Glutes, glutes, and more glutes!!!

The power players that make up your glutes are your gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus.

The gluteus max is the MVP. It drives leg rotation, forward hip thrusts and lifting lateral leg motion. The gluteus med/min are the support muscles for these functions.

If your glutes are underactive, the hamstring muscles and the hip flexor complex will often take over which might cause discomfort such as low back pain/stiffness.

Here are 4 exercises to keep your glute muscles (and the posterior chain) strong and working in harmony:

1) Lateral band walk. 10 steps left, 10 steps right.

2) Pulse squat. 3 sets, 40 seconds each set.

3) Weighted hip thrust. 3 sets of 8-10.

4) Kettlebell RDL or hip hinge. 3 sets of 12-15.