Glute Activation Exercises to Improve your Squat - CrossFit Fibre

 Glute Activation Exercises for the Exerciser with “sleepy glutes”

 Training with all your muscles in your legs are important. A sleepy glute will mean that you will engage and compensate more with your trapezius muscles (shoulder) and not the correct muscles. Spend another 15minutes on these routines before or after your WOD.

Proper Glute Activation will ensure that your legs will get loaded evenly and your hips will remain stable on any of your lifts.

“Talking to your Butt” means building the feeling of being able to contract that muscle group voluntarily when you want to and when needed to. This skill will allow you to focus on the muscles you need to use when extending or when your coach has asked you to specifically “activate your glutes”.

The exercises below will allow you to “find” the muscles in your glutes and

  1. Standing Leg Extension
  • Support yourself by holding on to a door frame or wall
  • Extend your leg back behind your body keeping the toes dorsiflexed (toes pulled in, knees turned in)
  • Pull your leg out to the side and engage the glutes
  • Return legs back to the base, lift back to the normal position
  • Hold for 30-60 seconds (with your glutes)

 CrossFit Fibre Standing Glute Extension

 

  1. Glute Bridge
  • Lying on the floor on your back
  • Bring heels to 3-4 inches from your sit bones
  • Lift hips up until they are the same line as your knees-shoulders
  • Ground your heels until you feel your glutes activate
  • Use your glutes to squeeze upwards
  • Hold for 30-60 seconds

 CrossFit Fibre Glute Bridge1

 

  1. Glute Bridge with Extended Legs
  • Lying on the floor on your back
  • Bring heels to 3-4 inches from your sit bones
  • Lift hips up until they are the same line as your knees-shoulders
  • Ground your heels until you feel your glutes activate
  • Extend the side that is the strongest leaving the weaker side on support
  • Ensure that your hips stay in line with your knees-shoulders, squeeze hard and fight for that position
  • Hold for 30 seconds and repeat for 6-8 reps

CrossFit Fibre Glute Bridge with Extended Legs

 

    4.GHD Leg Reverse Hypers / Leg Extensions

  • Hang off the edge of the GHD
  • Ensure hips are off the edge
  • Point your toes and knees down, internally rotate your inner thighs
  • Engage through your glutes and raise your leg from glutes
  • Repeat for 6-10 reps and pause for 5-10 seconds

CrossFit Fibre GHD Leg Reverse Hypers

Stay focused on your glutes activating and not another muscle group to compensate.

“Where Focus Goes, Energy Flows” Anthony Robbins. The true is the same with muscle activation. But before you are able to do it, you need to find it first.