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Dec 4, 2017

How to Activate Your Glutes for Better Results

So you’re working out the booty and looking to make some progress–growth, tightness, tone, whatever it is. You’re squatting, you’re deadlifting…you’re doing all the right things for your glutes but it doesn’t seem to be working. Something’s gotta give. Are you actually engaging the muscles you’re trying to work? Let’s find out..

Warming Up

A lot of times, the glutes can become under-active from all of the sitting that we tend to do on a daily basis. Excessive sitting puts the glutes in an inactive state and the hip flexors in a tight, shortened state. This makes it even more crucial that you activate those glutes before your workout.

 

Before jumping into a booty/leg workout, you have to warm-up and activate those glute muscles to get them firing and ready to put in work. (Side Note: you should be warming up before every workout–not just legs. If you need some warmup info check out this article and here are a few warmup exercises you can try out: Page 1 and Page 2) Have you ever done a bunch of booty exercises, only to wake up and feel NOTHING in your booty but EVERYTHING in your thighs and the rest of your legs? While all leg exercises, work multiple leg muscles, you should still be able to feel the glutes working. You don’t want the quads and hamstrings to take over all of the work.

 

Glute Activation Exercises

Here are a few exercises you can warm up with to really get the glute muscles fired up and ready to put in work. Let’s wake that booty up! 😉

 

Bridges

Lay on your back, with your arms at your side (palms down) and your legs bent. Knees should be about shoulder width apart and you should be able to touch the back of your heels with your finger tips. Push through your heels and squeeze the glutes to lift your body off the ground. Your shoulders, hips and knees should make a diagonal straight line. Hold for a second at the top before returning to the start position. Aim for 15 reps.

 

Single Leg Bridge

Follow the same instructions as above but lift one leg off the ground. Keep the hips stable and the same alignment of the shoulders, hips & knees at the top. Aim for 12 reps on each side.

 

Fire Hydrants

Start on all fours with hands directly under the shoulders and knees directly under the hips. Keeping the leg bent, lift one leg up and away from the body. Pause at the top. Return to the start position and repeat. Aim for 15 reps on each side.

 

Clamshells

These can be done with or without a band. Start position is on your side with legs bent and head propped up by your arm or hand. Lift the top leg up while keeping the feet together. Pause at the top before returning to the start position. Repeat. Aim for 15 reps on each side.

 

Standing Straight Leg Kickbacks

Place a resistance band around your ankles and start with both feet together. Kick one leg back while keeping it straight. Just go back far enough to feel the burn in your booty and then back to the start. Aim for 15 reps.

 

Leg Lifts

Start on all fours. Hands directly under shoulders and knees directly under hips. Extend one leg straight out and lift up. Make sure that your back is not arching. You want to focus on using the glute muscles and not moving the back. Pause at the top before lowering the leg and repeating. Aim for 15 reps

 

You can go through this whole circuit, or you can pick 3 exercises and do 2 sets of 15 reps, as a mini warm-up circuit. Give ‘em a try before your next leg workout and see if you can notice the difference.  

 

If you want to see some of these exercises in action, this video goes through most of them.

 

As always, let me know if you have any questions!

 

Here’s to a happy, healthy, booty-building week ahead! 😉

 

Xoxo

Ashley

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activating the glutes Ashley Azevedo booty warmup booty work booty workout Fitness glute activation home workout how to activate the glutes how to increase your booty gains how to make booty gains
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Feel the fear, and do it anyway ✨ Around this t Feel the fear, and do it anyway ✨

Around this time last year, I booked a last minute one-way ticket to Italy, totally SOLO. (Something I had wanted to do for YEAARRRSS)

I didn’t have everything (or hardly anything) planned out, but it felt right. So I took off and ended up spending 5 weeks wandering around Italy. 

I took wrong turns, got lost, missed buses, got stranded, had communication struggles…I even broke down and cried (more than once).

But I also learned to trust, to let go, to be more in the moment, to know + believe that everything always works out. I got to be with myself in a whole new way. I figured things out as I went and realized just how capable I am. I had some of the most incredible experiences + met some of the most amazing people. 

I learned SO much + grew immensely. It was the most FREEING, EXCITING, + EMPOWERING experience I’ve ever had. And I’m so glad I didn’t let the fears and doubts stop me. 

Your life doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else. You get to create what feels right + good for you. 

Keep going. You got this ♥️
.
.
.
#womensfitnesscoach #womensolotravel #womensstrengthtraining #solotravels
DO YOUR THING ✨ You deserve to be there just as DO YOUR THING ✨
You deserve to be there just as much as anyone else.

But I know the gym can be crazy intimidating…and it always seems like everyone else knows exactly what they’re doing right?

If you want to take away some of that intimidation + feel more confident in the gym and in what you’re doing in there, DM or comment “workout” and I’ll send you my free total body workout. Having a plan takes away sooo much of that anxiety.
.
.
.
#womensfitnesscoach #womensstrengthtraining #womensfitnessspecialist #gymintimidation #womensworkout #gymanxiety
Life lately ✨ This was gonna be an August photo Life lately ✨

This was gonna be an August photo dump…but somehow it’s mid September now. Summer flew by, no?
Why it’s not just about weight loss… The scal Why it’s not just about weight loss…

The scale can be a useful tool but it shouldn’t be the only one you use to measure your progress. It gives you a number + that’s it.

And that number doesn’t necessarily tell you if you’re healthier, stronger, moving better, feeling better, etc. If you just focus on that number, it’s easy to miss A LOT of really awesome progress. 

Have multiple ways of measuring progress, try not to get too hyper focused on numbers + check in with yourself regularly.

P.S. Looking for some help getting comfortable in the gym + actually making progress? Grab my FREE Total Body workout at the link in my bio ✨
.
.
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#womensfitnesscoach #womensstrengthtraining #weightliftingforwomen #womensfitness #howtogetfit #womensweightloss
Should you workout when you’re sore? 🤸🏻‍ Should you workout when you’re sore? 🤸🏻‍♀️

It depends… If you’re a little sore, a workout will probably help loosen you up and work through some of that soreness as you move.

But if you’re so sore it’s hard to move normally…just listen to your body + give it some rest. You can pick back up the next day. 

Your body needs time to recover from your workouts. Sure you could push through when you’re massively sore…but why? If your goal is to make progress, it’s going to be hard to do that if you can barely move and aren’t able to do things correctly. OR you could take a rest day + come back stronger + ready to crush your next workout 😉

P.S.  if you’re looking for a way to get started or need help in the gym, you can grab my FREE Total Body Teaser at the link in my bio, or DM me “Total body” and I’ll send it to you! ✨
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#womensfitnesscoach #womensstrengthtraining #womensweightlifting #musclesoreness #womensfitnessspecialist #strengthtrainingforwomen #howtogetfit #freeworkout
Gym anxiety? It can feel so intimidating walking i Gym anxiety? It can feel so intimidating walking into a gym–especially the weight room. It’s new. It’s usually busy with people. And everyone seems to know exactly what they’re doing. It can feel so overwhelming. 

I remember feeling so intimidated of the weight room when I started. But here’s the thing…the more you show up + push past that discomfort, the easier it gets. Over time it gets less intimidating + that intimidation starts to be replaced by confidence. In the meantime, here are some things that really helped me to get through + keep showing up.

▫️Have a plan so you can grab what you need + set up camp somewhere. That way you’re not wandering all around the gym each time you need something. 

▫️Move with confidence, even if you have to fake it at first. Act like you deserve to be there, because you DO!

▫️Put on some 🔥 music + do your thing! Just focus on what’s in front of you + mentally “disappear” everyone else. 

▫️Remember that no one’s paying as much attention as you think. They’re probably in their heads thinking about themselves too. 

I know it can be uncomfortable AF. But stick it out because it’ll SO be worth it. You deserve to be there just as much as anyone else in there. YOU GOT THIS.

P.S. Looking for an easy to follow plan you can take into the gym with you? Grab my free Total Body Tone Up workout at the link in my bio to help get you started.
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Feel the fear, and do it anyway ✨ Around this t Feel the fear, and do it anyway ✨

Around this time last year, I booked a last minute one-way ticket to Italy, totally SOLO. (Something I had wanted to do for YEAARRRSS)

I didn’t have everything (or hardly anything) planned out, but it felt right. So I took off and ended up spending 5 weeks wandering around Italy. 

I took wrong turns, got lost, missed buses, got stranded, had communication struggles…I even broke down and cried (more than once).

But I also learned to trust, to let go, to be more in the moment, to know + believe that everything always works out. I got to be with myself in a whole new way. I figured things out as I went and realized just how capable I am. I had some of the most incredible experiences + met some of the most amazing people. 

I learned SO much + grew immensely. It was the most FREEING, EXCITING, + EMPOWERING experience I’ve ever had. And I’m so glad I didn’t let the fears and doubts stop me. 

Your life doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else. You get to create what feels right + good for you. 

Keep going. You got this ♥️
.
.
.
#womensfitnesscoach #womensolotravel #womensstrengthtraining #solotravels
DO YOUR THING ✨ You deserve to be there just as DO YOUR THING ✨
You deserve to be there just as much as anyone else.

But I know the gym can be crazy intimidating…and it always seems like everyone else knows exactly what they’re doing right?

If you want to take away some of that intimidation + feel more confident in the gym and in what you’re doing in there, DM or comment “workout” and I’ll send you my free total body workout. Having a plan takes away sooo much of that anxiety.
.
.
.
#womensfitnesscoach #womensstrengthtraining #womensfitnessspecialist #gymintimidation #womensworkout #gymanxiety
Life lately ✨ This was gonna be an August photo Life lately ✨

This was gonna be an August photo dump…but somehow it’s mid September now. Summer flew by, no?
Why it’s not just about weight loss… The scal Why it’s not just about weight loss…

The scale can be a useful tool but it shouldn’t be the only one you use to measure your progress. It gives you a number + that’s it.

And that number doesn’t necessarily tell you if you’re healthier, stronger, moving better, feeling better, etc. If you just focus on that number, it’s easy to miss A LOT of really awesome progress. 

Have multiple ways of measuring progress, try not to get too hyper focused on numbers + check in with yourself regularly.

P.S. Looking for some help getting comfortable in the gym + actually making progress? Grab my FREE Total Body workout at the link in my bio ✨
.
.
.
#womensfitnesscoach #womensstrengthtraining #weightliftingforwomen #womensfitness #howtogetfit #womensweightloss
Should you workout when you’re sore? 🤸🏻‍ Should you workout when you’re sore? 🤸🏻‍♀️

It depends… If you’re a little sore, a workout will probably help loosen you up and work through some of that soreness as you move.

But if you’re so sore it’s hard to move normally…just listen to your body + give it some rest. You can pick back up the next day. 

Your body needs time to recover from your workouts. Sure you could push through when you’re massively sore…but why? If your goal is to make progress, it’s going to be hard to do that if you can barely move and aren’t able to do things correctly. OR you could take a rest day + come back stronger + ready to crush your next workout 😉

P.S.  if you’re looking for a way to get started or need help in the gym, you can grab my FREE Total Body Teaser at the link in my bio, or DM me “Total body” and I’ll send it to you! ✨
.
.
.
#womensfitnesscoach #womensstrengthtraining #womensweightlifting #musclesoreness #womensfitnessspecialist #strengthtrainingforwomen #howtogetfit #freeworkout
Gym anxiety? It can feel so intimidating walking i Gym anxiety? It can feel so intimidating walking into a gym–especially the weight room. It’s new. It’s usually busy with people. And everyone seems to know exactly what they’re doing. It can feel so overwhelming. 

I remember feeling so intimidated of the weight room when I started. But here’s the thing…the more you show up + push past that discomfort, the easier it gets. Over time it gets less intimidating + that intimidation starts to be replaced by confidence. In the meantime, here are some things that really helped me to get through + keep showing up.

▫️Have a plan so you can grab what you need + set up camp somewhere. That way you’re not wandering all around the gym each time you need something. 

▫️Move with confidence, even if you have to fake it at first. Act like you deserve to be there, because you DO!

▫️Put on some 🔥 music + do your thing! Just focus on what’s in front of you + mentally “disappear” everyone else. 

▫️Remember that no one’s paying as much attention as you think. They’re probably in their heads thinking about themselves too. 

I know it can be uncomfortable AF. But stick it out because it’ll SO be worth it. You deserve to be there just as much as anyone else in there. YOU GOT THIS.

P.S. Looking for an easy to follow plan you can take into the gym with you? Grab my free Total Body Tone Up workout at the link in my bio to help get you started.
Load More... Follow on Instagram
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