APT=no glute activation!

[chrisjackson960]

@polcat Yes! Clamshells (and variations) are a game changer. You really do need to thrust your hips far more forward than you would think. It burns.

 

[webstranger]

@chrisjackson960 Yes absolutely, it's the thrust forward with the hips that got my glutes firing!! I was wondering why that exercise never did anything for me even though it's hailed as one of THE glute exercises....

 

[chrisjackson960]

@webstranger Yeah, it took a PT constantly correcting me to really learn!

 

[createyourhealingpath]

@polcat Wow, the clam shell tip is a game changer! Thanks so much!

 

[webstranger]

@polcat Thanks for the tip on the clamshells - I just tried it and I could really feel that side glute firing! I'm excited to get back into running after figuring out the tight hips/no glute activation issue. Glad to hear it made a difference in your running.

 

[dawn16]

@webstranger Any chance you can share a pic or drawing of how to do this? I tried to find videos but everyone's bent like a lightening bolt. And by your previous description I think I get it but I'm not entirely sure.

 

[webstranger]

@dawn16 These are the best pics I can explain with:

https://cdn.prod.openfit.com/uploads/2017/10/clam-shell.jpg

Pic #1 has her knees bent and jutting out in front of her. In this position the hips are contracted, thus it's more difficult to feel the glutes. Her feet and heels are in line with her torso since her knees are jutting out.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/76/a8/74/76a87486912a08f7ebbcb5eccb4423ac.jpg

Pic #2 has her knees more in a straight line with her torso, and she can more easily push her hips forward and thus stretching the hip flexors and activating the glutes. Her feet and heels are behind her torso instead of in the same longitude.

 

[dawn16]

@webstranger And thrust your hips forward while opening your leg?

 

[webstranger]

@dawn16 Yes. Thrusting the hips forward activates the glutes.

 

[anonomia]

@webstranger I wish I knew it a year ago. I have the same problem and no amount of squats helped my butt.
I started Bret Contreras program, it had lots of small exercises to activate glutes, and I kinda went backwards: first I added at least some strength into my butt with very conscious glute contraction in hip bridges, one-legged squats, etc. and only THEN did I start feeling my glutes firing in other exercises and even running.

 

[webstranger]

@anonomia I think Bret Contreras has a wonderful routine and exercises, but no amount of hip thrusts or weight progression will build glutes if you can't even activate them in the first place. Like basically if you can get your pelvic form figured out, then Bret Contreras will work. With tight hips though? You'll get nothing in return.

 

[anonomia]

@webstranger So true. I did some mobility too, and strengthening the end of motion range helped me with tight everything. But it was just a stroke of luck for me, if I knew what you said in your post it’d take me months, not years to get to the little less flat butt.

 

[perfectho]

@webstranger This is is so helpful. I always find that my quads are on fire when doing squats and lunges when there should be more glute activation.

 

[sylvia4christ]

@perfectho Squats and lunges are more for quads anyway. Try hip thrusts and deadlifts instead (or any other hip dominant movement)

 

[webstranger]

@perfectho I've tried for over a year to activate dormant glutes but I really couldn't figure out why I could never feel them firing. Did hip hinge motions and all...I'm really glad the videos can help others!