7 Must-Try Gluteus Minimus Exercises to Sculpt Your Glutes in 2024:People often forget to work on the gluteus minimus when they want to build strong, well-rounded hips. The gluteus maximus, which is the biggest glute muscle, gets all the attention.
But the gluteus minimus is just as important for hip support, movement, and looks in general. It’s the tiniest of the glute muscles, but it’s very important for keeping your balance, improving your posture, and making your lower body stronger.
If you want to shape your glutes in 2024, you should do workouts that focus on the gluteus minimus. This will help you look more defined and balanced.
1. Side-Lying Hip Abduction
Why it works:
- The side-lying hip abduction is a simple yet highly effective exercise that isolates the gluteus minimus and medius. It strengthens the hip abductors, improves stability, and enhances hip mobility.
How to do it:
- Lie on your side with your legs stacked and straight.
- Slowly lift your top leg toward the ceiling, keeping it straight and your core engaged.
- Hold for a second at the top, then lower it back down.
- Repeat for 10-15 reps on each side.
Pro Tip: Add ankle weights or resistance bands to increase the intensity and get a deeper burn.
2. Clamshells
Why it works:
- Clamshells specifically target the gluteus minimus and medius, helping to strengthen your hips and improve overall glute activation. This exercise is perfect for warming up your glutes before a lower-body workout.
How to do it:
- Lie on your side with your legs bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Keep your feet together and lift your top knee toward the ceiling, while your lower leg stays on the ground.
- Slowly lower your knee back down.
- Perform 12-15 reps on each side.
Pro Tip: Place a resistance band just above your knees for added difficulty and better activation.
3. Banded Lateral Walks
Why it works:
- This exercise not only engages the gluteus minimus but also strengthens the gluteus medius and stabilizer muscles. It’s great for building lower-body strength and improving hip stability.
How to do it:
- Place a resistance band around your thighs just above your knees.
- Stand in a semi-squat position with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Step sideways, maintaining tension in the band, and continue stepping in one direction for 10-12 steps.
- Repeat in the opposite direction.
Pro Tip: Keep your torso upright and your knees slightly bent for maximum glute activation.
4. Fire Hydrants
Why it works:
- Fire hydrants are fantastic for isolating the gluteus minimus while also working your core and improving hip mobility.
How to do it:
- Start on all fours, with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
- Lift one leg out to the side while keeping your knee bent at 90 degrees.
- Slowly lower your leg back down.
- Perform 12-15 reps on each leg.
Pro Tip: Add a resistance band around your thighs for extra challenge.
5. Single-Leg Deadlift
Why it works:
The single-leg deadlift is a compound exercise that targets the glutes, hamstrings, and core. It forces your gluteus minimus to work hard to stabilize your hips during the movement.
How to do it:
- Stand on one leg, holding a dumbbell in the opposite hand.
- Slowly hinge at your hips, lowering the weight toward the floor while extending your free leg behind you.
- Return to standing by engaging your glutes and core.
- Perform 10-12 reps on each leg.
Pro Tip: Keep your back flat throughout the movement to avoid injury.
6. Curtsy Lunges
Why it works:
- Curtsy lunges are excellent for targeting the gluteus minimus because they require lateral movement, which engages the hip abductors. They also help improve balance and coordination.
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Step one leg behind you into a diagonal, lowering into a lunge position.
- Push through your front heel to return to standing.
- Repeat for 12-15 reps on each leg.
Pro Tip: Hold dumbbells to make this move more challenging and to work your glutes harder.
7. Lateral Step-Ups
Why it works:
- Lateral step-ups are a functional movement that works the gluteus minimus while also improving balance and coordination. This exercise engages the outer glutes and enhances overall lower-body strength.
How to do it:
- Stand next to a bench or step.
- Step up sideways onto the bench with one leg, lifting the other leg into the air as you stand.
- Lower back down slowly.
- Perform 10-12 reps on each leg.
Pro Tip: Hold weights to increase resistance and focus on a controlled descent to engage the glutes more effectively.
Conclusion
You need to work on more than just the gluteus maximus to shape your hips. By doing these seven gluteus minimus workouts, you’ll get a stronger, more rounded behind that not only looks great but also helps you move and stay stable.
These workouts are necessary for anyone in 2024 who wants to get stronger in their glutes, make their hips more stable, and make their lower body more balanced. When you add them to your routine, you’ll see results right away!