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It's not uncommon for people to want a better looking booty, but a big side benefit of strengthening this area of the body is a healthier lower back. Your muscles hold your skeletal structure in place - which can have a profound impact on how you feel and whether or not you have pain. Strengthening and balancing your muscles helps relieve pain and fatigue, meaning you're likely to feel and look better.
According to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), nearly two-thirds of Americans experience back pain at some point in their lives. But, as the APTA rightly points out, most people focus on the symptoms rather than the cause of their back pain. Very often it is actually either a lack of support or too much tension that creates imbalance and triggers pain.
The gluteal muscles consist of the gluteus maximus, medius and minimus. These muscles allow for hip extension, abduction (side-to-side movement), and for some, redirection. They also support and stabilize the lower back and pelvis as you move through numerous activities in sport and life. Here are three great exercises to build strength in the glutes that can help relieve lower back pain.
Exercises to strengthen the gluteal muscles
Start with a 5-minute warm-up - a gentle walk may be sufficient.
Hip bridge with abduction
Lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Place a mini band around your legs just above your knees. Lift your hips off the floor to form a straight line from your neck to your knees. It is best to do so that your thighs are aligned with the hip joints. Resist the band's inward pull to strengthen your gluteus medius, which are the muscles outside of the hip. Bring your hips back to the floor and repeat.
Perform three sets of 10-12 reps to start and progress as strength increases.
Squats with hip extension
Stand with your feet about hip-width apart. Place a resistance band under both feet and grasp the ends of the band in each hand. Lower yourself into a squat with your knees over your toes. Squeeze your glutes and rise from the squat position. Extend one leg behind you into a hip extension without arching your lower back. This movement strengthens the gluteus maximus, the largest of the gluteal muscles. Bring your foot back to start and repeat the hip extension squat on the other leg.
Perform three sets of 10-12 reps on each leg to start and progress as strength increases.
Conch shell
Lie on the floor or mat. With your knees bent, place a mini band around your legs just above your knees. From a side-lying position, either propped up on your elbows or all the way down, slowly open and close your knees. To increase the intensity of this movement, lift your hips off the floor into a side plank and perform the clamshell movement from there.
Perform three sets of 10-12 reps on each side to start and progress as strength increases.
Before beginning this or any other exercise program, you must obtain approval from your doctor.
Learn more about lower back pain relief in our best-selling webinar: Lower Back Health Starts with the Core.