Unlock Your Running Potential: The Benefits of Glute Activation

This blog post is coming at you because let’s be honest – talking about “glute activation” has become a hot topic amongst coaches, trainers, healthcare professionals, etc. When it comes to running, many athletes focus on building strong legs and a sturdy cardiovascular system, but often overlook the importance of glute activation. The gluteal muscles, comprised of the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus, play a significant role in running performance as well as for overall wellbeing. You can’t get off the floor, go up/down stairs, or stand up from your couch without string glutes. So - put down your phone and stop, activate, and listen to the gems in this blog post.

What are the Benefits of Glute Activation?

Before we delve into the world of glute activation exercises and their transformative effects on your running performance, it's crucial to understand the immense value that these muscles bring to your sport and to your day to day movement. Your glutes are more than just a comfortable place to sit; they're a powerhouse of strength and stabilization. They help create power and stability at your lumbar spine, your pelvis, your hip joints, and everything below! Do you struggle with balancing on one leg? Do you struggle to keep your knee straight with squatting? Maybe you need to target your glutes!

Now, when something is “weak” or “dysfunctional” we strengthen it, right? If your calves are weak, you do heel raises. If your arms are weak, you do bicep curls. Over time, as you increase your load and repetitions, your strength improves and all of a sudden you look this!

Maybe it is your goal to look like that – BUT – remember strength is measured via performance, not by how well your muscles look in a swim suit and behind a lot of tanning lotion.

***Side bar – no judgement here. I’ve used cheap tanning lotion many times in high school. My palms might always have a mild orange glow to them. End side bar****

So - we need the glutes to be strong; yet, perform - or activate - when and how they are designed to do so. Targeting the glutes via specific exercises will help in a variety of ways, such as:

1. Enhanced Running Efficiency: Glute activation helps runners maintain proper form and technique. Strong glutes help prevent excessive hip movement and rotation, which can lead to inefficient running as well as hip or low back injuries. When your glutes are engaged, your stride becomes more powerful and efficient, enabling you to cover longer distances and greater speeds with less effort.

2. Improved Balance and Proprioception: Glute activation enhances your balance and proprioception (awareness of your body's position in space). This increased stability can be especially valuable when navigating uneven terrain, such as trails or rough roads, as it reduces the risk of tripping and falling during your runs.

3. Increased Speed: The glute muscles are your body's powerhouse - the engine that helps drive your running machine. They are responsible for generating the force needed to push off the ground with each stride. When your glutes are actively engaged, you'll experience greater propulsion, resulting in improved speed and performance.

4. Improved Hill Climbing: Hills are a common challenge for runners. Strong glutes are essential for tackling inclines, as they enable you to maintain good posture and power up those hills efficiently. The ability to engage your glutes while climbing will make running up that road, running up that hill, running up that building much more enjoyable.

5. Posture and Core Stability: Glute activation is closely linked to core stability. When your glutes are firing correctly, your core muscles engage more effectively, providing greater overall stability. This enhanced core stability can help you maintain good posture throughout your runs, reducing fatigue and preventing injuries.

Another big reason runners and fitness professionals focus on glute activation is for injury prevention. Many individuals suffer from running-related injuries, including IT band syndrome, knee pain, hamstring tendinopathies, low back pain, etc. Sometimes, this is the fault of the glutes not being strong enough, or not engaging at the right time when want our bodies to move a certain way. So how do activation exercises help with injury prevention?

How Does Glute Activation Help with Injury Prevention?

The term “injury prevention” is used frequently in the health and fitness worlds, but we don’t necessarily do a great job of defining it or understanding what it means to prevent injury. Most of the time, we cannot truly “prevent” all injuries from happening. This is because injuries are multifaceted and influenced by stress levels, sleep, hydration status, fueling habits, etc. However, we can target specific muscles or specific movement patterns to help reduce the possibility and severity of running injuries by eliminating the factors of poor strength, flexibility, and balance.

How does this relate to the glutes again? Well, when your glutes are strong and engaged during your runs, several key mechanisms come into play. First and foremost, strong glutes help maintain proper hip alignment, preventing excessive inward or outward rotation of the knees. This alignment is crucial in reducing the risk of common overuse injuries like IT band syndrome and runner's knee, which often result from poor tracking of the knee joint. Additionally, strong glutes play a vital role in stabilizing the pelvis, which in turn eases the load on the lower back. This reduces the likelihood of lower back pain and discomfort, a frequent complaint among runners. Furthermore, glute activation improves your overall running posture, reducing the risk of overstriding or hunching, which can lead to various running-related injuries. By supporting better biomechanics and providing enhanced stability, glute activation acts as a formidable shield against injury, allowing runners to stay on track toward their fitness goals. So how do we include glute activation into our daily exercise regimen or training plans? Start with your warm up!

Warm Up with Glute Activation

Warm ups look different depending on the activity you are trying to accomplish. Maybe you are about to go for a run after sitting all day for work. Your warm up might include hip openers, knee drives, or ankle mobility stretches. Maybe you are about to perform in your first ever talent show and you’ve been yearning to show the world your dance moves. Then – your warm up may include lots of arm circles, random high kicks, and a few twirls. The key is to focus on loosening up your joints, increase overall blood flow and body temperature, and activate the specific muscles and joints required of the task you are about to complete.

There’s that word – ACTIVATE.

In fact, there are many things in life that need “activating” before you can use it. Some examples:

1. Credit Cards

2. Phones

3. Netflix accounts

4. Your third eye

5. Glow Necklaces

6. Hand Warmers

By definition, the word activate means “to cause something to start” or “to make something happen more quickly.” A study by Cecilia A. Lane (2019) looked at the difference in performance and muscle strength in a group of 5K runners before, during, and after the 5K run. Participants were divided into 2 groups – Glute Activation before running and the other a Control Group. Interestingly, the study proved activation of the Gluteus Medius and Gluteus Maximus were maintained throughout the run AND strength tests improved after the run in the group who performed pre-activation exercises compared to a control group. Split times were also faster in the Glute Activation group versus the Control group. The authors attribute these findings to the idea of Post Activation Potentiation (PAP). PAP occurs when “force output in a muscle is increased after performing a brief heavy resistance exercise” (Lane, 2019). For example, when a baseball player warms up using two bats. He/She takes a few practice swings with the heavier load – then after dropping one of the bats, finds swinging just one bat to be easier – thus allowing him/her to generate more power during a swing and hit the ball farther. Have you experienced this with running? Maybe while performing intervals on the track, you pushed yourself at 6:50min/mile pace for 800m and noticed your watch read 7:40min/mile pace during the “recovery” period afterwards even though you thought you were going significantly slower. These short bursts of heavy “load” excite the physiological systems in our muscles causing increased calcium uptake and increased excitation at the neuromuscular synapse – leading to – improved performance and reduced “fatigue!” YAHOO!

Okay – the scientific explanation is of course A LOT more complicated – but – BOOORRRIINNGGG. Am I right? I am more than happy to “nerd-out” via email (bouldersportsphysio@gmail.com) with anyone who is interested. Until then, let’s move on.

SO – the idea of glute-activation before running is meant to excite specific musculature that normally fatigues quickly in runners and causes poor mechanics usually at the hip, knee, and ankle. Fatigued muscles –> Poor Mechanics –> INJURY. So, using the idea of PAP and neuromuscular training with activation exercises will help runners resist fatigue, prolong proper mechanics, and prevent injury.

Examples of Glute Activation Exercises

Now that we understand the significance of glute activation in running, injury prevention and performance, let's dive into how we do it. There are a variety of exercises specifically designed to target and activate the gluteal muscles. These exercises not only strengthen your glutes but also help you develop the mind-muscle connection for efficient activation during your runs. Check out the following exercises to activate and strengthen those glutes!

1. Glute Bridges:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.

• Gently squeeze your glutes (careful not to overdo it) and lift your hips off the ground.

• Hold for 3 seconds and lower your hips back down slowly.

• Perform 1-3 sets of 15-20 reps.

• Option to use a resistance band around the tops of your knees. As you prepare to lift your hips off the ground, maintain a slightly tension outward with your knees to help engage your glutes. Make sure to keep your toes on the floor the entire time!

2. Clamshells:

• Lie on your side with your legs bent at a 90-degree angle and feet together (similar to “fetal” position).

• Keeping your feet touching, lift your top knee as high as you can while maintaining tension in your glutes and without letting your hips rock backwards.

• Hold this position for 3 seconds, then lower your knee back down.

• Perform 1-3 sets of 10-15 reps on each side.

• Option to use a resistance band around the tops of your knees for an extra challenge and more resistance.

3. Single-Leg Squats:

• Stand on one leg with the other leg extended in front of you and a higher chair or surface behind you. The higher the chair, the easier this will be.

• Slowly lower yourself into a squat position while keeping your balance until your hips reach the chair or surface behind you.

• Push through your heel to return to the starting position, making sure to keep your toes in contact with the floor.

• Perform 3 sets of 10-12 reps on each leg.

4. Donkey Kicks:

• Begin on your hands and knees, keeping your hands aligned with your shoulders and knees under your hips.

• Lift one leg while keeping it bent at a 90-degree angle and your foot flexed.

• Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.

• Perform 3 sets of 15-20 reps on each leg.

5. Monster Walks:

• Place a resistance band just above your knees.

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.

• Take 4 small steps forward while maintaining tension in the band. Your steps should be wide and smooth like cross country skiing. Then take 4 small steps backward with the same wide, smooth steps.

• Perform 3 sets of 15-20 steps in each direction.

Glute activation is a game-changer for runners. By prioritizing the strength and engagement of these essential muscles, you can enhance your running efficiency, reduce the risk of injuries, and improve your overall performance. So, don't neglect your glutes – they just might be the key to unlocking your full running potential (and some incredible dance moves).

REFERENCES:

1. Lane, C. A. (2019). Effects of a Gluteal Activation Program on Muscle Fatigue and Performance during a 5K Run (Doctoral dissertation, Oklahoma State University).

2. Barry, L., Kenny, I., & Comyns, T. (2016). Performance Effects of Repetition Specific Gluteal Activation Protocols on Acceleration in Male Rugby Union Players. Journal of human kinetics, 54, 33–42. https://doi.org/10.1515/hukin-2016-0033