"Glute-strengthening moves recommended for beginners by a shrewd Pilates instructor to help foster muscle and power"
Jade Winter, founder of Studio Pilates International, has shared three beginner-friendly exercises to help strengthen the glutes. These exercises, which include the pelvic curl, lunge, and hip thrust, are ideal for those seeking more workout variety or for those who don't have access to weights.
The primary exercise provided is the pelvic curl, a Pilates-based movement that targets the glutes, engages the core, and strengthens the hamstrings. To perform the pelvic curl, lie on your back with knees bent, feet hip-distance apart, arms by your sides. Inhale, squeeze your buttocks, exhale, tuck your pelvis under, and roll your spine off the floor one vertebra at a time until your hips are lifted. Hold the hips up while squeezing the glutes, then roll back down slowly, maintaining controlled movement. Suggested sets are 1-3, and reps are 10-12.
The lunge and hip thrust are also recommended as essential foundational moves for glute strengthening and mobility. The detailed instructions for these exercises were not provided in the excerpt, but Jade recommends them as beginner-friendly glute-strengthening exercises along with squats for variety and progression without weights.
Another exercise in Jade's list is the Horse kick exercise, which targets the glutes and requires getting on your hands and knees with hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. One knee is moved slightly in toward the midline and pressed into the floor for support during the exercise. The Horse kick is performed alternating sides, with sets ranging from 1 to 3 and reps from 15 to 20 each side.
Lastly, the Clam exercise targets the glutes and involves lying on your side with one hip bone stacked on top of the other, knees together and bent to 90°, and lower arm extended under your head. Engaging the core and maintaining a neutral spine is essential during the exercise. The Clam exercise is performed with sets ranging from 1 to 3 and reps from 15 to 20.
Strengthening glute muscles is essential for building strength, improving mobility, and remaining mobile as you age. These muscles power various day-to-day movements such as walking, running, climbing stairs, and sitting down/standing up from a chair. So, why not give Jade Winter's top three beginner-friendly exercises a try to strengthen your glutes and improve your overall fitness?
The beginner-friendly exercises, including the pelvic curl, recommended by Jade Winter for glute strengthening, also involve the lunge and hip thrust, which are essential for mobility and progression in fitness-and-exercise routines. These science-backed health-and-wellness practices, when combined with the Horse kick and Clam exercises, can help improve mobility and overall fitness, even as you age.
