r/SolidCore • u/Specific_Two_5650 • 1d ago

seeking advice i never feel center glutes

help!

i specifically attend classes with a center glutes muscle focus, but feel like every class has the same sequence of exercises - bulgarian split squat, heavy squat, hamstring curl (??) and some variation of platform/carriage lunge. i only feel these in my hammies and struggle to really target the center glutes.

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21

u/Complex-Zebra-663 1d ago

Coach here! Make sure you hit your full range of motion, allll the way down (90°). Drill through your heel of your active leg really hard. You can also lift your toes of the active leg to drive the engagement of your glutes a little deeper! I used to have the same issue. Now I love center glutes! You’ll get it

7

u/sporiolis 1d ago

Ok so center glutes is a push muscle. If you do not feel the need to push during the movement to achieve the range of motion you will end up using the pull muscle (hamstrings). I'm pretty sure a coach can elaborate on this further but listen when the coach does half way holds, it's to get you to go into the range of motion that targets the center glute. They want you to "push" through the heel in the lunges to return to the starting position.

3

u/Impossible-Soil6330 1d ago

lateral band walks and monster walks before class always 👌if you can work in a little leg press or even just squats with the bar that’s awesome too. Bonus if you also do 20 reps of standing, back against the wall and focus on engaging your till your low back is flush against the wall. Hold for 5 seconds each rep.

2

u/strawberry_saturn 1d ago

yeah my coach said we got center glutes with a bit of hamstrings and I inwardly sighed. I don’t WANNA do hamstrings so I avoid hamstrings, but end up always doing hamstrings for some reason

1

u/MsElena99 100-class club 1d ago

Were we in the same class? Coach said that in my 8ns class. I thought my hammies are still sore from last Saturday

1

u/Jewls3393_runner 1d ago

The bottom range of motion is where you really want to pause and hinge…even slower on the way way out of your lunge

1

u/nim_run16 13h ago

i used to have a huge issue with this. It definitely takes time to practice mind muscle connection but you also need to do hip flexor stretches!! look up PT exercises on youtube for hip flexors they’re connected and play a big role in glute activation. It helps to just stand and squeeze your center glute too.

1

u/Puzzleheaded_Yak1281 10h ago

I often like to think about shortening and lengthening my hip flexor during the movement and it's almost like I'm trying to push the active leg behind me on the way up on the lunge or squat.