Want to improve your backside's stability and firmness by strengthening your glute muscles?
These 11 gluteus minimus exercise are suitable for all levels of fitness from beginner to advanced.
And they can all be done at home with minimal equipment and avoid gluteus minimus pain.
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Table of Contents
What are some exercises that target the gluteus minimus?
- Squats
- Side shuffling squats
- Shifting side squats
- Curtsy lunges, and
- Side-lying leg lifts
What is the Gluteus Minimus, and what does it do?
The muscles of your booty, known as gluteal muscle, help to stabilize your body and aid in many of your movement throughout the day.
The glutes are divided into three sections:
- Gluteus maximus muscle(largest muscle in the body)
- Medius gluteus muscle
- Gluteus minimus muscle (little glute)
The gluteus maximus is the largest glute muscle, as you may expect from its name.
It accounts for the majority of your butt and performs the most of the job and is the strong glutes.
The gluteus maximus is the body's largest muscle!
It aids in torso stabilization and uprightness, as well as hip extension and abduction, as well as transverse abduction and external rotation of the leg.
The gluteus medius muscle is a minor muscle that aids in body stabilization.
When you move your leg out to the side of your body (abduction), such as during a lateral lunge or side lying leg raise, you'll most likely feel it.
It also works when you rotate your leg inward when it's in front of you or outward when it's behind you (think ballerina dances).
The gluteus minimus is the tiniest but most significant fan-shaped muscle in the gluteal region.
It collaborates with the gluteus medius to perform abduction movements and supports the pelvis when walking.
Gluteus Minimus Exercise Has Many Advantages
If you have a profession or a lifestyle that requires you to sit for the majority of the day, your gluteus minimus muscles are unlikely to get the exercise they require.
They weaken and become too tight, resulting in pain and injury.
You can gain the following benefits by strengthening your gluteus minimus and avoid gluteus minimus tear:
- stability of the hip joint
- hip discomfort is lessened
- lower back discomfort is lessened
- enhanced running and other workouts performance
- Trendelenburg Gait and other hip/pelvic problems can be avoided.
- Knee discomfort is lessened
- better equilibrium
- and, of course, a better-looking booty
The two muscles are so vital to our daily movement and body stability, we must target them with particular exercises to grow powerful glutes all throughout.
Gluteus Minimus Exercises for All Fitness Levels 11 Best Gluteus Minimus Exercises
Are you ready to work on your glutes? Put on some comfortable clothing and, if desired, a mat.
he majority of these simple workouts don't require any equipment, however some of them may benefit from a resistance loop.
Before you begin, inspect your bands for any tears or weak points.
Then, for a 5- to 10-minute warmup, get your heart rate up and your body ready for the workout.
For each exercise, try to complete three sets of 12-15 reps with as little rest as possible.
1. Hip Abduction on the Side
Begin by reclining on your right side on your mat, arms supporting your upper body.
Lift and lower your left leg slowly while keeping your core engaged for stability.
There's no need to lift your leg too high; simply raise it until you feel your glute contract.
Rainbow Toe Taps are a variant of this move that I enjoy.
Rather than lifting your leg up and down straight, you move it in a rainbow pattern.
Raise your upper leg and tap it to the front corner of the mat, then lift it and arc it to the back corner.
Make sure your body is stable during this exercise so it doesn't rock!
2. Clamshells
Starting position is similar to side laying hip abduction, but with knees bent at 90 degrees and heels aligned with buttocks.
Open your knees by lifting your upper knee up and slowly lowering it back down while keeping your feet together.
Make sure your core is engaged once more to avoid your body rocking back and forth.
Your top leg should be the only thing moving, with your knee rising and lowering.
Add a resistance band above your knees to make this exercise more intense.
3. Glute Bridge with a Single Leg
The single-leg bridge is another excellent exercise that works all three glute muscles.
The glute bridge, which is similar to a hip thrust (and the phrases are sometimes used interchangeably), is maybe the best glute exercise I've found — since it's wonderful for everyone!
Begin by lying on your back on the floor or mat, knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
Raise your left leg to the point where your left foot meets the ceiling.
As you elevate your hips to a bridge position and lower them back down, press into the heel of your right foot, keeping your left leg up throughout the exercise.
4. Hip Dips in the Plank Position
If you don't have enough core strength, side plank can be challenging.
You can alter this motion by supporting your body on your lower knee if you are unable to support your body on your hand/forearm and the side of your foot.
Lower your hips to the floor while in side plank posture.
Then squeeze as you return to the starting position with your hips raised.
This routine targets your obliques, but it also engages a variety of core, glute, and shoulder muscles.
Honestly, you'll feel it throughout your entire body!
5. Abductions with a Seated Resistance Band
Remember those terribly inconvenient gym hip abduction machines?
The ones you wouldn't do unless the machine was facing a wall (and even then, it could feel strange)?
With simply a resistance band, you can do those hip abduction exercises at home!
Place a resistance loop around the tops of your knees and wrap it around your legs.
Keeping your feet firmly planted on the ground.
Slowly return to the starting position by pressing your knees outward.
Make sure you don't rush this decision!
You'll have to work even harder to keep your knees from flying back together too soon if you use a particularly tight or powerful band.
This exercise is similar to the clamshells above, however it is done in a different stance.
6. Single Leg Press with Bands
Because the glute med and glute min are required for hip stability, single-leg exercises such as the single-leg squat, single-leg deadlift, and Bulgarian split squat all train those muscles.
Those exercises, on the other hand, are more advanced and, for some people, exceedingly challenging.
The banded single leg press can be used to resemble a single-leg squat while still activating the glute muscles.
Lie on your back with a resistance band around your right foot and your left leg on the floor.
Holding the band firmly in place, force your right heel out until your leg is straight, as if you were doing a single leg squat with that leg.
Return to your starting position by bending that knee slowly.
Experiment with varying lengths or amounts of resistance in your band to create a challenging workout without losing proper technique.
7. Hip Abduction with Side Plank
You can complete this move in a full side plank with your weight evenly distributed between your hand and the side of your foot, or you can alter it by lowering your knee for added stability.
Keep your core engaged for stability and steadily lift and drop your upper leg in side plank.
You'll notice that when you lift and lower your body, your glutes on the top side of your hips begin to burn, but your glutes on the bottom side of your hips begin to burn as well — from keeping your body stable.
This is a full-body exercise that will give you a good workout!
8. Hip Abduction in Plank
If you haven't figured it out yet, hip abductor exercises simply include shifting your leg to the side of your torso, as in a side lunge or this action.
Move one leg out from your body to tap it out to the side in a plank posture (this can be done on your hands or forearms), then return to plank.
Do you need to back up a little on this move?
While moving the working leg out and in, feel free to drop your opposite leg into a modified plank.
9. Hydrants for firefighting
I'm sure you can see why they're called fire hydrants.
They look exactly like what a dog does when he's near a fire hydrant!
While this maneuver may appear to be stupid, your booty will assure you that it is everything but. It's a serious booty burner, to be sure.
Raise your bent knee to one side until it is around hip height while on all fours (also known as tabletop position).
Then gradually return to the beginning position.
As you execute this action, try to maintain the rest of your body perfectly still.
10. Lunges Curtsy
Lunges of all varieties are excellent glute workouts, but curtsy lunges are particularly effective for the gluteus minimus and medius.
Focus on finishing the movement carefully, with full range of motion and good form, as with other lunges.
Step your left leg diagonally behind you as you lower down into a curtsy position, keeping your weight on your right leg.
To return to standing, press through your right heel once you've reached 90 degrees in both legs.
With this technique, focus on feeling the work in your right glute (rather than your quadriceps).
Squeeze your glute a little at the bottom and all the way up.
11. Lateral Walks with Bands (Monster Walks)
This glute exercise, which goes by a variety of names, is a popular choice in personal training and physical therapy around the world.
With the slightly squatting position, you'll also engage your upper leg muscles in this form of a hip abduction routine with resistance.
Bend your knees a little and step to the side with a resistance loop around your thighs.
You can either take numerous reps (5-20 steps) to the side before returning in the opposite direction, or take 1-2 steps one way and then 1-2 steps back.
Make this practice work for you, no matter how little space you have.
You can add some variety to this maneuver by zig-zagging ahead and then zig-zagging backwards to get back to where you started.
This exercise will offer your lower body a tremendous workout no matter which way you walk!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Lack of movement or a sedentary lifestyle are the most common causes of weakness in these muscles.
The glutes atrophy and the anterior hips become acclimated to a shorter position as technology progresses and more individuals are limited to desk occupations where they spend the most of the day sitting.
To balance, use your right glute's strength, and your left glute's strength to lift your leg up.
Raise your knee slightly higher than your hips by flexing your foot.
Maintain your balance by evenly dividing your weight between your hands and your dropped knee.
Rep 10 times on each side, then swap sides.
The smallest gluteus muscle is the Gluteus minimus. It has a lot in common with the gluteus medius in terms of form, function, blood supply, and innervation.
It is situated directly beneath the gluteus medius.
The gluteus minimus serves primarily as a hip stabilizer and abductor.
