Our glutes are the largest and most powerful muscle in our body.

They play a key role in stabilising the pelvis, supporting our upper body, and controlling our lower limbs. They act on the hip joint, and are our most powerful hip extensor.

There is also a huge correlation between decreased glute strength and chronic lower back pain (Amabile & Bolte, 2017).

Put simply, we want strong, well functioning glutes to support us in daily life!

Let’s take a quick look at their anatomy, then delve into yoga poses I love to strengthen the glutes.

We actually have three glute muscles:

Glute maximus: largest and most powerful muscle in body, responsible for hip extension and external rotation. Helps with stability, locomotion and explosive power. Helps us walk, run, climb stairs, go from seated to standing.
Glute medius: a broad, fan-shaped muscle on the lateral (outer) side of the pelvis. Works to abduct and internally rotate the thigh, and is a primary stabiliser of the pelvis during single leg work (eg balance poses such as tree pose, and walking!).
Glute minimus: the smallest and deepest of the glute muscles, it works with the glute medius to abduct (move leg away from midline) and internally rotate the thigh.

With all that in mind, it seems obvious that strong glutes equals a happier, better functioning body, doesn’t it?

Here are some of my favourite yoga poses to wake up and strengthen your glutes…

Lie on your back, knees bent and feet hip-width apart. Bring your fingertips to your lower ribs and thumbs to front hip bones. Press down through feet to lift hips into low bridge, keeping ribs down and connected to pelvis. Hold for 3-5 breaths.

Set up for bridge pose, then bring feet slightly closer together. Lift into a low bridge pose, fingers on lower ribs and thumbs on front hip bones, then press through right foot and lift left leg straight, keeping thighs parallel. Keep pressing through right heel and hugging right hip in to stabilise pelvis. Hold for 3-5 breaths, switch legs and lower.

Stand tall, feet a comfortable width for you, then bend your knees and lower your hips as if you were going to sit in a chair. See if you can keep ribs and pelvis stacked, really opening up through back of glutes while keeping space in the lower back. Press the thighs outwards into an imaginary belt. Can you shift the weight back into the heels a bit more? Hold for 3-5 breaths.

Lying on your belly, bring your arms alongside you palm side down. Bring the inner edges of the feet to touch (can keep feet hip-width if more comfortable), exhale and lift your legs. Keep drawing the front hip bones towards the ribs, focusing on the lift coming from the glutes rather than the lower back and pelvis tipping forward. This can be humbling, I know firsthand! You can also bring your hands to your glutes to really connect to and wake them up.

Come into a crescent lunge. Inhale and bend the back knee straight down. Exhale and press through heel and big toe of front foot to come back up. Repeat 5 times, moving with the breath and focusing on that foot to hip connection. Switch sides.

Sit with the knees bent, feet hip-width apart and bring your hands behind you, fingertips pointing forwards. Option to place a block or cushion between the thighs. As you exhale, lift the hips, driving down through the heels to firm the glutes and open the front of the hips.

After all of that, lie on your back with your knees bent. Cross your right ankle over your left knee and draw the thigh in. Hold for 5 breaths, softening the jaw, relaxing the throat and letting the glutes unwind. Switch sides.

If you enjoyed that, try the short practice below!

Yoga For Glute Strength

Yoga For Hamstring Strength