Why runners should stretch and strengthen their glutes to improve performance and avoid injury
- The glutes are vital to the driving phase while running, and weak or tight glutes will slow you down and overload other muscles resulting in injury
- There are some simple stretches and exercises you can do at home or in the gym
The glutes, or better known as your bum, are vital to your running. It is a common misconception that the quads (the thighs) are responsible for driving you forward during a run, but most of the power comes from your glutes and the rest of the posterior chain as you push your weight off your feet.
If the glutes are tight or weak, it can leave other muscles to pick up the slack, leading to a slower pace and an increased likelihood of injury. In a day and age when we spend a lot of time sitting down, our glutes can “turn off” so it’s important to give them some special attention in your training routine to make sure they are firing.
If your glutes are tight they can pull on the muscles around them – they may be responsible for lower back pain, knee pain, tight or injured hamstrings or tight hips.
If they are weak, other muscles will become tight as they take on the extra load and become overworked.
Stretches
Improve your glute’s flexibility and mobility with static and dynamic exercises as part of your warm-up. Some you can even do at your desk.