Want a great move to include in your bodyweight interval cardio workouts that isn’t jumping, but will for sure get your blood pumping?
Want a full-body core intensive move you can utilize in so many different ways?
Ready for a move you can modify to match your fitness level and progress when ready?
Then you’ll love this amazing bodyweight cardio move that will target your shoulders, arms, abs, obliques and even quads –
The Tabletop Crawl!
But wait?! Babies crawl…isn’t crawling easy?!
HECK NO!
This crawl will not only challenge your body but also your mind and coordination.
Unlike the Baby Crawl, your knees are going to hover off the ground.
And with the Tabletop Crawl, unlike the Bear Crawl, you want to focus on keeping your butt down and knees just a few inches off the ground.
You also want to focus on that contralateral movement pattern, or opposite arm and leg working together. This is a great way to improve your coordination, especially for movements like running!
While you can focus on moving faster only and allow a bit more rotation of your core as you crawl, you can also use this move to work on that anti-rotational core strength.
And then you can crawl in every direction using this tabletop or bulldog position, even mixing things up by adding in rotational moves like the Sit Thru, holds or even other crawl variations to the flow!
All of these things make this crawling variation a killer cardio move.
So how do you do the basic Tabletop Crawl?
Start on your hands and knees with your knees under your hips and hands under your shoulders. Starting out or to modify this move if you get out of sync as you go through this move, you can always come back to crawling on your hands and knees.
Tuck your toes under and then lift up onto the balls of your feet and hands so your knees hover just a few inches off the ground.
To start with the crawl forward, step forward with one hand and, as you do, step the opposite foot forward, bringing your knee in. Start with small steps and focus on keeping your hips still as you step.
Then step the other hand forward and other foot.
Think small steps as you brace your abs and keep your knees close to the ground. You can continue taking steps forward in this way with the opposite arm and leg moving together or you can reverse your direction and crawl backward.
When you crawl backward, be conscious of taking small steps, especially to start. This requires a bit more upper body strength than the forward crawl oddly enough and often we get more spread out, as we have a tendency to reach further back with our feet when crawling backward, placing more load on our upper body.
As you step one foot back, remember to step back with the opposite hand.
Using this basic forward/backward crawl, you can then add in occasional holds, or even a Sit Thru on each end of the length you’re crawling in. You can also add in little jacks or side to side hops if you want. Or you can even turn over to add in a crab crawl with this tabletop crawl.
You can also use this same crawling position to move LATERALLY.
How do you do the Lateral Tabletop Crawl?
The lateral crawl is a great move to improve your coordination and you may find the movement pattern a bit more challenging to start.
And if you’re thinking I’m too old for this move, you’re wrong! As we get older, including moves that work on our coordination and neuromuscular efficiency are even more key!
They keep us functional strong!
While you can make the lateral crawl an ipsilateral or same side working together movement, it is a great contralateral move.
To do the lateral crawl as a contralateral movement pattern with the opposite hand and foot working together, set up with your hands together under your chest and feet and knees about shoulder-width part.
Then step one hand out wide to the side so your hands are about shoulder-width apart as you step the opposite foot in toward the other. As your hands move apart, your feet move together.
Then to continue laterally, your foot on the same side as the hand you just moved will step to the side as you bring the opposite hand in to meet your other hand.
Move slowly to start keeping your knees hovering just off the ground. You can move as many steps as desired across the space you have then come back the other direction.
Focus on keeping your hips still as you move side to side.
Modifying The Basic Crawl:
While you can always go down to your hands and knees, to start, another way to modify this move that is often a bit more comfortable for the knees if your surface isn’t padded, is to use an incline.
For lateral crawls, you can use a bench as your incline and move along the length of it.
For forward/backward crawls, stairs actually work best as you can place your hands up on a higher step and crawl up a step at a time!
While often we will cheat and modify by allowing our butt to go up in the air during the basic crawl off the ground, we want to recognize this changes how we are activating muscles and will not give us the same ab or quad benefit that the basic tabletop or bulldog position does.
So using an incline can help us really master that positioning!
SUMMARY:
Crawling can be a great way to improve our coordination and our conditioning. It is a great move to include in an interval workout even with traditional moves we love like burpees, if we want to include jumping. It will work our entire core and get our blood pumping.
Try a fun Sit Thru crawling variation in this workout below:
A few of the most common moves I see done for oblique work are the Pallof Press, side planks and teapots (love them or hate them…which is a topic for another day).
But my favorite is actually a unilateral balance challenge and bodyweight exercise.
This move requires no equipment and is deceptively hard.
But if you regress to progress, and take the time to master it, it will take not only your core strength, but also your scapular, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle stability to the next level.
It’s seriously one of the most amazing compound oblique exercises out there and one of the most awkward feeling as you get your balance – The Single Arm Rotational Plank with Knee Drive.
This rotational core exercise is an amazing way to really target your obliques and abs while also working your adductors, quads, Serratus Anterior, shoulders, back…and so much more.
However it is more challenging a unilateral move than we give it credit for.
If you can’t control the advanced variation and perform it slowly, please make sure to use the modifications I mention. You don’t get better results by rushing a movement or by doing a harder variation you haven’t earned.
The best results happen when we are intentional with our exercises so we can get more out of every movement. And you want to make sure you get all of the benefits you can from this move!
So…What are the benefits of this amazing move?
With this unilateral move, if you take the time to learn to control it, you will…
Improve your hip and knee stability, especially strengthening those adductors and quads.
Work your obliques and abs with both the rotational movement and the crunch. Your abs have to work hard to actually prevent unwanted extension of your spine as you even rotate to face the ground.
Improve your shoulder and scapular stability strengthening both the muscles of your shoulder but also of your upper back as well as your Serratus Anterior. You’ll feel that muscle really having to work as the shoulder blade protracts during your torso rotation toward the ground.
Correct imbalances because of the unilateral focus so you can make sure both sides are strong and working efficiently.
You’ll also find this movement really helps you improve your mind-body connection to recruit many different muscles at once to stabilize everything. I know it can be a frustrating coordination and balance challenge to start, but that is so key for actually improving our strength gains ultimately.
The more efficient and able we are to recruit the correct muscles to stabilize, the stronger ultimately we will be so we can run faster and lift more.
And bonus, if you are a runner, this is for sure a must-do core move if you’ve ever had knee, hip or lower back aches and pains!
Now…how do you do the Single Arm Rotational Plank With Knee Drive?
To do the Single Arm Plank Rotation With Knee, set up in a side plank position from your hand with your bottom leg staggered on the ground behind your top leg. You won’t be on the inside of that front foot like a regular side plank but will actually want to place the sole of your foot on the ground.
Make sure your hand is under your shoulder as you set up and you’re engaging your back to support your shoulder so you aren’t shrugging or straining it. This is key to supporting you as you rotate.
Then lift that back leg as if kicking it back and up toward the wall behind you as you rotate your chest toward the ground to counterbalance yourself. You will reach that top hand out as if almost trying to create a line across your body from your heel to your finger tips.
You should almost feel like you’ve rotated into a front plank position as you lift and reach out.
Then pivot back into the side plank position and, as you do, tuck the knee of your extended leg and elbow of your extended arm together, slightly crunching. You’re performing a little cross body crunch as you twist. Make sure your hand is still under your shoulder so that you’re shoulder isn’t straining as you twist.
After slowly tucking the knee to the elbow and feeling yourself pivot around that shoulder, extend back out.
You will feel all the muscles around your rib cage as well as your obliques, abs, adductor and quads especially as you crunch together.
Move slowly so you can stabilize. Do not rush if you feel off balance.
How can you modify this move?
How can you adjust this move if you feel your shoulder straining or adductor or groin becoming overworked?
A first little tweak you can make to the move is touching your foot down behind you instead of lifting it up. This little touch to pause and balance in the movement may be all the modification you need to start.
If you struggle with hyper mobility, especially in your elbows, you may also choose to modify this off your forearm.
However, if you don’t feel in control of any aspect of this movement, your next modification should be off an incline. The higher the incline, the more you can reduce the resistance of the movement.
As you feel stable, you can slowly lower the incline to progress the move.
You may even find you combine the incline with the foot tap to start.
The key is making sure you’re able to properly stabilize that shoulder to really focus on those obliques working to rotate and help you stay balanced!
If you want to strengthen and build your hamstrings, you want to include both hip extension and knee flexion movements.
For hip extension, think Romanian Deadlift or Good Morning for example and for knee flexion think about those hamstring curl machines.
But how can you work and even isolate those hamstrings if you don’t have any equipment at home?
So many of those go to moves require gym access or at least more equipment…
That’s why I wanted to share one of my go-to knee flexion hamstring moves, whether you have no tools while training at home or access to a full gym – The Glute Bridge And Curl.
I love this move because it can help you really target those hamstrings through knee flexion or bending your knees to curl your heels toward your butt while also activating and working your glutes.
It is also easy to progress and regress in a variety of ways without adding loads to match your needs and goals. And if you do have a gym, you can even progress through the same but different by using a variety of tools to change the instability and even range of motion.
But before I go into some of the different variations, I want to chat about the basic form of the glute bridge and curl and how you can do this amazing move at home…
How To Do The Basic Glute Bridge And Curl:
To do the Glute Bridge And Curl without any fancy equipment, you can use towels on a hardwood or tiled floor or paper plates on carpet. If you even have a simple set of sliders or furniture movers those can work as well.
Place a towel under each foot, making sure your heel is on the towel, as you lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Bend your elbows to drive your arms down into the ground. Perform a posterior pelvic tilt, slightly tilting your pelvis up toward your ribs. This will make sure you don’t arch your back as you perform the move.
Bridge up, squeezing your glutes.
Holding this bridge, slide your feet out to straighten your legs. You will lower your butt toward the ground as you lengthen but don’t lose that posterior pelvic tilt.
After fully extending your legs, curl your heels back in toward your butt to lift back up into the bridge. Almost think about trying to drag up the flooring as you curl back in so that you are creating tension to really work those hamstrings.
Return to the bridge and repeat the move.
Make sure you do not arch to lift up higher. You want to really use your glutes and abs to brace and support during this move so you can focus on those hamstrings powering the knee flexion.
Also, move slowly as you extend out to work your hamstrings through the eccentric portion of this move as well!
Modifications Of The Glute Bridge And Curl:
Now as simple as this move may seem, it is more challenging for our hamstrings than we actually give it credit for.
The great part is, this move is easy to modify to meet our needs. And, by modifying, we can even focus on each side independently to correct any strength imbalances we may have.
To modify this move, you can start by extending one leg at a time to focus on each side working. You can alternate curls or simply stay on one side.
Once you feel ready to progress from here, you can start with just using the two-leg bridge and curl for the eccentric portion.
You will extend both legs out slowly together, then curl one in at a time. Alternate which you curl in first and stay focused on that drag back in to really make your hamstring work.
If you do want to advance the move and get a unilateral focus, try a single leg bridge and curl with your other leg lifted up off the ground so it can’t assist.
Do not progress the move though if you feel your lower back compensating. You want to make sure to use those glutes in the bridge up and keep your abs engaged through that posterior pelvic tilt!
Equipment Variations Of The Glute Bridge And Curl:
If you do have access to different tool, you can even progress this move through doing the same but different.
You can create more instability from the version off of towels or sliders by using the suspension trainer. Or you can even increase the challenge by using a bigger stability ball which increases the height you have to bridge up!
If you have a rower you can even have some fun using that instead.
So many ways to vary a move and make it work for us.
What is your favorite way to perform the glute bridge and curl?
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It isn’t always about making an exercise harder to get results. Sometimes it is about doing the same, but different.
What that means is that you are doing the same basic movement but with different positioning, for instance doing something seated vs. standing.
This change in positioning is a great way to challenge our body especially with moves that aren’t necessarily meant to be done with heavy loads.
It is also great to improve our mind-body connection to muscles that we may struggle to activate, and muscles with fibers that are actually worked by slightly different movements or when our body is in slightly different positions.
All of this especially applies to exercises for our GLUTE MEDIUS!
Strengthening this muscle can not only prevent and alleviate low back, hip, knee and even ankle pain by improving our stability, but it can also help our glute maximus function better.
This means we can only only build sexy glutes when we work this muscle but also prevent injury and run faster and lift more!
So if you want to strengthen your glute medius, and even the upper fibers of your glute maximus, try these 6 Abduction Exercises to work your glutes from every angle!
6 Abduction Exercises
These 6 moves will work your glutes when you’re lying down, seated, standing, planking and even quadruped!
Include a variety of these as part of your warm up before your runs or lifts, as part of your lifting workout on your glute or leg days or even as a burnout after to really target those glutes for faster results!
Lying Jacks:
If you want to work on your hip extension and abduction aka really work your glute medius and your glute maximus at the same time, you want to use the Lying Jacks!
To do Lying Jacks, place a mini band right below your knees and lie face down on a bench with your hips right on the edge of the bench. To make the move easier, place the mini band above your knees. To make it harder, move it down toward your ankles.
Then engage your glutes to lift your legs up to about parallel to the ground with your legs together. Press your hips down into the bench and make sure that you don’t hyperextend your lower back. Better to have your hips slightly flexed and legs below parallel then to arch your back just to keep your legs up higher.
Holding this position, press your legs open against the band and feel the outside of your glutes working. Then in a controlled fashion, bring your legs back together. You can change the range of motion, bringing them all the way back together or pulsing at the end range of motion for even more of a pump.
If you feel your hips trying to engage you can rotate your toes slightly in or even try squeezing your butt to raise your legs up a bit as you press open.
3-Way Seated Mini Band Abductions:
Work your glutes from three different angles to really create a pump and burn so you can strengthen the entire muscle and really establish that mind-body connection with the 3-Way Seated Mini Band Abductions!
To do 3-Way Seated Mini Band Abductions, place the mini band right below your knees and sit on a bench. Start by sitting toward the front of the bench so you can lean back and put your hands on the bench behind you. Place your feet about hip-width apart.
Then press your knees open against the band as you lean back. Your feet may rock open but focus on using your glutes to press the band open with your knees. Do not let your knees cave in as you come back to the starting position. Complete all reps then move to sit up nice and tall.
Sitting nice and tall repeat, pressing out with your knees so you feel your glutes working. After completing all reps, lean forward and repeat the movement. You can hold on the bench outside your legs to lean forward or just lean over even lightly resting your arms on your legs.
Complete all reps in each of the 3 positions. Make sure you’re really focused on pressing your knees out to feel your glutes while controlling the band back in. To reduce tension, you can start with a lighter band or put your feet slightly closer together, but make sure there is tension on the band even in that starting position.
Fire Hydrants:
This may be a very basic abduction move that we see all over the place, but that is because it is a MUST-DO move! The fire hydrant strengthens your glutes but also your abs!
To do Bent-Knee Fire Hydrants, start on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Flex your feet. Keeping your arms straight and your feet flexed, raise your right leg out to the side with the knee bent to 90 degrees.
As you raise your leg out to the side, you want to keep your ankle in line with your knee and not let your foot get above your knee or your knee go up above your foot. You want to try to raise your lower leg parallel to the ground when you lift your leg out to the side.
You should feel the outside of your hip and glute working to lift the leg to the side. Don’t simply lean away to get your leg up higher. Keep your core tight and lift from the hip using your glute. Hold at the top then lower back down.
Make sure to hold for 1-2 seconds. Do not rush through the lift or simply swing the leg up. Make sure you do not bend your arms to get your leg up higher. Squeeze your butt and make sure you feel it activate.
Range of motion isn’t important as long as you feel your glute working. You may even feel this in the leg you are kneeling on because your glute is working to stabilize. Complete all reps on one side before switching.
You could also do a straight-leg variation to increase the challenge!
Mini Band Alternating Side Steps:
Get your blood pumping a bit and work your glute medius with this Alternating Side Step move! This is a great move to do especially if you plan to do any balancing or hinging movements during your workout!
To do Mini Band Alternating Side Steps, place a mini band right below your knees. To advance the exercise, place the mini band toward your ankles or to modify place the mini band above your knees.
Stand with your feet a few inches apart so there is just a little bit of tension on the band. Push your butt back slightly and soften your knees so you are in a slightly hinged position. Then step one foot out to the side. Step the other foot toward it without fully stepping together and losing tension on the band.
Then step that foot back out and bring the other back to the starting position. Keep alternating steps back and forth, staying in that slightly hinged position as you go. Do not step so wide your knees cave in. Make sure you can really press out against the band.
Mini Band Side Plank Leg Raises:
Work your obliques and your glutes with this move that is perfect if you want to improve your core stability! Beginners can even get great results by doing this without a band to start!
To do Mini Band Side Plank Leg Raises, place the mini band right below your knees, or to modify, right above your knees. Set up in a side plank from your forearm with your elbow under your shoulder and your feet stacked. You can drop your bottom knee to the ground if you need to modify. Lift up into the side plank and flex your feet.
Then, keeping your bottom hip up, hold in that side plank position as you lift and lower the top leg. Control the lift and lower so that the band isn’t controlling you and making you lower quickly. Don’t dip your hip just to kick up higher or really rotate your top toe open. Hold as you feel your glutes working to lift and lower that top leg.
Beginners can also modify by placing their elbow up on an incline or even by removing the mini band altogether!
Side Balance With Forward/Backward Taps:
This move helps build hip stability and core strength. It can also be good to help you slowly improve your hip mobility. And not only will you feel the glute on top working to lift the leg, but you’ll also feel your glute working on your balancing leg to help stabilize!
To do the Side Balance Forward/Backward Taps, set up in the Side Balance position with one knee down and your hand out to the side next to it. You are setting up almost as if you are doing a side plank with the knee in closer. Straighten your other leg out to the side so you aren’t rotated toward the ground.
Keeping your top hand up, lift your straight leg up to parallel to the ground and then kick it slightly back behind you before lowering it down. Touch the ground behind you.
Then lift your leg back up and kick it back forward, tapping your toe down in front of you. You want to almost create a triangle or arch, lifting up center to tap down behind and in front of yourself. Complete all reps on one side before switching.
Really pause at the top and feel the outside of your hip and glute working to lift. Complete a full range of motion, moving slowly. Try to keep your body from really wiggling around as you lift forward and backward.
Ready to work your glutes from every angle to prevent injury and build strong, sexy glutes that help you run faster and lift more?
When we think “Glute Activation,” we think about all of those amazing moves done on the ground – glute bridges, donkey kicks, fire hydrants…
But what if you can’t get down on the ground?
What if you have knee pain that makes kneeling uncomfortable?
Or what if you have shoulder issues that don’t allow you to really support yourself with your upper body?
You can STILL get those glutes activated and working to strengthen that oh so important muscle group WITHOUT getting down on the ground!
Work your glutes from every angle without getting down on the ground with these 7 Glute Activation Moves!
Standing Mini Band Lateral Raises And Kickbacks:
A must-do glute activation series if you don’t want to get down on the ground is the Standing Mini Band Lateral Raises and Kickbacks.
Pairing these two moves together, allows you to work all three gluteal muscles and you can do so while standing in one place even! No space? No problem!
To do the Standing Lateral Raises, place the band around both legs. Placing it around your ankles will make the movement harder. Face a wall, chair or anything you can use to slightly balance with. Standing tall, lift one leg out to the side.
Keep the leg straight (but don’t lock out the knee) and lift to the side. Try not to let the toe rotate open so that you don’t turn this into external rotation instead of abduction, unless you WANT to. Keep the foot you are lifting parallel to the foot on the ground. Squeeze your butt as you lift.
Do not lean to the side just to lift the leg higher. Keep the core tight and stand up nice and tall. Then lower the leg back down and repeat. You can even pulse more at the end range of motion, never fully bringing the foot back down.
Kick BACKWARD slightly instead of straight out to the side to help yourself focus on the glute medius if you are only feeling your TFL or the front, outside of your hip working instead of your glute.
Complete all reps on that side before switching.
You may also feel this in the standing glute as well because that leg is working to resist the band and keep you stable.
To do the Standing Kickback, place the band around your ankles. Higher up on your leg will make the movement a bit easier. Face a wall, chair or anything you can use to slightly balance with and help make sure you engage your core.
Stand tall and then kick one leg back behind you. Keep the leg fairly straight and flex your foot so you are driving the heel back into the wall behind you. Squeeze your glute as you lift. Do not rock forward to try to get the leg up higher. Height doesn’t matter. Just focus on squeezing your glute and keeping your core tight.
You may have a very slight lean forward as you stabilize on the standing leg, but you don’t want to rock forward and open up your hip just to kick back higher. You also want to engage your abs so you don’t hyperextend your lower back. Rocking forward may also put the move in your low back instead of forcing your glute to work to lift the leg.
It may not be a huge range of motion. The important part is to really feel your glute extending your hip to kick back. You can even pulse at the end range of motion to create a pump.
Two tips to get even more out of these moves:
Place the mini band up below your knees to start to help you focus on the right muscles working.
For the Lateral Raises, place your pointer finger on your hip bone and your thumb back along the top of your glute. As you do the raises, feel the muscle under your thumb work. This can help you make sure the right muscles are working AND even help establish that mind-body connection!
Mini Band Side Step Squats:
If you have no knee pain that would limit your knee flexion and want a great way to get your glutes firing during squats, plus a glute activation move that will get your blood pumping a little bit more, Mini Band Side Step Squats are a great option!
To do Mini Band Side Step Squats, start standing tall with the mini band right below your knees and your feet a few inches apart. To make the move easier, use a lighter resistance or place the band above your knees.
Then step out to one side so your feet are about shoulder-width apart and squat down. Make sure to sit back and keep your chest up. Make sure you also press out against the band. You don’t want your knees to cave in.
Squat down then stand up and step your feet back together. Then step out to the other side and squat down. Alternate stepping out to each side and squatting down. Do not step out too wide and make sure to press your knees out against the band.
Band Pull Throughs:
This hip hinge exercise is a great way to prime, aka ACTIVATE, your glutes before more compound hinging exercises like the deadlift. It is also the perfect way to really target that glute max.
And while it may look a bit awkward, the pump you’ll feel from this move is worth the awkward looks you may get! (Plus if you are trying to teach anyone a proper hinge hinge, this is a great way to do it!)
To do Resistance Band Pull Throughs, anchor the band around a pole, furniture or in a doorway. Step over the band and reach down between your legs to grab the handles. Walk away from the anchor point with your back to it, holding the handles between your legs.
Then hinge over, keeping your knees soft. Push your butt back toward the anchor point as you lean forward and reach your hands with the bands back between your legs.
Then squeeze your glutes and push your hips forward to come back up to standing. Keep your arms relaxed and straight down, holding the handles between your legs. Stand up nice and tall, fully extending your hips and squeezing your glutes.
Don’t hyperextend your low back as you extend your hips and squeeze your glutes or lean back too much at the top. Almost tuck your hips up forward as you squeeze and contract your glutes.
Then hinge back over, pushing your butt back toward the anchor point. Keep your core tight so that you don’t feel this move in your low back. Also, do not pull the bands with your arms. Your glutes should do all the work. And make sure to keep your back flat. Do not round over as you hinge over.
To make the move harder, use a heavier band or walk further from the anchor point.
Band Hip Rotations:
For strong glutes and stable hips, you want to work your body in every plane of motion. And that means, including some rotational exercises like the Band Hip Rotations as well. Plus, this glute activation exercise will get your abs working as well!
To do Band Hip Rotations, anchor the band and hold one end in both hands. Stand with your side to the anchor point and your feet about hip-width to shoulder-width apart. Your front toe should be turned slightly open while your back toe should point straight ahead.
Then squat down very slightly, pushing your butt back as you reach your arms back toward the anchor point. Make sure there is tension in the band even as you reach back. Brace your abs and keep your chest up nice and tall. Do not shrug your shoulders.
Keeping your arms fairly straight (aka do not actively bend them, but they may have a slight bend to start), bring the band across your body and up outside your far shoulder. Feel the glute of the leg closest to the anchor point engage and power the rotation. Do not turn it into an arm movement or simply rotate at the waist.
Your back glute should power the rotation. Feel it squeeze as you rotate. Concentrate on using it to power the move. Do not get to focused on bringing the band to a certain point. If you rotate and you don’t bring it up to the shoulder that is ok as long as the glute powers the rotation across.
Bring the band back across your body to the starting position in a controlled fashion. Do not pivot your feet as you perform the move. You want to rotate at the hip because the glute is powering the movement. You do not want your feet to move.
Complete all reps on one side before switching. Focus on squeezing your glutes and bracing your abs. Do not shrug your shoulders or round over.
Seated Mini Band Clams:
Seated glute activation exercises are another great option if you can’t get down on the ground. They can also be an option if you have an ankle issue that doesn’t allow you to balance on one side.
One essential seated move to use is the Seated Mini Band Clams. They are a great way to work your glute medius and minimus to improve your hip stability!
To do the Seated Mini Band Clams, place the mini band right below (more advanced) or right above (a bit easier) your knees. Whichever place you choose or whatever weight mini band you use, just make sure you feel your glutes and outside your hips actually working.
Sit up nice and tall with your hands on the edge of the bench and your feet about hip-width apart. Then press your knees open against the band as you sit up tall. Really use your glutes to open the band.
Do not slouch or rock back. Press your hips forward as you press your knees open. You may rock open on your feet, but don’t simply rock and bend your ankles. Really press the band open with your knees.
You can change the way you focus on your glutes by changing your body positioning. You can lean back, not rock back as you do the move, but actually lean back through the entire move, sit up straight or even lean forward. Playing around with all three positions can even help make sure your glutes are firing no matter the degree of hip flexion.
Bench Hip Thrusters:
Improve your hip extension and get your core working with this bridging variation that you don’t have to get down on the ground for – the Bench Hip Thruster!
You can do Hip Thrusters as purely a bodyweight movement, as a feet-raised movement or even perform a single leg variation to help work on correcting imbalances.
Or you can try the Mini Band Bench Hip Thruster Variation below.
To do Mini Band Hip Thrusters, place the mini band right below your knees to make it harder and right above to make it easier. Lie with your back on a bench and feet about hip-width to shoulder-width apart. Press out on the band. Don’t let your knees cave in.
Then bridge up, driving through your heels and upper back on the bench. Make sure to press out on the band as you bridge up. Keep your abs engaged with a pelvic tilt so you don’t hyperextend your back at the top. Pause and engage those glutes then lower back down and repeat. Even slightly tuck your chin to look down at your knees to help engage your abs more.
Feel your glutes working and do not let your knees cave in at any point. Keep constant tension on the band.
Bench Reverse Hypers:
Work on your hip hyperextension with this lying glute activation move you can do off a bench! No need to get down on the ground while you can still reap the benefits of a prone glute activation exercise.
You must be careful though with this movement to not allow your lower back to simply take over. If you feel your lower back trying to compensate for your glutes, modify the movement or pause and reset, even rolling out your hips and lower back to relax the overactive and tight muscles.
To do a Straight Leg Reverse Hyper (top photos), lie face down on a bench with your hips right at the edge of the bench. Make sure you aren’t too far off or you will engage your low back. You will keep your legs straight. You can let your feet stay apart or bring your legs together.
You may need to play around with the positioning to start to see which allows you to get the best glute contraction, especially if you are struggling to engage your glutes. You can also put your heels together and choose to turn your toes out. The external rotation can sometimes make it easier to get your glutes to fire.
Then, keeping your legs straight, raise your heels up toward the ceiling. Squeeze your glutes as you lift. Lift till your legs are about parallel to the ground and lower back down. Only lift higher if you don’t feel your lower back take over. You want to focus on and make sure your glutes are working to lift NOT your low back.
If you do feel your low back, make sure you are pressing your pelvic down into the bench as you squeeze your glutes to lift. Hold at the top and lower back down. Really contract your glutes at the top and don’t worry about swinging your legs up higher. Only lift as high as you need to feel those glutes engage and contract.
To mix things up with the Reverse Hypers, you can even do a bent-knee (bottom photos) or mini band variation!
Ready to get those glutes activated and working?
Check out my Booty Burner Program! 15 minute workouts to get those glutes firing!
Preventing injuries is a 3 part process – foam rolling, stretching and activation. (It’s what I call the RStoration Method….cause it sounds sexy 😉 hehe)
All too often we are doing one, or maybe too, and it’s “helping” but the results don’t seem to fully last.
If we want to not only relax tight muscles, but get the right muscles working, we need to do all 3 pieces!
This “workout” below is the perfect way to use all three parts in your warm up to improve your hip mobility and activate your glutes.
It’s under 15 minutes and can help you prevent low back, hip and knee pain!
The Hip Mobility RStoration Workout
Spend about 30 seconds on each of the foam rolling areas below. Do one round through that circuit. Then do one round through the stretches, completing the reps listed. After one round through the stretches, do 1-2 rounds of the activation. Rest up to 1 minute between rounds of the activation if needed.
FOAM ROLLING:
30 seconds per side Hamstring Foam Rolling
30 seconds per side Quad Foam Rolling
30 seconds per side Hip/Glute Foam Rolling
(For the foam rolling moves, click HERE)
