Glute Home Workout | Level 2 Exercises for Runners

Hey runners, this workout video is level 2 in the glute home workout series for runners!

If you haven’t tried the level 1 exercises yet, you can find them here!

What are the glutes and why are glute exercises for runners important?

Short for gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus mimimus, the ‘glutes’ play a really big role in supporting your lower back, stabilising your pelvis, and moving your legs.

These muscles of your ‘backside’ are super important for runners because not only can they generate a lot of power and help you run faster, they also support all the other leg muscles and control the stability of your pelvis. If you want to improve your running form, increase your pace or reduce your injury risk, you should be doing glute exercises.

Runners with strong, stable glutes also tend to have fewer injuries – especially around the lower back and knees.

 

What are the best glute exercises for runners?

There are heaps of glute exercises runners can do! In this video, I will show you 5 of my favourite exercises for beginners. If you haven’t done much glute training, start with these exercises.

Here is a list of glute exercises from the video:

1. Floor Bridge

2. Side Lying Leg Raise

3. All Fours Leg Sweep

4. Supported Arabesque

5. Squats with Band Around Knees

 

How are glute exercises for runners different from other types exercises?

Long-distance runners have unique strength training needs. Unlike many other athletes, runners don’t need brute strength or explosive power. Runners need stability and endurance. So the type of strength training exercises you do should reflect those unique needs.

As you go through the exercises in this workout and the workouts to follow, you will notice that I put a lot of emphasis on slow, controlled movement. That’s because glute exercises for runners require control. The slower and more stable you can move, the better that will translate into your running performance.

About the Author

Alina Kennedy

Alina Kennedy

Alina Kennedy is the founder and lead Physiotherapist behind The Runners Physio.

Alina is a physiotherapist and strength & conditioning specialist based in Adelaide, Australia. She graduated from the University of South Australia in 2011 and works as a sports physiotherapist focusing on running performance and injury rehabilitation. She has developed training and rehab methods based on years of clinical experience and up-to-date scientific evidence. Her simple but effective approach has successfully helped thousands of runners overcome repetitive injuries and get back to running faster and healthier.