Have you ever sought physical therapy for a running injury? If so, you may have heard that you have “weak glutes”. While weak glutes can lead to imbalance and injuries, failure to activate those hips and glutes may also be at play. I have worked on this issue a few times now keeping up with my PT exercises only to slack off when things felt better. Wouldn’t you know, those same injuries tend to sneak back in. I’ve come up with what I like to call my “magic 100’s”. This 5 minute hip and glute activation series is good for everybody not just an injured runner. This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
5 Minute Hip and Glute Activation exercises
As we age, it’s even more important to take care of our bodies by doing more “Pre-hab” exercises. These are exercises you have probably done at one point or another. I’ve bundled them into what I like to call my “Magic 100’s”. It will take about 5 minutes to do the series.
This youtube video gives a great explanation of the difference between dynamic stretches and activation exercises as well as suggesting when to use each one.
Why Do These?
Hip and glute activation exercises will specifically target those muscles by helping to promote blood flow to the area. That, in turn, will help prep your body to use those muscles for running and or cycling. Warming up your core is also a smart way to increase performance.
Not engaging your glute and hips effectively can lead to imbalances which can, in turn, cause knee or back pain. Clam Shells and hip bridges are two of the most effective, and very simple, exercises to add to your warm-up routine. All you need is a simple looped resistance band.
Here’s the How-To
Perform this 5 minute hip and glute activation before your workout to prime your muscles to perform.
With a resistance band around your thighs, perform each move for 25 reps. You will end up with 100 hip bridges and 100 clamshells. Super simple yet very effective. Any simple, inexpensive resistance band set will work. You can progress to higher resistance as you improve.
Bonus moves:
While you have that resistance band on, perform 1 minute of “monster walks”.
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Help to ward off injuries, perform better, and feel better on your runs with this simple 5 minute hip and glute activation. Give it a try? Would love to know what you think.
Thanks for helping to make the Runners’ Roundup a huge success by visiting all of the hosts: Laura, Me, Debbie, Jen, Lisa
I’ve been doing lots of bridges and clamshells lately! I have found that they are exercises that really help me to engage my glutes before a run. The monster walks with a band are great too!
They do really help I just have to be diligent about doing them
These are easy but very effective moves! My former coach Becky had me do these all the time.
They are great I just need to be better about doing them to stay pain free
Monster walks are deceptive! After the other exercises a minute of those would burn
I never said they were easy!! 🙂 They are effective though
This is great! I’ve definitely noticed that when I ease off on the PT exercises, my injuries creep back. I’ve got to remember to keep up with those. Clamshells were specifically recommended by my PT so I try to keep those in the routine.
Same here! I need to keep up with them. Let’s both do it
I’ll be doing these tonight! I need to make a mental note todo them daily, though, especially as a warm-up before my runs.
I am really trying to be more cognizant of doing them before any workouts. Let me know what you think
The clam shell moves are my favorite! I did those a lot when I had PT for my last running injury a few years ago.
I tend to do them until I feel better and then slack off. I need to keep them up
My former coach used to love clam shells! I need to get back to them. Haven’t done them in a while but I found them really effective!
I agree they are effective. Just need to keep doing them myself
Yes, Deborah!! Thank you!
I’ve been twice in physical therapy and both times I had to do strengthening exercises for the glutes and hips. I got exactly these exercises!
Only, I have to do one-legged bridges with the foot as far away as possible from the body to make it harder… I can’t even do five of these. 😊
Way to go!
I hope we both get stronger and get back to running soon!
You can never go wrong with bridges and clamshells! I’ve been doing a frog bridge variation lately and it really works the muscles.
That sounds interesting as well
This is so simple! I need to try this as I’ve been fighting a few aches and pains lately. What a great little addition to our run.
Me too-those aches and pains tend to come back if I don’t keep up with these types of exercises
This is such good advice. I really need to make more note of it, too. Wy is it that the smartest things to do are always so hard to find time for?
I don’t know!! But I agree 🙂
Staying consistent is always my biggest issue. I needed this reminder! This is a great post!
Hope you find them useful. 🙂
I don’t “miss the gym”, but I so miss the space for monster walks and banded side steps. Besides yours, which I have learned are just now daily life for me, I really miss both of these. One day I’ll run post-coffee and remember to take my bands with me for some esplande workouts.
As always, you’re an amazing resource. Hope we both say good bye to hip issues for good soon
I have to stay consistent with them because they really do make a difference.
Great list, thanks Deborah! Bookmarked!
Thanks hope you give them a try too
Thanks for this reminder, Deborah!
I do these exercises as part of my home workout routine, but I have neglected them as an activation exercise.
Time to do them again!
I do them religiously for a while and then slack off!
Bridges with a band are so great! Clamshells are good too but I find that I really need to slow down and do then correctly, which can be so hard. Its so easy to cheat and move your hips too much.
yes I find that doing them slowly is much more effective
Definitely need these. I have tight hip flexors. Thanks.
Hope they help you! Just 5 min makes a big difference
I do all of these! They’re SO good to fire up those glutes. And I’m introducing these ways to my high schoolers this week 🙂
The younger they start the routine the better!
I do these on occasion but really should be doing them daily for maintenance. Thanks for the reminder 😉 I’ve already done my run this morning (at 5AM, LOL), and did my usual stair routine for a warm-up, but these would be a great supplement to work-in as well.
OH yes you can really do them anytime they are great pre-hab maintenance moves
Clamshells are my favorite. The glute exercises are so important for runners!
Definitely true they are so helpful for me as well
You should have called this post “5 Minute Hip and Glute Activation for Jenny,” ha ha. It’s calling my name! i have been doing some of my PT exercises before running to wake up those muscles- I’ll try this routine next time. Thanks!
My body is happier when I have these in my life as well!
As a yogi, I know about Bridge, but I hadn’t heard of clamshells, but I can imagine what they are. I’m not a runner, but I do like to ride my road bike. These are great warmups for riding!
They are really great for everybody! Hope you find them helpful
So helpful, I’m terrible at stretching before I workout (or after for that matter)
These are great to do anytime for everybody
I have finally become consistent with my pre-run warmup and glute activation and it’s been a game changer. I use my massage gun then some simple leg lifts and circles and off I go. I even walk at the beginning (that’s a post-covid change due to my loss of breath).
That has made a huge difference for me as well
Thank you Deborah for the list. I’m a big fan of glute training as I know first-hand its importance when it comes to preventing injury. Long-time knee pain sufferer here. So it’s not just about looking good on the beach
I’m definitely sharing this on my social media.
Keeping up with them has been a game changer for me as well
Great post, Deborah! These exercises are staples of my strength training routine. They weren’t always, but have been since I kept getting injured. Just wish I’d been more diligent back in my marathoning days.
Keeping up with these exercises and my warm ups have been a game changer for me as well
So many great workout tips plus the round up at the bottom for even more ideas, thank you!
Thanks for checking them out
These are perfect! I’m a runner and definitely need to do these exercises.
great! I hope you find them helpful as well
Going to add these to my mornings! Thanks for sharing. I’ve found that my hips are so stiff after having babies! I have such limited mobility, so while I’m not a runner, I think these will be great to do.
They are really great for everybody!
Women, especially, can really benefit from hip and glute work. Thanks for sharing these!
they feel so good when I do them
This is a good routine. I’ve been trying to be more mindful of remembering to do my PT exercises daily. I’m still not as consistent as I could be especially on my run days.
when I keep up with these exercises, I definitely notice a difference
I do both of these as part of my pre-run warm up!