Try These 9 Glute Warm Up Exercises For Your Lower Body Workouts

Warming up the glutes correctly can be the difference between having an effective training session and not. In this article I will discuss different types of glute warm up exercises and the importance of performing the posterior pelvic tilt during both the glute warm up and training. I also provide 9 exercises you can use in your glute warm ups. Please note that some of these exercises are for beginners while others are for more advanced individuals. For example that bird dog is excellent for all abilities whereas the barbell good morning is only for experienced individuals.

5 min read
Sean Klein
Written by
Sean Klein
Published on
31/01/25
Last updated
18/02/25
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In This Resource
  • The Importance of Warming Up The Glutes
  • Warming Up The Glutes with Squat Exercises
  • Warming Up The Glutes with Glute Isolation Exercises
  • The Importance of The Posterior Pelvic Tilt
  • Sample Glute Warm Up
  • Try These 9 Glute Warm Up Exercises For Your Lower Body Workouts

The Importance of Warming Up The Glutes

Warming up prior to resistance training plays two key functions, to prevent injuries occurring and to improve performance. Through increasing blood flow to the muscles that are about to be loaded and improving the contraction efficiency of the muscles we are able to both help mitigate injuries and improve performance. Warm ups also help us with the technical aspect of resistance training, they help us find our flow in the movement we are about to perform.

Warming Up The Glutes with Squat Exercises

The glutes are crucial muscles during squatting exercises, this is often forgotten as people search for exercises to warm up the glutes. Squatting exercises, including lunges and other single leg exercises can certainly be used to effectively to warm up the glutes and train the muscles of the glutes. People with strong squats never have weak glutes. Do not think that donkey kicks are going to get you strong glutes, back squats will.

Warming Up The Glutes with Glute Isolation Exercises

The glutes can also be warmed up through glute isometric exercises which are exercises that aim to work the glutes as much as possible. In these exercises we aim to create a great deal of tension in the muscles of the glutes.

The Importance of The Posterior Pelvic Tilt

The posterior pelvic tilt at the hips is what allows us to create high levels of tension in the muscles of the glutes. It is very challenging to create tension and therefore create adaptation in the glute muscles without being able to perform the posterior pelvic tilt and certainly not possible when in an anterior pelvic tilt.

Sample Glute Warm Up

Complete 3 rounds

1. Goblet Squat

Complete 10 repetitions

2. Lateral Banded Walks

Complete 10 repetitions

3. Inverted Plank

Hold for 30 seconds

Try These 9 Glute Warm Up Exercises For Your Lower Body Workouts

Please note that some of these exercises are for beginners while others are for more advanced individuals. For example that bird dog is excellent for all abilities whereas the barbell good morning is only for experienced individuals.

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This resource was written by Sean Klein. Sean Richard Klein has thousands of hours of coaching experience and a BSc in Sports Science with Management from Loughborough University. He owns a gym in Bayonne France, CrossFit Essor, which runs group classes and a Personal training studio.

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