In the gym, sports, and in everyday life, stable hips create a stronger and more athletic foundation. If you want to move better, lift better, run better, and feel better, train your glutes with purpose! Strong glutes are not just about appearance. They are one of the keys to resilient, high-performing hips.
The glutes help stabilize the pelvis, control the femur in the hip socket, and transfer force efficiently through the body. Whether you’re squatting, running, climbing stairs, or standing on one leg, strong glutes help keep movement smooth and efficient.
Hip stability is not just about strength or aesthetics. Someone may be able to squat or hip thrust a lot of weight, or they might have super developed glutes. But if they cannot stabilize the hips during a single-leg squat or while fatigued during a run, there is still work to do!
You can also read: Build STRONG Feet And Lower Leg Muscles! 5 Of My Top Exercises!
Here are 5 of my go-to exercises for improving hip stability and building stronger glutes.
1) Banded Hip Abductions From ISO Rear Foot Elevated Wall RDL/Deadlift
This exercise strengthens the glutes and hamstrings, the muscles in the lower leg and foot, improves lumbo-pelvic stability (think core), and shoulder and scapular stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Place a small band around your knees, and rest a long band under the mid to back portion of your foot, and hold the band in both hands.
- There should be resistance in both bands for 100% of the exercise.
- Stand on one foot, and rest the forefoot of the supporting side (back leg) against a couch, wall, or another stable surface. This leg will serve as a “kickstand,” and will provide minimal assistance. Figure out what stride length works and feels best for you.
- Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked/level position.
- On the foot of the front leg, keep your weight centered over the middle of your foot the entire time. Your heel and the base of your big and baby toes should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.
- Now hinge/push your hips backwards. Pretend a rope is pulling your hips backwards or that you are trying to press your hips back against a wall. Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.
- STOP the movement the second your hips stop travelling backwards! Don’t think about going as “low as possible.”
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), lightly close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt like you would during a dead bug, and squeeze/flex your glutes and hamstrings (on the planted side).
- On the elevated side, use your glutes and smoothly move your leg away from the midline of your body.
- Gain a moment of control, then smoothly return your leg to the starting position. Stop the leg closing movement BEFORE the band loses tension.
- For the duration of the exercise, on the planted side do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked/level position.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps per side.
2) Kickstand Glute Bridges/Hip Thrusts
This exercise strengthens the glutes.
Coaching Tips:
- Lie on the floor. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked/level position.
- Bend both knees to roughly a 90 degree angle. Your feet should be roughly hip width apart.
- On the working side, place your foot so it is roughly in line with your outer hip. Don’t cheat by placing your foot so it is well inside your hips. Many people do this to compensate!
- Now walk one foot forward so your heel is in front of the back foot/working side, or is in line with the toes on this side. Use as little or as much assistance from the front/supporting side as needed. Ideally, your working side should be doing 75% or more of the work.
- Keep your arms on the floor, and point your forearms up towards the ceiling. Or if you are using weight, keep your upper arms on the floor, and lightly support the weight using your hands. Aim to use as little support from your upper body as possible.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and lightly close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt like you would during a dead bug.
- Extend/lift your hips by pressing through the back of your foot and using your glutes, NOT by arching your lower back and flaring your ribcage.
- In the top position, your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to knee.
- Pause for 1-2 seconds and flex/squeeze your glutes.
- Return to the starting position with control.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked/level position.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 set of 6-12 reps per side.
3) Step-Downs
This exercise strengthens the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings, and the muscles in the lower leg and foot.
Coaching Tips:
- Stand on a box, bench, or other stable elevated surface.
- Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked/level position.
- As for the non-working leg, keep it straight and close to the midline of your body. Flex your quadriceps and glutes on this side.
- Keep your weight centered over the middle of your foot the entire time. Your heel and the base of your big and baby toes should remain in contact with the surface for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the surface.
- Extend both of your arms so they are chest height, make fists, and generate tension in your upper body.
- If you are holding weights, keep your arms rigid, and pretend you are trying to crush oranges in your armpits.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and lightly close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt like you would during a dead bug.
- Now perform a step-down and slowly lower to a range that allows you to maintain proper form. Aim to stop before the supporting foot touches the floor.
- Once you hit your end range, press away from the surface and return to the top/starting position.
- Do not push off the floor with the supporting side. Aim to do close to 100% with the planted leg.
- When you are performing the step-downs, pretend you are “pulling” your body down with your leg. Don’t just mindlessly drop down.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked/level position.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 6-12 reps per side.
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4) Single Leg Band Resisted Isometric Squat + Band Resisted Multidirectional Taps
This exercise strengthens the glutes and quadriceps, the muscles in the lower leg and foot, and improves lumbo-pelvic stability (think core).
Coaching Tips:
- Place a band around your ankles or just above your knees, and rest a long resistance band under the mid to back portion of your foot, and hold the band in both hands. There should be a significant amount of resistance in this long band. There should be resistance in the bands for 100% of the exercise.
- Keep your arms rigid, and pretend you are trying to crush oranges in your armpits.
- Get into a partial squat position. Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.
- Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked/level position.
- On the planted side, keep your weight centered over the middle of your foot the entire time. Your heel and the base of your big and baby toes should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.
- With complete control, perform taps in multiple directions. Aside from this moving leg, the rest of your body should remain still for the duration of the exercise.
- For the duration of the exercise, on the planted side do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked/level position.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 8-15 reps per side.
5) Negative Rear Foot Elevated Split Squats
This exercise strengthens the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings, and the muscles in the lower leg and foot.
Coaching Tips:
- Get into a split squat position, and adopt your preferred foot width and position.
- Elevate the forefoot or top of your back foot on a bench, box, or another stable surface.
- Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked/level position.
- Keep your arms rigid, and pretend you are trying to crush oranges in your armpits. This will help keep your arms and the weights from swinging.
- On the front foot, keep your weight centered over the middle of your foot the entire time. Your heel, and the base of your big and baby toes should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and lightly close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt like you would during a dead bug.
- Now take 3-5 seconds and perform a split squat and lower yourself down to a range where you are able to maintain proper form.
- When you are performing the split squats, pretend you are “pulling” your body down with your legs. Don’t just mindlessly drop down.
- Do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position.
- Press your body away from the floor and back to the top/starting position.
- Use as little assistance from the supporting (back) leg as possible. The working side should be doing 75% or more of the work.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked/level position.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 5-10 reps per side.
Build full body strength, mobility, and athleticism with mostly dumbbells and some bands. For intermediates to advanced in terms of training experience and ability, and also coaches. Home workout friendly, and great for gym workouts!
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