You might have heard about "glute laziness," which suggests your glutes are inactive or "dead." But this isn't entirely true. The gluteal muscles or glutes, including gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus, make up your buttock area. Your glutes did not stop working just because you didn't use them.

The gluteus maximus, which is the largest muscle in the body, remains active. However, if you are not using your glutes regularly, it can lead to weakness over time. This article sheds light on how to activate the glutes instead of the hip flexors in squats and shares some exercises to activate them.

You can do glute activation exercises to keep your glutes strong and active. These exercises help to warm up and engage your muscles. This ultimately allows you to benefit more from your workouts.

Keep reading to learn more about glute activation!

The Role of the Glute Muscles and Hip Flexors

Research shows that glute muscles are one of the most vital muscles in the body as they help in locomotion and stabilise the upper body and hips.

The gluteal muscles work on the hip joint, mainly helping to move the leg away from the body and straighten it, but they also help move the leg closer to the body. Your gluteals help you stand up by extending your hips and also help you sit down.

Having strong gluteals is important for keeping your lower back healthy because they support movements of your pelvis, hips, and trunk.

They also help spread the weight more evenly across your lower back and legs and help you maintain good posture. Hip flexor muscles help you bend your hips, bringing your knee closer to your chest.

They're most active when you do a high, forward kick, lifting your leg above your waist. Whenever you walk, your hip flexor muscles are working.

Best Techniques to Activate the Glutes

#1. Hip Thrusts

Hip Thrusts are great for working out your glutes. It increases your glute strength by specifically targeting the gluteus maximus. Here is how to do it:

• Sit on the ground with your back against a bench and feet spread out.
• Push through your heels to lift your hips, making sure your body is straight from shoulders to knees.
• Squeeze your glutes, then slowly lower back down, bending at your hips, not your back.
• Repeat this exercise for 10-12 times.

#2. Step up

Step-up exercise is another good way to activate your glutes, and it is often compared to hip thrust. Here's how to do it:

• Stand in front of a step or bench.
• Put your right foot on the step.
• Move your weight to your right foot, then step up onto the bench, placing your left foot next to your right.
• Slowly step back down with your left foot to go back to the starting position.
• Repeat this exercise for 10 times on each side.

#3. The Goblet Squat

The goblet squat is a great exercise that strengthens your squatting and helps keep your knees from collapsing. You'll need a dumbbell to do this. Here is how to do it:

• Start by standing with your feet wider than your shoulders. Hold the dumbbell at your chest, with your elbows close to your body.
• Lower into a squat by bending your hips, pushing your back, and spreading your knees.
• Make sure to keep the dumbbell close to your chest and your elbows close to your knees as you squat. This will help you avoid collapsing knees.
• Go back up by straightening your knees, pushing your heels into the ground, and tightening your glutes.
• You should do 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions.

#4. Sumo Squat

A sumo squat is one of the great exercises for activating your glutes. It mainly targets your lower body muscles, including the gluteal muscles, and strengthens them. Follow these steps to do sumo squats:

• It involves standing wider than your shoulders, pointing your toes slightly outward, and keeping your hands in front of you.
• Push your butt back, bend your knees, and lower until your knees are out to the sides.
• Make sure to go as low as you can without feeling uncomfortable.
• Then, stand back up by pushing into your heels and squeezing your glutes to straighten your knees and hips.
• Push your knees out as you stand back up until you're back in the starting position. This is one rep.
• You should do 3 sets of 12 repetitions.

5 Common Mistakes To Avoid When Squatting

1. Squat correctly by bending at the knees and pushing your upper body until your legs are straight. Avoid moving your butt up with the squat, as this can strain your hamstrings and lower back.
2. Squats mainly stress your thigh muscles. Using heavy weights can increase the risk of hamstring injuries, which could lead to accidents.
3. Keep your knees forward throughout the squat to avoid folding in your legs, especially when tired. This helps maintain power and balance, reducing the chance of falling.
4. Control your knee movement to prevent them from moving forward too far, as this won't target your quads and could strain your ankles.
5. Keep your back straight to improve balance and push yourself up more effectively. Avoid leaning too far back or forward.

Final Words

The article provides tips on how to activate the glutes instead of the hip flexors in squats. It emphasises the importance of glute muscles in locomotion and maintaining good posture. The article includes proper squat techniques such as sumo squats, hip thrusts, and goblet squats.

These exercises help to warm up and engage the glutes, leading to greater benefits from workouts. However, it is important to know your body strength and avoid common mistakes to achieve maximum results.