Fire Up Your Glutes! 5 Key Activation Drills for Runners

Published on March 12 by Matt

The glutes are one of the most powerful muscle groups for running, responsible for hip extension, stability, and propulsion. However, many runners suffer from gluteal amnesia, where their glutes are underactive due to excessive sitting, weak core muscles, or poor movement patterns. This can lead to compensations, injuries, and inefficient running mechanics.

By performing glute activation exercises before a run, you can wake up these muscles, improve running efficiency, and reduce injury risk.

5 Best Glute Activation Exercises for Runners

These exercises take only 5–10 minutes and can be done as part of your warm-up before a run.

1. Glute Bridges

Why? Strengthens the gluteus maximus, improving hip extension and power.

How to do it:

  1. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat, hip-width apart.
  2. Engage your core and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
  3. Hold for 2 seconds, then lower slowly.
  4. Repeat 10–15 times.

🔥 Variation: Try single-leg glute bridges to activate each glute independently.

2. Clamshells

Why? Activates the gluteus medius, which stabilizes the hips and prevents knee collapse.

How to do it:

  1. Lie on your side with knees bent at 90 degrees and feet together.
  2. Keeping your feet together, lift your top knee as high as possible without rotating your hips.
  3. Slowly lower back down.
  4. Perform 12–15 reps per side.

🔥 Variation: Use a resistance band around your knees for extra challenge.

3. Banded Lateral Walks

Why? Improves hip stability and strengthens the gluteus medius, essential for running efficiency.

How to do it:

  1. Place a resistance band around your thighs or just above your ankles.
  2. Stand in a half-squat position with feet hip-width apart.
  3. Step sideways with one foot, then follow with the other, keeping tension in the band.
  4. Walk 10–15 steps in each direction.

🔥 Variation: Try monster walks by stepping diagonally forward and backward.

4. Fire Hydrants

Why? Strengthens the glutes and improves hip mobility, reducing stress on the lower back and knees.

How to do it:

  1. Start on all fours with hands under shoulders and knees under hips.
  2. Keeping your knee bent at 90 degrees, lift one leg out to the side like a dog at a fire hydrant.
  3. Lower back down with control.
  4. Perform 10–12 reps per side.

🔥 Variation: Add a resistance band around your thighs for more activation.

5. Step-Ups

Why? Mimics the running stride while strengthening the glutes, hamstrings, and quads.

How to do it:

  1. Stand in front of a sturdy bench or step (about knee height).
  2. Step up with one foot, driving through the heel to lift your body.
  3. Bring the opposite knee up toward your chest before stepping back down.
  4. Perform 8–12 reps per leg.

🔥 Variation: Hold dumbbells for added resistance.

How to Incorporate Glute Activation into Your Running Routine

🔹 Before a run: Perform 2–3 sets of each exercise as a warm-up.
🔹 On strength training days: Add these moves to a strength workout for runners.
🔹 After a run: Use lighter variations as part of a cooldown to reinforce proper movement patterns.

Strong, activated glutes improve running power, efficiency, and injury prevention. Adding these quick exercises to your warm-up will wake up your glutes, enhance performance, and keep you running pain-free.