In this week's blog, Aubrie shows us some glute and hamstring exercises she loves to do. This workout will seriously leave your glutes on fire by the time it's over! She also gives us some guidance on how to use certain machines at the gym!
"This workout was quick and efficient. Warm up beforehand and get your glutes activated on the stair master or do glute bridges/kickbacks. Save it for tomorrow and REST WHEN YOU’RE DONE!!!!"
Warm-Up
Before I begin the exercises I like to warm up my glutes and hamstrings, whether it is cardio or weight training, which is very important in preventing injuries. It also improves form, decreases recovery time and you get the most out of your workout. If your mind-muscle connection to the glutes isn't strong then you might end up using too much lower back.
Glutes & Hamstrings Workout:
5 rounds:
- 15 Lying Hamstring Curls
- 15 Body weight split squats per leg
I love these 2 movements because they really prepare my glutes and hamstrings for the next exercise. When doing hamstring curls (on an exercise machine) raise the weight up towards your glute but do not just drop it, make sure you are in full control.
Doing the bodyweight split squat on each leg is a great glute and hamstring exercise. Position your body into a lunge stance. My front foot is flat on the ground and my back foot is on top of a bench for added tension. Then I lower my body down so that my knee is at a 90-degree angle.
5 rounds:
- 10 Single leg press, activate glute in a side pose
- 20 KB swings
- 10 Goblet Squat, don't come up all the way, and keep glutes activated.
For my single leg press, I use a leg press machine but instead of both legs I sit at an angle and press the weight forward one leg at a time. I am not using a lot of weight because I do not have the strength of both legs. Next, I am using a kettlebell and swing it down back behind my legs, and raising it straight out in front of me. Using the momentum from my glutes and hamstrings will generate a lot of lower body power.
The next exercise I am doing is a goblet squat with the kettlebell. I hold the kettlebell in front of me and lower down and bring it back up but I do not come back to a full standing position. I like to keep the tension on my glutes so I do half squats and keep the range of motion small.
5 rounds:
- 12 Hip thrusts on leg extension machine
- 30 Glute squeezes on back extension.
My hip thrusts on a leg extension machine may seem a little crazy but it's a really great exercise for glutes. Instead of sitting on the machine, my back is resting against the bottom part of the machine (where your quads would normally be). The bar is resting on the top part of my thighs while my legs are at a 90-degree angle. I slowly lower my glutes down and push the bar back up.
I love the back extension machine because it not only works your glutes and hamstrings but it helps with strengthening the lower back! Keep your lower body tight and bend at the hips.
4 rounds:
- 15+ Hip abductor machine, butt off the seat
- 10 Backward adductor machine
The hip abductor machine is the next exercise, but I do these a little differently. Position your body as normal to get your balance and then raise your butt off of the seat. Hold onto the weight stabilizer in front of you for support and push your legs away from each other.
Last, I use an adductor machine but instead of sitting face forward, I place my knees on the seat facing backward. This gives me a little more tension in my glutes. As I do this, I keep my abs tight and my hips flush against the seat.
Stay Healthy!
I hope this workout helps you feel and perform better the next time you train your glutes and hamstrings! Make sure to always take care of your longevity both in and out of the gym, because ultimately we're doing this to stay healthy!
Don't forget to follow Aubrie on Instagram @aubrieb and check out our Racerback Tank in NEW colors!
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