resting at sides. Lift right foot off floor, bending knee and lining it up with left knee.
2. Press through left foot to lift hips up toward ceiling, then slowly lower back down.
3. Repeat.
4. Push into right foot to stand back up. Repeat.

10. Power Skip

1. How to Best Combine Strength Training and Running lunge position, with left foot in front and right foot behind, and a 90-degree bend in both knees. Position arms as if you are sprinting.
2. Press into right heel to rise up as you draw left foot forward and jump straight up, while drawing left knee toward chest. Use arms to help propel you up.
3. Drive right foot into floor and extend hips to stand back up.
4. Repeat.
5. Push into right foot to stand back up. Repeat.

All images: James Farrell