Most people don’t focus on their glutes. They train their legs by performing squats, lunges, or maybe by using machines at the gym, but when we talk about glutes, they neglect them completely unless you are a woman. Healthy glutes are crucial for the health of your lower back, hips, and knees, and this guide focuses on mat-based exercises for your glutes.

Whether you’re a seasoned exerciser or easing into a fitness journey, this routine will guide you through targeted exercises that isolate and strengthen your glute muscles from the comfort of your floor mat. As a physical therapist, I use these exercises regularly with clients to promote core stability, joint alignment, and injury prevention.

Why Glute Strength Matters

Your glutes consist of 3 subparts—gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus—and they are major role players in your body. These muscles play a key role in posture, pelvic alignment, and overall functional movement.

• Gluteus Maximus: This is the largest of the glute muscles and helps extend the hip. It powers movements like standing, walking, running, and climbing stairs.
• Gluteus Medius: This muscle helps stabilize the pelvis and supports movements that involve hip abduction and rotation. It’s especially important for side-to-side stability during walking or running.
• Gluteus Minimus: Works in tandem with the medius for stabilization and assists in hip movement.

Eventually weak glutes can lead to compensation patterns that might put stress on the lower back, hips, or knees, leading to pain or probably resulting in injury. This workout guide will help you to strengthen and activate your glutes.

The Workout: Glutes on the Mat

Let’s dive into a full mat-based routine that can fit into your daily day-to-day life, or else you can do it a few times a week depending on your goals. You’ll start on all fours and gradually work your way through targeted glute activation movements.

1. Cat-Cow Spinal Warmup

Before jumping into glute activation, warm up the spine.

• Start on your hands under shoulders and knees under hips.
• Do one round of cat (round your back) and one of cow (arch your back).
• Go with a neutral spine to begin the workout.

2. Straight Leg Lifts (Right Leg)

• Straighten your right leg behind you.
• Keep it extended as you lift and lower with control.
• This targets the gluteus maximus and activates your core.

Tip: Don’t rush and keep your back stable.

Pulse: Hold the leg up and pulse for 8 counts.

3. Bent Knee Lifts (Right Leg)

• Come down onto your elbows.
• Bend your right knee, keeping the foot flexed.
• Lift and lower with a pause at the top to engage the glutes more deeply.

You can use a 3–5 lb dumbbell behind your knee for resistance.

Pulse: Again, pulse at the top for 8 counts.

4. Straight and Bent Leg Lifts (Left Leg)

Repeat both the straight leg and bent knee lifts on your left leg.

Focus on:

• Keeping your leg straight and long in the first set.
• Keeping your knee bent and squeezing gently in the second set.
• Keeping your hips square and spine stable throughout.

5. Prone Glute Lifts

Now come all the way down to lie on your belly.

• Rest your forehead on your hands like a pillow.
• Start with your right leg:
• Reach the leg long, extending through the hip.
• Keep the knee straight and lift the leg off the floor.
• Then switch to the left leg.

Tip: Avoid arching your back.

6. Plie Heel Squeezes

• Separate your legs to mat distance, then bend your knees.
• Heels come together, knees turned out like a reverse plié.
• On exhale, squeeze your heels together.
• Hold for a 5-count and release.
• Repeat several rounds of this:
• Heels squeeze and hold.
• Then alternate between squeezing and releasing with legs hovering slightly off the mat.

7. Glute Bridges

Turn over to lie on your back for bridge work.

• Feet flat, keep hip-distance apart.
• Inhale, then exhale to curl your tailbone and lift into a bridge.
• Lower down with control, then repeat.

Focus on:

• Pressing evenly through both heels.
• Avoiding arching your back. Make sure to do it at least 8 times.

8. Bridge Progressions (Single-Leg)

If you feel ready for more challenge:

• Lift into a bridge.
• Bring your left leg into tabletop position.
• Lower and lift the hips using the right glute.

Repeat for 4–5 reps, then switch legs.

Note: If this feels too challenging, stay with the double-leg bridge.

9. Cool Down

• Hug your knees into your chest.
• Option to stretch or move into child’s pose.
• Take a few deep breaths.

How Often Should You Do This?

All the workouts mentioned above are mat-focused and are gentle enough to do every day, but for effective results, do them at least 2-3 times per week. It’s particularly great if:

• You sit for long periods.
• You’re recovering from hip, knee, or low back discomfort.
• You want to build strength without high-impact movements.

Final Thoughts

Strong glutes are a must for today’s generation, as they spend most of their time sitting on chairs. Just by training their glutes, they can become health conscious, and not only this. This workout offers safe, targeted movements to activate and strengthen your glutes effectively.

Quote: Remember, consistency is key.