The ultimate glute activation routine - Best Fitness Recommendations | Hypelist
The ultimate glute activation routine
⊹ ₊Chiara₊ ⊹ - Updated 02/05/26
Set them glutes on fire by doing these few glute activation exercises!
Many people tend to skip the easiest & also most important part of their workout schedule: the muscle activation moment right at the beginning of the session.
That’s why I’m here to tell you that the activation/warm-up is not only a key element to prevent injury and improve mobility, it also contributes to grow bigger muscles, targeting them properly & allowing you to actually FEEL THEM moving & working.
You gotta perform every exercise with slow & controlled movements, thinking about your glutes moving the rest of the body.
Bonus:after performing each exercise, go straight into the “pulses” version of them or hold the “concentric” position for 30s for an extra burn ;P
Ex: right after doing 30 reps of donkey kicks, keep the position & add 30 extra donkey kick pulses, with a smaller range of movement & a higher focus on the glute muscle you’re targeting, or hold the bent leg up in the air for 30s.
Thank me later!
Exercises
Donkey kicks
Bending the leg you lift to target your hamstrings a bit more. Feel free to add ankle weights & resistance bands to increase the mind-muscle connection. I suggest you to work one leg at a time, & then switch sides.
Straight leg kickback
DO NOT ARCH YOUR BACK while doing this exercise. Think about your butt cheeks lifting the entire leg, do not just swing it up. Feel free to add ankle weights & resistance bands to increase the mind-muscle connection. I suggest you to work one leg at a time, & then switch sides.
Straight leg circles
Same as before, do not arch your back while doing this exercise. Think about your butt cheeks moving the entire leg & guiding it throughout the movement , squeezing each inch of it. Feel free to add ankle weights & resistance bands to increase the mind-muscle connection. I suggest you to work one leg at a time, & then switch sides.
Fire hydrant
This one is fire for the glute medius! Do not twist your hips while lifting the bent leg to the side: think about your glute doing the movement: core & upper body are tight, still & engaged. Feel free to add ankle weights & resistance bands to increase the mind-muscle connection. I suggest you to work one leg at a time, & then switch sides.
Prone donkey kicks
One of the best isolation exercises for your glute medius & for the lower back. Think about squeezing your butt cheeks while lifting your legs up. Use anke weights for an extra burn
In/out prone leg lifts (bent knees)
This is basically an abductor movement, but you execute it on your belly. Ankle weights & a resistance band are highly recommended to increase the mind-muscle connection here. Remember to keep your legs up in the air while performing the abduction.
Straight prone leg lifts
Basically the same movement of the prone donkey kick, except for the fact that you perform it with a straight leg this time. This one might work better for you if you don’t feel the tension your glutes enough with the prone donkey kick. Think about squeezing your butt cheeks while lifting your legs up. Use anke weights for an extra burn & work one leg at a time
In/out prone leg lifts (straight legs)
Basically the same movement of the in/out prone leg lifts with bent knees, except for the fact that you perform it with a straight leg this time. This one might work better for you if you don’t feel the tension your glutes enough with the previous version. Think about squeezing your butt cheeks while moving your leg inwards & outwards. Use anke weights & a booty band for an extra burn & work one leg at a time.
(High) glute bridge
Always think about squeezing your butt cheeks on the way up & KEEP THE TENSION while lowering down the hips, & while you lift them up again squeeze the muscles even more. The core is tight, the weight is on the heels. You can also perform this movement with your back pressed onto the floor, but keep in mind that the range of movement is a little bit more limited.
One leg glute bridge
Perform this exercise one leg at a time: the weight is on the only heel that is on the floor, think about your glute & hamstring working, the other leg is up in the air, keep it straight if possible.
Glute bridge with abduction
This one is fire for the gluteus medius & the tensor fasciae latae, it’s better to perform it with a resistance band, & trust me the burn is gonna be insane. Squeeze the muscles & hold the tension through the movement, never lower your hips, & push them even higher if you can.
Clamshell
This is more of a unilateral abduction movement that - if performed correctly - will benefit your glutes as well as your outer thighs. Always keep the tension in your butt cheeks & feel like you have a sheet of paper between them to keep the muscles engaged. Use a resistance band to increase the tension.
Glute activation videos of Pamela Reif (my fav fit influencer)
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