Your buttocks and surrounding muscles and fasciae (connective tissues) are part of the core that helps maintain stability and balance during movement and is the source of your strength and power. Whether your goal is to decrease your hip size, gain muscle definition or strengthen your hips, training your hips improves total body strength and reduces back and knee pain.
Squats
The squat is the basic movement to train hips, trunk and legs. When squatting, every muscle in those areas are also worked for strength and stability.You can squat using your own body weight, free weights, or the Smith machine. Keep knees and feet pointing forward and your spine neutral when squatting.
Lunges
Lunging requires you to move in various directions (forward, back, side) while keeping your trunk and spine stable. It also trains you to decelerate your body as you lower yourself to the ground. This helps train balance, improve left-right asymmetries and keep the workout creative and challenging. When lunging, feel the back leg and hip contract as you lunge down.
Step-ups
Like the lunge, do step-ups in all three planes of motion. It trains you to accelerate as you lift your body onto an elevation and decelerate as you lower yourself from the step. It trains the same principles as the lunge. When you balance on the top of the elevation, tighten your butt on the standing leg for better balance.
Floor Bridges
Floor bridges strengthen your buttocks without placing stress upon the spine, knees or ankles. This is ideal for beginners for core training.<br /><br />Lay on the ground face-up and place your legs about hip-distance apart. Lift your hips up as high as possible and hold the position for one deep breath. Then gradually lower your hips until they are almost touching the ground. This exercise can also be done with one leg up in the air.
Single Leg Bridge
This exercise helps alleviate the tight hamstrings feeling and strengthens the buttocks. It also balance any left-right asymmetries in your core. <br /><br />Lie on your back and place a foam roller behind both knees. Grab one leg behind the knee and bring it close to your ribs. Without losing the contact between the thigh and ribs, exhale and lift your hips off the ground as high as possible. You may not be able to lift very high, but as long as your hips are firing, then you are doing it correctly.
Three Point Hip Extension
This exercise stabilizes and strengthens the buttocks and other hip muscles without placing much stress upon the spine.<br /><br />Go on your hands and knees position with wrists beneath the shoulders and knees below the pelvis. Lift the right leg off the ground and extend it behind you by tightening your buttocks. Without moving your hands or bending your elbows, lower your body to your left thigh while keeping your right leg up and extended. Your left hip and knee should bend as you lower yourself. As you improve, try to lower your ribs until they touch your left thigh.
Kettlebell Deadlift
The deadlift is a hip and core exercise that requires bending forward at your hip?not your back?and lift a weight with your buttocks while maintaining a strong, neutral spine. The kettlebell's grip and off-center weight mimics many things you carry in real life, such as a heavy luggage or a bucket of water.
Tabletop Hip Stretch
This exercise stretches your outer hip while maintaining a good posture. It may also alleviate tightness and irritation to the sciatic nerve.<br /><br />Stand in front of a table or platform that reaches to your mid-thigh. Place one leg on the table, rotate your hip outward and lay your leg flat on the table. Keep your standing leg strong and spine tall. Lean forward slightly until a stretch in your elevated hip is felt.
Standing Hip Flexor Stretch
This stretch activates the buttocks while stretching the hip flexors and surrounding muscles. <br /><br />Use the same table from the previous exercise and place your left foot on top of it. Lunge your body toward the left thigh and tighten your right buttock. Raise your left are as you do so. You should feel a stretch in your right front hip and upper thigh.
Supine Hip Twist
This exercise lengthens the outer thigh and hips and can help alleviate some lower back and hip stiffness.<br /><br />Lie on your back with your knees bent and cross your left ankle with your right knee. With your arms to your sides, roll your hips to the ground. Try to lower your left foot to the ground while maintaining contact with your right knee. Hold this position until you feel looser in the stretched area.
References
- "Athletic Body in Balance"; Gray Cook; 2003
- "Essence of Program Design"; Juan Carlos Santana; 2004
- "Core Training and Glute Activation"; Mike Boyle; 2005
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