This workout is great for preventing injuries when it comes to doing heavier work, such as running and weighted squats. You can also do it in a busy gym or outside – all it requires is a tread (or some outdoor space), some floor space and a kettle bell.

Why glute activation? Most people don’t activate their glutes in day-to-day life, potentially leading to lower back pain, hip pain and potentially other join pain. This is because we compensate for weak glutes by using other muscles, such as our lower back, hamstrings or (like me), quads. This can eat to pain, sub-optimal performance and eventually, injuries.

Most people contract their glutes harder when doing body or lightweight glute exercises than heavy-weight exercises, so the exercises below are great for building the main gluteus muscles, as well as the stabilising muscles around the hip and glutes. Basically, they may not be personal best weight wise, but they may well help you get there (and stop you getting injured along the way!).

Warmup:

10-15 minutes cardio warmup (running or incline walk)

Activation:

1. Resistance band (RB) glue bridges x15
2. RB clams x10
3. Kettle bell (KB) swings x7
4. KB goblet squat x14
5. Single leg deadlift x7

Complete the circuit x3

With thanks to Heart Kettlebells for providing me with the beautiful kettle bell!

Get yours here