As a runner, chances are at some point or another you’ve experienced pain in your hamstrings, knees, or lower back that just won’t seem to let up no matter how much you stretch.
Interestingly enough, this pain may actually be stemming from inactive glute muscles (also known as the ol’ butt).
Luckily, performing a few simple activation exercises pre-run can stop this pain in its tracks, allowing you to run powerful, strong, and injury free.
“So why aren’t my glutes firing?” you may ask.
The most commong reason is that most people sit for long periods of time. The glute muscles tend to stop firing due to a lack of oxygen and tightened hip flexors. This, in return, puts more strain on the lower back, hamstrings, and knees, that imbalanced and stiff feeling when you head out for a run.
Add these simple exercises to your warm up routine and get those glutes firing.
Turn up the intensity of these exercises by adding a resistance band. Aim for 2-3 sets of 10 on each leg.
1. Clam shells 
Lay on your side, with your knees bent at 90 degrees. Keep your feet and ankles together and raise your top knee. Make sure not to raise the knee too high-you should feel a slight tug in the glute area
2. Single Leg Bridge
Keep your one knee bent, and straighten the other legs. Slowly move your leg up and down. Make sure you aren’t feeling this in your hamstring, you want the glutes to be doing all the work.
3. Prone Leg Lifts
Lying flat on your stomach, focus on raising first one leg at a time. If the knee bends you are using too much hamstring.
4. Fire Hydrants
Place your hands underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips. Flex your feet and keep both your feet flexed even as you raise one leg.
Then raise one leg out to the side, keeping the knee bent to 90 degrees. Lift it as high as you can while keeping your arms straight. Try to not let the foot get higher than the knee or the knee get higher than the foot. Really squeeze the butt cheek as you lift.
Hold for a second or two at the top. Lower down and then repeat. Complete all reps on one side before switching.
Every fitness magazine has an article promising the best abdominal (also popularly known as abs) or leg strengthening workouts. The amount of advice can be overwhelming. The problem with most of these workouts is that they focus on just one aspect of a runner's body. That is why we have designed the following whole body workout that we recommend for our athletes. It takes just 20 minutes, but it will work your flexibility, strength, and core muscles. (Core muscles include the muscles in your abdomen, back, pelvic floor, and glutes.) The 14 video clips below review each exercise and stretching technique. Each takes about 1 minute to perform. We recommend that you do the workout 2 times per week. If any of the exercises are too challenging at first, please shorten the duration. Over time, you will get stronger and be able to increase the duration.
Left and Right Side Planks - Targets the lateral abs
Hamstring Bridge - Targets the hamstrings (back of the thighs) and gluteus maximus (buttocks)
Cobra - Abdominal Stretch
Close Hand Push Ups - Also known as Narrow Grip Push Ups
Glute Stretch - Stretches the buttocks muscles
Single Leg Squat - Challenges balance, quadriceps (front of thighs), hamstrings (back of thighs), and glutes (buttocks muscles)
Quad Stretch - Stretches the front of the thighs
Partner Punishment - Targets abdominal muscles
Pointers - Core Body Stabilization
Hamstring Stretch - 3 different stretches that target the back of the thighs
Pretzel Stretch - Stretches the muscles of the back
Calf Stretch - Stretches the calves (back of lower leg) and achilles (back of feet)
Leg Swings - 3 different exercises that target the core muslces and stretch the pelvis, hips, and hamstrings
Foam Roller - "Self Massaging" routine
Many of you probably worry about having "love handles." This exercise works your
lateral ab muscles (which includes your external and internal obliques) and
systematically eliminates "love handles."
Don't neglect the stretching part of the routine! You're going to be working your abs in later exercises. It's important to loosen those muscles up before you start challenging them.
Regular push ups target your chest and shoulder muscles. This version targets those
muscles too, but also works your triceps (back of upper arms). The triceps muscles
are easy to overlook because we don't see them when we look in the mirror, but
strengthening them will help you maintain an upright running posture.
We rely on on our glutes constantly throughout the running motion! Treat them right
and give them a good stretch.
We cannot overemphasize the importance of this exercise. It strengthens the
hamstrings, glutes, and quadriceps. Being on just one leg also challenges your
balance. Maintain good posture and remain as steady as possible throughout the
motion.
You might notice that the front of your thigh gets sore after a hilly run or after a week of
increased mileage. That soreness you feel is the 4 quadriceps muscles that make up
the front of the thigh. Stretching them out will help in the recovery process.
