How To Awaken Your Glutes (DO THESE EVERYDAY!) ft. Dr. Stuart McGill

Your glutes are important. But the problem nowadays though is that we tend to sit a lot and for prolonged periods of time, which is a great way to potentially “forget” how to use your glutes especially if you don’t take action to counteract this. So, if you suspect you’re suffering from ‘gluteal amnesia,’ or you’d just like to see better results with your glutes exercises and glute workouts, then it’s time to start learning how to activate your glutes. And to do so, we’re going to use a 4 step glute activation plan. Where with the use of a few daily glute activation exercises, we’ll be able to gradually get your glutes firing harder and harder to the point where you’ll be actually use your glutes whenever you walk, move, and perform your lifts, instead of having your lower back or other muscles compensate and work overtime as a result of weak glutes.

The first thing we want to do when it comes to how to activate your glutes is just get you to understand what a glute contraction actually feels like and getting your brain to connect to the muscle. We’ll do so with just a seated and kneeling glutes contraction. Then, once you’re able to successfully contract your glutes in each of those positions, we’ll progress to step 2.

To do so, we’ll use two simple glute activation exercises that Dr. Stuart McGill, based on his 30+ years of extensive lab and experimental research, found are the best options to getting those glutes firing again. The first move, the glute bridge, will target the gluteus maximus. For these, first lay on your back with your knees bent. While keeping your core braced and without arching your lower back, squeeze your butt muscles to get them engaged first, and then lift up while keeping your glutes contracted. At the top, squeeze your glutes as hard as possible for about 5 seconds before coming back down. Next are clam shells which will target the gluteus medius. For these, lay on your side with your knees and hips bent. Use one arm to make a pillow for your head. Next, while keeping your feet together and core braced, open up your top knee like a clam shell so that the knee of your upper leg rises towards the ceiling. Dr. Stuart McGill recommends 3 sets of 10 reps but with each rep performed mindfully and with a strong activation of the glutes.

Now, once you get to a point where your glutes are “back on” and your hamstrings and lower back feel a little relieved as a result, you’ll want to then start progressively challenging your glutes for more glute activation. There are 3 exercises that Dr. Stuart McGill recommends. First, would be lateral step ups. Next, is the goblet squat. Lastly, we’ll use cable pull-throughs. These exercises are essential to get your glutes in the habit of knowing how to work together with your other muscles in various movement patterns.

Now lastly, although you will likely have success with the previous steps, it’s important that we don’t overlook a potential root cause of your weak glutes – too much sitting. Which is where step 4, prevention comes in. You want to avoid prolonged periods of sitting where you aren’t using your glutes at all, and instead get up and take a walk or have a stretch at least between every 30 minutes of sitting. And even better, during your breaks, perform what I’ll call a “wake up” exercise for your glutes. For example, one great mindful exercise is toe raises, where you point your toes outwards, squeeze your quads, and then rise up to the balls of your feet while squeezing your glutes. Hold for 5 seconds and then come back down and repeat for a total of 10 reps.

So, as a summary, here’s the daily action plan to get rid of gluteal amnesia.

Glute Bridges (3 sets of 10 reps with 5 second pause at top)
Clam Shells (3 sets of 10 reps per side)
Wake Up Exercise (10 reps with 5 second holds, done 3-5 times throughout the day)

Now as your glutes activation improves and you’ve had success with the progression exercises, eventually you’ll reach a point where these daily glute exercises for the most part will no longer needed since you’ll be able to activate, strengthen, and grow your glutes to a much greater degree through your main lower body exercises.

LINK TO DR.STUART MCGILL’S WORK & BOOKS:

MUSIC:

Filmed by: Bruno Martin Del Campo

[IIIllllIIIIlllll]

It’s very refreshing to see a fitness channel focus on and cite actual scientific research

[shuvashis]

Whole video is quite informative but if you don't have enough time,
How to awaken your glutes 3:11
Daily moves:
1.Glute/Butt Bridge 5:58
2.Clam Shell 7:34
~Lateral steps ups 9:06
~Goblet squat 9:34
~Cable Pull Throughs 10:25
3.Toe Raises 12:00
& for summary 12:24

[lisawomyn]

35 years computer work. Shocking how “waking the glutes “ is taking so much concentration and barely getting a twitch and other muscles want to do the work. Lots of work to do here. Crazy! Thank you!

[szabikrdev]

Dude!!! I just did these exercises for 4 consecutive days and can already feel a huge difference in my glutes. Thanks so much for sharing!

[davidlanham]

This video changed my life. I’m NOT exaggerating. I had 2+ years of post ACDF lower back pain radiating from both sides of the pelvic crest. Tried physical therapy, dry needling, and prolotherapy injections ... with little to no results. After 3 days of religiously doing these exercises... no more lower back pain. THANK YOU... you’ve got a new fan.

[dino]

(12:24) Summary
- Daily Moves
(5:57) Exercise 1: Glute Bridges; 3 sets of 10 reps with 5 sec holds.
(7:31) Exercise 2: Clam Shells; 3 sets of 10 reps.
(11:58) Exercise 3: Toe Raises; 10 reps with 5 sec holds 3 to 5 times throughout the day.

- Advanced Exercises
(9:05) Lateral Steps Ups
(9:33) Goblet Squats
(10:25) Cable Pull-Throughs


Detailed Overview:

(3:31) Step 0: Testing - "To find out if your glutes may indeed be in needing some more attention, there's four key indicators that we can look at."
(2:04) Gluteal Amnesia: Indicator 1 - Lack of Feeling of Glutes (and, consequently, sore tight lower back and hamstrings)
(2:19) Gluteal Amnesia: Indicator 2 - Single Leg Loop Bridge
(2:40) Gluteal Amnesia: Indicator 3 - Posture (Anterior Pelivc Tilt)
(2:51) Gluteal Amnesia: Indicator 4 - Sedentary Lifestyle (Flat Butt Syndrome)

(3:31) Step 1: Contraction - "To understand what a glute contraction actually feels like and getting your brain to connect to the muscle."
(3:39) Exercise 1
(3:58) Exercise 2

(4:26) Step 2: Activation - "Once you've run a few sets of each of those, and you can actually really feel your glutes contracting in each of those positions, we want to then progress it to some exercises where your glutes are working against gravity, which is where step 2 comes in. To do so, we'll use 2 simple exercises (...) found to be the best option to getting those glutes firing again.
(5:57) Glute/Back Bridge: "Targets the largest of your glute muscles, the gluteus maximus"; "5 second pause at top."
(7:31) Clam Shell: "Used to target another important glute muscle, the gluteus medius."
- 3 sets of 10 reps "but with each rep preformed mindfully and with a strong activation of the glutes."

(8:30) Step 3: Progression with resistance/load - "Once you do get back to a point where your glutes are firing and you're feeling a lot more relief on your lower back and hamstrings, you want to then start progressing your glutes with more and more resistance and load, and train with them in different movement patterns."
(9:05) Lateral Steps Ups: "Challenges glutes in multiple planes."
(9:33) Goblet Squats: "Teaches how to use glutes in squat pattern"
(10:25) Cable Pull-Throughs: "Teaches how to use glutes in hinge pattern with hamstrings."

(11:29) Step 4: Prevention - "Lastly, although you will likely have success with the previous steps, it's important the we don't overlook a potential root cause of all of this: too much sitting and inactivity, which where Step 4: Prevention, comes in."
- "You want to avoid prolonged periods of sitting where you just aren't using your glutes at all, and instead get up and take a walk or have a stretch at least between every 30 minutes of sitting, and even better, during your breaks perform what I'll just call a wake-up exercise for your glutes. For example, one great mindfull exercise is:
(11:58) Toe Raises
- 10 reps of 5 second holds 3 times a day.


Things to keep in mind:
"Good coaching and mindfulness is essential. We've measured that those who treat these exercises trivially do not restablish the gluteal patterns that are required."
"Proper execution (...) is absolutely essential".

[sagek]

I used to have flat glutes and bulky thighs. I started having knee pain when doing jumping jacks or skipping etc. then I came across a video that spoke about sleeping glutes, I realized I never really engaged my glutes. I did the bridge and clam shells and started to consciously engage my glutes. It made a huge difference and I don’t have knee pain anymore

[elump]

I'm literally in tears as I watch! I stumbled upon your video, looking for something in regards. The Universe heard me. 😇 It was exactly what I needed! My glutes are in a COMA. LOL! My hamstrings are exhausted and so is my lower back. Thank you! Thank 😊😊😊

[bjexner]

This video was a game-changer for me. Diagnosed with "gluteal atrophy" I was sent to PT. They gave me squats and lunges which only strengthened my overly tight hamstrings, which no amount of stretching has cured to date. After years and many visits to different PT's, this simple YouTube video made all the difference. Thanks Jeremy.

[munz]

As a healthcare practitioner and occupational therapist I applaud you Jeremy! Some of the best videos on the internet for guiding people in exercise. 👏

[ryanfitzalan]

This is super important for people to discuss before beginning to engage in regular exercise. I had no idea that i had glute amnesia and began working out years ago. I didn't know that i wasn't properly activating the glutes and pushed harder and harder weight, and eventually caused hip flexor and knee injuries from a combination of cardio plus heavy strength routines that lacked balanced activation a, stimulation and muscle gain. doctors and PT and trainers alike should encourage people to engage in activation tests to identify weaknesses before pushing at the gym. For Youtubers, it would be helpful for them to come up with simple "Tests" to proliferate on their channels, with ideas like "if you can do 15 slow reps of X action, you can consider your activation appropriate for the gym"

[istrala]

Squeeze before raising up into bridge is exactly the coaching I needed. Simple but enormous improvement in effect! Also the external rotation tip is major for me. Immediately felt the glutes engaged in a completely different way during my squats. Thank you so much for the clearly presented science-based info!

[cornerbandit]

as a musician I spent years sitting, the last 10 years I've been in agony with hip and back pain. Physical therapy never addressed my glutes. After 3 days of these exercises the pain is now starting to diminish. Spot on!

[LetsDraw]

YOU INTERVIEWED DR. McGILL??? That's crazy; he's legendary!

[myrasays]

Ohhhh my god. It’s like I’ve never done a glute bridge before in my life and Ive been lifting for 10 years at this point. I’m doing this with bodyweight too. Jeremy this is amazing! Thank you!

[pandalorehub]

I love that you go into alignment and what a person should be feeling and doing at each moment in the exercise.

[wrongpeps]

my note; p/s i took it from other comment dont mind me :)
How to awaken your glutes 3:11
Daily moves:
1.Glute/Butt Bridge 5:58
2.Clam Shell 7:34
~Lateral steps ups 9:06
~Goblet squat 9:34
~Cable Pull Throughs 10:25
3.Toe Raises 12:00
& for summary 12:24

[ChoirFan]

Thank you! I’m a 60 year old runner, who for about 8 weeks now, have been struggling with a calf injury. My Physio has been telling me it’s likely due to under-utilised glutes and that I need to “activate my glutes” while running. A lot of these self help vids on you tube also tell you to “activate your glutes” but are a bit sparse in the “how” and “why” sections. I now have a way forward, along with the “why” question answered!

[Jonathan-ugyu]

I’m only a few weeks into my fitness rediscovery. I’ve had no trouble finding my other muscle groups but noticed just a couple of days ago exactly what I’ve just watched you describe in this video. An hour ago my cheeks weren’t even responding to the grab and clench check, now they’re clutching on command. I cannot wait to start making my glutes burn. Thank you

[Raiden_N]

"Flat Butt Syndrome" I feel personally attacked... 😂