How to activate the glutes - the most overlooked thing you MUST do
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Having trouble activating your glutes? Tried dozens of different glute activation exercises and nothing seems to work?
In this video, Vincent shares a trick you MUST know in order for ANY glute exercise to work properly. If you're someone who can already turn your glutes on, then you're already able to do this, whether you know it or not. If you're NOT already able to do this (and thus can't activate your glutes), we're going to teach you how in this video.
The secret is you have to be able to brace your spine with your abs. If, for whatever reason, you're unable to use your abs to brace your spine properly, then you will never be able to turn your glutes on because every time you try, your lower back muscles will turn on harder in place of your glutes.
"But I've tried every ab exercise and I still can't feel my abs and/or I keep feeling my lower back," you say? Not to worry. In this video, we're breaking down ab control to the absolute most basic strength/coordination exercise to regain control of your abs and spine. Unless you have really strange specific flexibility issues, this progression of exercises will work for EVERYONE to help brace the spine so you can then TURN ON THE GLUTES.
The exercises in this video are also especially useful for those with excessive anterior pelvic tilt, as it strengthens and coordinates the muscles that help pull you back into a more posteriorly tilted / neutral pelvis.
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Could you wear lighter clothing when showing these exercises. The dark clothing makes it hard to see what you’re doing at times in the video
This is the piece of information I've been missing for years without knowing. This will absolutely change all my deadlift and squat biomechanics for the better.
Thank you for this. I spent 6 months in physical therapy post ACL and had chronic pain to no physical therapist’s help. After starting youtube pilates and doing exercises just like this I healed my pain. Thank you
Thank you for mentioning the importance of engaging the abs. I have been doing the reverse leg raise for some time and don't know why the lower back always kicks in. Good to learn this before my lower back hurts.
Is that the part at 1:40? I don’t really understand it. So, I’m not supposed to drive my heels into the box?
You guys are the best! After years of lower back pain and psoas muscle cramps I deduced that my weak butt and poor posture are the issue and this is the place where I find the BEST exercises to correct that! Thank you.
This has been a game-changer for me. I felt a significant difference during my very first attempt at these exercises - it activated muscles that I never even realise I should've been using. My core stability, glutes and posture have all benefited, and this vid is now on my morning exercise routine playlist.
Thank you very much for sharing this on your channel.
Silly Girl how does it feel now a year later?
Silly Girl awesome! Thanks for sharing your success!
What is or was your routine
Hey :) can u pls answer their questions. I’m kinda curious.
Really, really glad I found your channel. Thank you so much for this video and the clear instructions! I’m a 28 year old woman from the U.K. and have had over 2 years of severe lower back pain around the SI joints. This was shown to be an L5S1 herniation, but later, the pain was worse and there was no herniation on the next MRI. The pain radiates down both my legs and into my feet. The worst side is on the right where it feels like there’s a tight, burning band just underneath my right butt-cheek/very top of the hamstring/piriformis area. My butt is extremely achy and I get SUCH tight legs from simple things like going up and down stairs. The pain has been ruining my life and even pushing a shopping trolley/cart has me in agony from my back to my hips, through to my knees and my buttocks. I feel blessed to have found your channel and I’m hoping that with these exercises, I will be pain free again. It feels like I need to break this pain chain starting at the very beginning. I saw a PT and he said that I have very weak glutes and a weak core (I lost a lot of weight during an eating disorder, so lost muscle mass too I guess), tight hip flexors from being sedentary and somewhat of an anterior pelvic tilt. He suggested starting small by first getting glutes firing, then moving onto strengthening (as some "harder" exercises have actually increased my pains due to overcompensation from other muscles) - does this sound right to you, too? I’m hoping I can live a pain free life if I give this my all. I feel so lost sometimes and no matter which doctor I see, they have just sent me away to the next one and now I’m being tested for rheumatoid arthritis. The PT I saw said that because of weak glutes etc., my lower back and hamstrings are being forced to take on more load, which is causing the pain, and hip tightness isn’t helping either. Sorry for the huge essay! It just helps to write it out sometimes I guess, haha. I’ll keep watching your videos and would appreciate any help at all! Sophie
In India if there are age of female 28 then we her says girl
what helped you? i have si joint pain after i gave birth, im trying to strengthen my core and glutes just like you, does it help?
Hope life has improved for you, my love. So little is known about SI hypermobility in the UK ♥️♥️
One of the biggest issues people face are weak Glutes & tight hip flexors, including me. Why? We do everything to overwork our hip flexors & nothing for the glutes. Computers & sitting for 8 hours is one of the biggest factors, also walking is raising our knees to our chest. I also ride a bike a lot, so between sitting behind a comp, walking, biking & everything else, I’m bending forward & crunching 90%+ of my day. Basically most bodies bend/crunch forward way more than they do backwards, this creates a large muscle imbalance & skeletal problems. Your hip joint is the biggest victim, the forward bend is too strong/tight (hip flexor) & the rear bend is too weak (Glutes). I’d recommend doing these core exercises in this video, then strengthening your glutens, then stretching your hip flexor. My fav hip flexor stretch is laying down on my back with lower legs under me. If you can’t comfortably lay down flat, you are tight. Start kneeling, then sit down on your feet with your butt (feet could go slightly outside your Glutes) & finally lay backwards. Breath deeply & try to relax into the position for several minutes, starting this on a bed/soft surface helps. You have to manually rebalance, stretch the forward bend (hip flexors) & strengthen the rear bend (Glutes/lower back). One exercise that does both at the same time is the Superman extension on the floor, which stretches your front as it flexes your rear. Basically lay on your stomach facing the floor & pick up your chest & legs off the floor, hold this position for a minute like Superman in flight 8).
Thank you! Learned the tap one on the floor in PT after my hip repair surgery, three years ago. Did not know how it related to my glute work given to me at same time. This video takes me further and the “why” will keep me focused.
I thought my ab muscles were strong - guess not! These were more difficult than I thought. So grateful for your excellent descriptions and videos!
I've always been quad dominant with a flat ass. I recently started doing kettle bell swings, and I can really feel it. Never had sore glutes before...
Michael Lovell same here, I’ve only recently added kettlebell swings (end of workout-burnout) so here’s hoping!🤞🏼
Where in this video AT ALL ..are the kettlebell swings, Michael ?
@Nature Love that only works if glutes work at all. You don't have Dead ass, unless it doesn't work at all, with any excercise. Either quads or hamstring take over, or abs/lower back, does - either way, glutes do nothing at all.
These exercises are great. Even the day after I can feel my glutes being activated more when I walk so it's like they've been woken up.
Did you do all of the exercises on one day or you progressed slowly from exercise 1 to 3 day by day. Im just confused
@@Nahutab1907 everyday
@@Nahutab1907 Same question here. I got the impression that you do the 90/90 until you develop enough strength to move on to the 2nd, and do the 2nd until you can do the 3rd.
@@Nahutab1907 progressive always otherwise ur messing up joints
You are Brilliant! I have MS and have gone to so many MS Physio classes but NO ONE has made this connection with the trunk. My right ride is the "Involved" (Weak) side. My waist has lost tone and my hamstrings have followed. I will give this sequence of exercise a dedicated daily routine and report back. Thank you!
Best video over almost 1000 video watched about glutes
The key was, 'My natural arch (lumbar arch) has not changed.'!!! If the lumbar spine goes flat and the pelvis in a posterior tilt that will very likely cause an Anterior Femoral Glide which will compromise hip joint centration/centering and gluteal function. Good video!
Nicel explained!
Love this video. Will send to my grandson who loves to play baseball and plays on his high school varsity baseball team.
Tks for sharing!
You can also get into dead bug position, lock in your abs, and do a gently twist. It works the extreme lower abdominal. I didn’t know this, I just started doing it and it was great and safe (o have lumbar scoliosis with rotation and felt great afterwards) hope this helps. I saved your videos for my home therapy. Thank you!
Physical Therapist here. Good intro emphasizing the bracing prior to other exercises.
Wow, You showed me how to isolate my trunk muscle contraction!!! This is HELPFUL!
I have difficulty getting my lower back flat on the bench/floor, but I’ll try these, in hopes that my back will get trained, along with my glutes. These are pretty original and seem well analyzed; I’ll get started, thank-you.
Wow, that last exercise in the progression really incorporates it all! Thanks
So thankful.
I was getting really concerned because my pelvis was sort of hanging by a thread, producing more extreme forward tilt
Very painful. I even thought there must be something wrong with my lungs. Then I happened on this video. Now I know what needs strengthening.
Thanks for very clear, very helpful tutorial.
Reminds me on what we do on Pilate
Breath
Hold your stomach
Pull your pelvic floor before doing any excercise
Thank you for this advice never knew how significant it is....
Love this you just teach me why I can't hit him without arching my lower back I really feel like I was focusing so much on my back but not enough on the apps to stabilize the torso
I’ve been lifting with an anterior pelvic tilt (and pain) for years. Wish I knew this sooner. Thank you!
Same dog
I really hope this helps my anterior pelvic tilt,
Thank you very much:) for some reason, my lower back pain that am having these past few days from working out is gone after trying some of these moves. ❤❤❤
I luv how slow and purposeful these movements are
I need to wake my one glute back up and I like this simple effective exercises. Will definitely be going into my routine.
Nice job! You explained all of the exercises clearly so that even people with very little body awareness can understand how to do theses moves correctly without going into anterior pelvic tilt. Nicely done!!
👍👍👍 best ever content!!! as always!
Happy to say. This works!!! I also feel it in my abs. This is an important weapon in my workout arsenal. Thanks so much. Liked and Subscribed.
Hi! Thank you for your strength training approach to hip and glute issues. At 62, I've been pretty much been a gym rat for 40 years, certified in Pilates. For a few years, I've had tremendous hip problems, was diagnosed with osteoporosis and arthritis. Just saw an orthopedist who informed me that I have congenital hip dysplasia and looking ahead to hip replacement at some point, I hope, in the distant future, or better yet... never. I cannot find a PT here on LI with your approach. they massage, TENS, and apply moist heat, Not what I need, so A BIG THANK YOU for the videos. They are wonderful.
Sorry it's been so tough for you to find local help - just means you've got more to learn and do on your own! Keep up the good attitude and keep on working!
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@@Uprighthealth Can you explain what activating your glutes means and what benefit it does?
@@ktkee7161 I'm not credentialed but my own experience is that strong functional glutes allow the quads to be more relaxed, helps protect the knee and helps running form.
Thank you Vincent! Youve really helped me get my body moving again. I look forward to more training with you.
Cool, calm and precise is what my father told me and this Vincent guys got it.
Im 6’2 and have weak gluten activation. After doing this exercise in the morning I went to wash my face which causes me to bend over. I felt my glutes being tight and activated which was weird. I’m usually bending my lumbar spine. Going to keep doing these exercises everyday and before deadlift or squats.
good choice of exercsies i can hardly do these but can do pilates all day. moving slower to get control. i have hip pain due to shortened psoas and labral tear
This is brilliant. How in all my years has no one else shown me this? Thank you 🙏🏼
This is amazing from a mother of 2 after 2 abdominal surgeries thank you!!! From Australia
1. For the first exercise are you rising with the exhale and dropping on the inhale or vice versa?
2. For the floor dead bug position, will your back be completely flat on the ground or should there be a tiny bit of space (pencil worth) between your lower back and the floor?
I couldn't get anywhere with my FAI until I prioritized this kind of core activation. Super dig this video.
Thanks for your sharing! Can you give us more detail about your FAI experience?
i also have fai, seeing this vid made me realise maybe i've recruited my abs the wrong way all my life. could it be related to fai ?
weak core and all problems start, first lock ur abs and then ur glutes will be fire, thank u for this video!
@TheWhoDatWhoady Read about faldenkreis method and read The psoas Book by liz koch is a Power od knowledge
@TheWhoDatWhoadyYou don't have to do it for long periods of time and when I do it I just think about pulling in my navel a bit for a while. When I do something like dead bugs I really tighten my abs. Do at red lights!
This is it! You found my weak spot!!!!🎉
Very helpful. I can already tell this is going to be a good progression to get the glutes going. Thank you.👍
Flutes! Haha. This is muscle not music!
Wow thank you for this I really feel lots more activation, I been working out and lift heavy for a year and a half, but my glutes are just not budging ...I do a lot of band activation but seems like it's not enough... That first exercise really felt a lot more activation
GREAT EXERCISES,LOOKS EASY BUT HELPS ALOT!!
That last exercise looks super useful. Thanks!
I watched your video at office so I haven't tried any moves yet but I'm already excited! Most significant muscle mass loss had been shown mostly on my trunk area. I'm going to go and do this workouts for a while. :)
I) 90:90 pelvic tilt - 1-3 sets (10-20 reps)
2) dead bug hold - 1-3 sets (10-30 sec)
3) dead bug heel touch - 2-3 sets (5-10 reps)
4) dead bug heel touch on bench - 2-3 sets (5-10 reps)
This was really well described, with no fluff. I've been wanting to lengthen my stride, while running, but have felt my lower back was doing the work, more than my glutes. This and a variety of hip stretches, I think will help a lot. Again, very well explained. Thank-you.
Good for the exercises and I think it is important to highlight the position of the spine and what happens with the hips when doing the exercises.
My trouble is overuse/compensation of the lower back when I am needing to flex my hips, and this applies in a very similar way! It's all about keeping your core in neutral and stabilized by using what is called your transverse abdominals.
Thank you, this makes perfect sense. 👍
What does it mean if I feels tension through my neck? Or what can I do to refocus it back to the core
I love the video. Liked and subscribed
FINALLY! I was trying to activate my glutes for months with a simple bridge as that’s what everyone advises but it just wasn’t working.
After gaining a lot of weight from pregnancy and then not moving much etc my glutes went completely flat over the past 10 years but after this video my butt awoke and it is twitching 😂 thank you 🙏
Sounds like the first workout I needed as a beginner.
Question: My understanding is that we do the 1st exercise, build strength, then move to the 2nd exercise, and so on; correct?
Just did my first set of the 90/90 ... feels great!
I think I will start here ... and may even update my comment with the progress, in shaa Allaah (God willing).
[edit 7/25/23] First two routines were easy enough. Starting the 3rd routine and that is challenging. Cool.
Good presentation. The contrast between the blue mat and black closes is a problem for me. But I sort of get the hang of it by doing the excersize while I watch the video. . Seem to be more of a truck exercise that any noticable contraction of the glutes
The trunk is the glutes. guteus maximus. The thing we sit on.
This is amazing! Thank you. I this is exactly what I needed. Thank you again!
Excellent workout!
I did some of these during pilates 😮 thanks for the great upload
Thank you for this vid, Vincent. I lost a whole lotta weight and discovered I have no ass. Started back to the gym to tone up and my quads and hams are screaming but from my glutes? Crickets. Again, many thanks!
Wonderful instruction. The last one tore up my core.
That was a good video! Thanks
Great show. I never heard of your channel before it just appeared in my feed. I subscribed !
For those of you who are like me and choose to learn how to do something instead of hiring somebody or asking a friend whos already in the know to help coach me. Learning how to train yourself is one of the most frustrating and long processes i'v ever been through. I recently started body building acouple years ago and the whole time i'v been doing all of my lower body exercises wrong. I lost 2 years of glute development because i was too prideful to reach out for help. Trainers can immediately tell you what you're doing wrong and how to fix it before you even start lifting, they know all the ques and tricks that take months of research to learn about and even longer to implement with plenty of failure and false hope that you've actually fixed the issue you set out to fix.
If I could, I'd download my experience into everyone's mind (if they seek it!) so they could get straight to the course of action they need. Alas, the technology for that is not yet available, so we offer training sessions instead haha :)
I agree and more importantly, a trainer/friend can observe as you're doing the exercises and correct/fine tune your movements/poses. That's why even experienced athletes, yoga students, continue to go to classes or hire personal trainers.
Anyone else’s torso tremble intensely while doing the supine bug pose? Assuming this is just from having extremely week abdominals?
Thanks to these videos I have recently realized I have anterior pelvic tilt, rounded shoulders, and “dead” glutes. I’m a skinny, weak 30 y old female with constant upper and lower back pain. After getting referred to physical therapy for my clicking shoulder and back pain I’m realizing my ailments are probably all related and due to my improper posture. Any advice on where to start first? It’s kind of overwhelming realizing you aren’t standing or even walking right…
THE BEST AND MOST APPROPRIATE EXERCISES FOR ME AT THIS STAGE
Fantastic tutorial!
Glute/Core activation starts from the ankles and the foot strength/positioning. Try skipping rope or pogo hops for 10-20 mins on the balls of your feet consistently and you'll feel the connection. saves time and activates it faster.
Just did these, fully aware of what has made my abs so weak , and which this hits perfectly to the point I had a slight tremor happening during the last couple reps, the culprit is SITTING, being in that position of 90 90 with zero effort has wreaked havoc on my body, thankyou school and work but the glutes are coming back
Sick. Well done.
Awesome activations, thanks for sharing!!!
Really educative man. Thank to u.
You guys always are on point
Thank you so much for this video. This makes so much sense. 👏🏽😊
These tips are exactly what I need!!
I’ve been running very intensely for 5 years and I have extremely inactive trunk muscles so bad that my lats are affected. Should I do this and can this one hurt me? Thank you very helpful video!
I'd go with Deadpan Vincent, personally
DeadBUG Vincent ;)
Great video. Helped me tremendously.
Glad it helped!
Thanks so much. With the first step after settig, my weak glute would give out. Just one time doing this change all that. Have been looking for this a long time. Thanks
Great video and instruction!
Really clear instruction. My situation is my buttocks not functioning properly so my calves are doing all the work. My calves are extremely tight. (PT told me this). After you get your core strong/stable then what are some exercises, for engaging buttocks.
Thank you for this. Are you a younger brother of Matt?
Great information and exercises! Thank You!
Thank you. I’m on it x
Can I do these with a herniated disc? Thank you for showing us!
What about glutes which stay “gripping”/tight and don’t relax?
Since proper core activation is needed to engage the glutes properly.
How does one work unravel and relax the glutes so they are not tense 24/7 ?
Lacrosse ball rolling?
thank you, thank you, thank you !!!
Is it possible to do this with anterior pelvic tilt?
These are great! we do these exercises in pilates.
Good info.Hope all these creeps understand transference/ projection.
Helpful thank you
A great site with great people, you guys are making the difference in this world. People with no insurance like me! Are beneficiary. Thank you! Keep working on this goodwill.
Thanks. That helps so much!
Thank you, I'll try this this week! Already subscribed and 🔔
Very clear. Thank- you.
Thanks Vincent. You have a talent for explaining these things very clearly. And with a requisite amount of creepytude! ☺
Great explanation. Would you say the lack of glute activation has mostly to do with the lack of core/trunk strength & stability or might it be weak hip flexors that are unable to stop the overextension of the hips? Just curious about your thoughts on that. Thanks
How is he creepy?
@@ASMRyouVEGANyet so the mouth is moving but the eyes and the expression are communicating that he might be thinking about something else, or limiting his expression. it's not his fault and there are methods to change it. youve got to find that balance of changing it while also not being attached to whether it does change. i recommend he does that, it's a stressful life to live.
Super just wondering if it’s safe for diarists recti
Do theses exercises stress the pelvic floor muscles? For how many days should I perform first exercise before starting the second exercise? Should I do them every day or twice a week?
Great variation for the McGill Curl Up, you put it well into context 👍
I don’t understand the movement at 1:40. So you’re not driving your heels into the box at all for assistance? Should your core get rock hard, or should your belly stay soft and pliable?