The glutes, or better known as your bum, are vital to your running. It is a common misconception that the quads (the thighs) are responsible for driving you forward during a run, but most of the power comes from your glutes and the rest of the posterior chain as you push your weight off your feet.
If the glutes are tight or weak, it can leave other muscles to pick up the slack, leading to a slower pace and an increased likelihood of injury. In a day and age when we spend a lot of time sitting down, our glutes can “turn off” so it’s important to give them some special attention in your training routine to make sure they are firing.
If your glutes are tight they can pull on the muscles around them – they may be responsible for lower back pain, knee pain, tight or injured hamstrings or tight hips.
If they are weak, other muscles will become tight as they take on the extra load and become overworked.
Stretches
Improve your glute’s flexibility and mobility with static and dynamic exercises as part of your warm-up. Some you can even do at your desk.
Try the seated glute stretch – with one foot planted on the ground, place the other foot on your knee like you are crossing your legs. Make sure the bent, raised knee stays parallel to the ground and slowly lean forward with a straight back.
Spiderman – start in a press-up position, bring one foot up so it is planted next to your hand, raise that hand and rotate. Move the leg back and repeat with the other foot.
Pigeon – start in a press-up position, bring your foot forward like the Spiderman, but instead of planting your foot, bend your knee and put your shin on the ground in front of your torso. If you need more of a stretch, slowly bend forward.
Downward facing dog – the classic yoga pose is good for your glutes. Place your toes and your hand on the ground and point your bum to the sky. If you can, try to keep your legs straight. But if your back arches as a result, bend your knees a little.
Ball rolling – you can also release your hips by rolling on a ball. It is common that there is a very specific tight spot at the top of the glute. Cross one foot over the other knee, sit on the ball so it’s on the top of your glute. Raise your body with your hands and planted foot, then work around until the ball hits a tender spot. It will probably be towards the outside of your hip. It can be very sore – if it is too painful, start with a softer ball like a tennis ball.
Strengthen
You should include weight and strength exercises into your running programme, irrespective of tight glutes. Here are some easy ones to start with.
Bridges – lie on your back, bring your feet up to your glutes and plant them on the ground. Lift your body up so it is resting on your feet and shoulders. Hold for a few seconds and repeat. You can make it harder by lifting one leg, so you are pushing with only one foot. Or add a weight.
Seated single-leg squats – lift one leg up, sit down on a chair and stand back up again. Keep repeating it. If it’s easy, try with a weight.
Pistol squats – standing on one foot, drop right down to a full squat with the other leg extended in front of you and return to standing. This is very difficult and requires a lot of balance, mobility and strength. If it is too hard, start by taking your weight on a TRX or by holding a supporting wall. With straight arms, hold the TRX and try a pistol squat. Avoid bending your arms or pulling overtly on the TRX.
Single-leg Romanian dead lifts – these are basically great for all your running needs, not just your glutes. Stand on one leg, lean forward lifting the other leg up behind you until your body and leg are both parallel to the ground, then lower your leg and stand back up again. Hold a weight in the hand opposite to your planted food for added resistance.
Bulgarian split squats – this is like a lunge, but with your back foot up on a chair or raised platform. Slowly lower until your knee nearly touches the ground and push back up. You can add weights to make it hard, or hold a weight in just one hand to increase the challenge of balance.
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