Few people would pass up an opportunity to look a little more athletic, and nearly everyone would like to perform daily activities like sitting, standing, or running more gracefully. A glutes and hamstrings workout at home is an excellent solution, as it works the major muscle groups that provide the force output for precise movements that raise and lower the body.
The result is that over time, as your glutes and hamstrings become stronger, you will notice significant improvements to your posture, balance, and resistance to fatigue from vigorous movements.
There is another upside to incorporating glutes and hamstring exercises into your home workout regimen if you are a senior. The stronger these muscles get, the better they will protect bone integrity and make everyday movements safer and easier.
With that background in mind, let’s talk about the nine best exercises for the glutes and hamstrings.
An overview of the glutes and hamstrings
The 9 best glutes and hamstrings home workouts
An overview of the glutes and hamstrings
The glutes and hamstrings (as pictured above) are involved whenever you use your leg, i.e. when you walk, run, climb, squat, or jump.
These muscles are the main contributors to the explosive force that powers all of those movements.
The glutes and hamstrings comprise smaller, component muscles that work in unison for hip extension movements—standing up and straightening your hips and torso or moving your leg behind you when standing or propelling your body forward when running or walking.
The glutes consist of the following:
- Gluteus maximus (largest single muscle in the body responsible for the rounded shape of the butt and a key player in maintaining an upright upper body)
- Gluteus medius (work to move the leg up to the side, keep the pelvis steady and balanced, and allow for internal and external rotation of the hip)
- Gluteus minimus (same function as the gluteus medius)
The hamstrings consist of the:
- Biceps femoris (for bending your knees, lower leg rotation, and pulling your leg behind you)
- Semitendinosus (hip extension and rotation as well as internal rotation at the knee)
- Semimembranosus (performs a similar function as the semitendinosus)
Training the glutes and hamstrings is not really optional because when they are strong, the whole body benefits and vice-versa. Also, their prominent role in the body’s movement means that they can be easily injured if not properly trained. For example, the hamstrings are often the muscle group most prone to injury in sports, and weak glutes increase the load on the spine.
Warm-up
Various studies like the one by Pain Science highlights the importance of doing a warmup before exercising, as it dramatically improves performance in a real workout.
This is because warming up before engaging in your at-home glutes and hamstring exercise raises your body temperature, and this prepares your muscles for the vigorous contractions they will be subjected to later on.
There is also the added benefit of increased blood flow to the relevant muscle groups so that enough oxygen gets to them for intense action.
The warmup exercises you will be engaging in are basically stripped-down versions of the main workouts for your glutes and hamstrings. They include but are not limited to the knee hug and glute bridge:
1. Knee hug
Stand straight and tall with your feet flat on the group and shoulder-width apart. This is the starting position.
Raise the knee of the right leg to your chest and use your hands to hold it closer to your chest.
Lower the leg in question to the starting position and repeat the movements with the other leg.
2. Glute bridgeÂ
Lie flat on your back with your knees pointing towards the ceiling, your feet flat on the floor, and your arms flat on the floor by your side. This is the starting position.
Raise your hips so that they form a straight slope from your knees down to your chest region. Squeeze your glutes at the top position.
Lower your hips to the starting position and repeat for 15-20 reps.
The 9 Best Glutes and Hamstrings Workout at Home
1. Single-leg Romanian deadlifts
This at-home hamstring workout is probably among the most difficult of all exercises as you have to balance your body horizontally on one leg with the other leg, forming a straight linear line with the rest of your body.
The single-arm Romanian deadlift (RDL) pairs well with dumbbells, but sustaining that position while suspending a pair of dumbbells might be impossible for a beginner.
That said, here are the steps to perform this gruelling hamstring exercise at home or anywhere.
Steps:
- Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart while you clutch a dumbbell in your right hand.
- Balance firmly on the left leg, but keep a slight bend at the knee and maintain a straight back.
- Lean forward on your left hip to bring your torso parallel to the floor.
- Straighten your right leg and its toes behind you to form a straight line with your torso.
- Straighten your right arm to lower the dumbbell directly in front of your left leg.
- Next, lower your right leg to stand up straight (to the starting position) but don’t loosen your grip on the dumbbell. Hold this upright position for a second or two.
- Repeat the movements for as many reps as you can before failure.
Precaution(s):
As a beginner, first focus on mastering the art of balancing your body horizontally on one leg before adding dumbbells.
2. Dumbbell squat
Taking the weight off your shoulders by replacing the barbell with the dumbbell can prove to be much safer and sustainable for a novice to weighted squats.
As such, the dumbbell squat is an excellent exercise for building strength in the hamstrings ( and glutes).
Steps:
- Assume an erect st, ance holding dumbbells at your side with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Lower down into a squat by bending your knees and pushing your butt back to make your hips parallel with the floor.
- Straight your knees and hips to get back to your starting position.
- Repeat for as many reps as possible.
Precautions:
Avoid rounding your back when performing the dumbbell squat. If you can’t help it, this might be due to insufficient core strength, in which case, you can strengthen the core with planks before adding additional resistance.
3. Leg curls
Lying leg curls or hamstring curls, often synonymous with leg curl machines, are another excellent hamstring isolation exercise that you are encouraged to add to your home workout routine.
Sooner or later, as you make leg curls a consistent part of your hamstrings at home workout, you will notice improved strength, balance, and stamina in your hamstrings, which will, in turn, help you to be quicker and more agile in sports and even for such everyday activities such as house chores.
Steps:
- Anchor a resistance band with a loop around a secure, sturdy bench or any other object with a solid footing.
- Lie facedown with feet shoulder-width apart and facing away from the anchor.
- Pull your heels with the resistance bands towards your glutes. Keep your hips and quads on the floor.
- Lower the foot and repeat the process with the other leg.
Precautions:
- Leg curls may be unsafe for you if you (1) have had injuries or instabilities in the knees, (2) have had knee or hip surgery, and (3) have had surgery in your back, spine, or neck.
4. Walking lunges
There is every reason to include walking lunges among the best glutes and hamstrings home workouts on this blue planet. With walking lunges, you don’t need separate exercises to target your glutes, quads, and hamstrings, as the exercise targets all of them at once.
This exercise requires you to take a step forward and bend at each knee. It can be done even in your bedroom since all you need is enough room to walk, and for starters, you might not need any equipment besides your body weight.
If you want to increase the difficulty, add dumbbells or (if you are already used to them), go with barbells.
Steps:
- Stand straight, leaving only a hip-width gap between your feet.
- Step forward with your right leg and lower your left knee to make your right thigh parallel to the floor. Keep a straight back, and don’t shrug your shoulders in any way.
- Straighten your right leg and then step forward with your left leg to repeat the whole sequence over again.
- Alternate sides for as many reps as you can take just before failure.
Precautions:
It’s best to avoid leaning forward from your hips when doing the walking lunge. This can happen when you want to use the body momentum of a forward lean to speed into the next lunge. It can hurt your lower back and disengage your core in the process.
5. Good mornings
Good mornings are one nice alternative to the deadlift that mainly focuses on the spinal erector muscles in your back as well as the glutes and hamstrings.
This hip hinge exercise is also useful for training you to do better squats and deadlifts and can help you avoid back pain and injury in the long run if consistently done with proper form.
Steps:
- Start with an erect posture and space your feet hip-width apart with a slight bend in your knees.
- Bend forward at the hip in a slow, controlled movement, pushing your hips backwards and maintaining a straight spine until your upper body is nearly parallel with the floor.
- Pause to hold the position for a second or two and reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
Precautions:
Pregnant women or those recovering from childbirth shouldn’t attempt the good morning exercise. Also, if you are a beginner at workouts, try starting the good morning with no weight.
6. Dumbbell/kettlebell/Barbell hip thrusts
The hip thrust, no matter which equipment you use at home, is one of the best exercises you can think of as far as the glutes and hamstrings are concerned.
In fact, studies have shown that the hip thrust beats the squat and the deadlift when it comes to activating the glutes and hamstrings, and that’s because, unlike the last two exercises, hip thrusts are an isolation exercise that zeros in on the muscles in question.
This exercise is performed while sitting on the floor with your back against a bench and then raising your lower body so that your hips are parallel with the rest of your body.
Steps:
- Start by sitting on the floor with your upper back resting on a bench and one or two dumbbells sitting on your lap. Bend your knees and rest your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
- Raise your hips to be near 90 degrees with your lower leg at the knees and in line with your upper body.
- Pause and squeeze your glutes at the top.
- Slowly lower your butt back toward the floor for one rep.
NOTE: The distance from your feet to your butt can determine whether the glutes or the hamstring gets more attention, according to Doctor of Physical Therapy Tessia DeMattos. The further your feet are from your butt, the more the hamstrings are targeted and vice-versa.
7. Standing hip extensions
Standing hip extensions are an excellent way to activate your glutes and, if done consistently and with proper form, can go a long way to improve your posture, strength, and balance.
This exercise works so well for helping you walk with a normal gait because it actively extends the hips. It’s also safe for most people to do, being among Wellen by Osteoboost’s recommended exercises for people with osteoporosis and osteopenia.
Steps:
- Start by standing straight and tall with your hands resting on a sturdy table or countertop.
- Drive one leg back as if preparing to kick a ball with it, but keep your knee straight.
- Hold the position for a second or two while squeezing your butt muscles.
- Slowly release your leg and return it to the starting position.
NOTE: You might quickly get used to the standing hip extensions without any external resistance. To keep getting more gains from the exercise, using resistance bands is a good idea.
Precautions
When doing the standing hip extension, avoid lowering your chest towards the floor as you swing your leg back. Also, when using resistance bands, stay in control and avoid letting the band fling your leg back.
8. Step-ups
If climbing the stairs is too much work for you and you have ruled out any medical condition, then it’s time to work on your glutes and hamstrings using the step-up exercise.
The movement is a great way of building stability and ensuring that you don’t stagger as you walk or climb the stairs because, according to the Journal of Physical Therapy Science, step-ups force you to control your weight as you move up and down.
Step-ups also strengthen the knees and train each leg equally, correcting muscle imbalances in the process.
To do this exercise, first, get a secure bench or box that won’t move even if you jump on it.
Steps:
- Stand straight behind the bench or box and place your right foot on it so that your knees, hips, and ankles are at 90 degrees. Your other leg should be standing straight. This is the starting position.
- Press on the surface with your foot and lift your body to stand on the surface with only your right foot while you suspend your left foot in the air with a 90-degree bend at the knee.
- Hold for a second and lower your left foot to land on the floor and get back to the starting position.
- Repeat the movement for as many reps as you can before switching feet.
Precautions
When doing the step-up, use your active leg (the one on the raised surface) to lift your body up and back down. In other words, don’t push with your lower leg. Let it be dead weight until you switch to it.
9. Sit-to-stand
The sit-to-stand exercise is a simple exercise that only involves your body weight and is among those recommended for people with osteoporosis and osteopenia.
The exercise is a weight-bearing exercise—which means you have to support your body weight while moving against gravity—that strengthens your glutes and hamstrings, making it easier to perform such everyday activities as standing up from and sitting in a chair or climbing and descending the stairs.
Steps:
- Sit at the front end of a chair and space your feet hip-width apart while keeping your hips and knees at a 90-degree angle. This is your starting position.
- Extend your arms and hinge forward at your waist to shift your body weight over your toes. Stand up by pushing through your heels.
- Slowly lower back down to a seated position.
Precautions:
You may want to avoid using swivel chairs or any other wheeled chairs as they could slide from under you.
Wrapping Up
There you go! You finally have a comprehensive list of 9 glutes and hamstrings workout at home routines that are sure to make those muscles burn but without injury.
As you may have noticed, these home workouts are either weight-bearing exercises or hip-extension-style ones.
In other words, they require you to control your body weight while going against gravity’s pull. At the same time, some of the workouts involve extending the hip joint to increase the angle between your pelvis and thigh.
Now, that’s something that really rocks the gluteal muscles and hamstrings!
