I get asked about training the glutes more than anything else. We all know the classic exercises and have done them over and over. Deadlifts, Squats, Lunges and so on.

But if we solely rely on these same moves throughout the year, we get mentally and physically burnt out. Our body’s positive adaptation to exercise simply can’t happen effectively if we keep doing the same thing over and over.

Over the next four weeks, join me as I introduce you to some less typical exercises that I’ve used to help some of the best athletes in the world tone and enhance the function of their glutes. These weekly exercises can be done for activation before a workout, or for overload to build up strength and size. First up, Mini Band Jumps.

How to Perform Mini Band Jumps

The mini band is probably the most commonly used piece of equipment in my practice. It is cheap, portable and can be used in almost any application for lower body drills. It is an amazing tool for getting the glutes either activated or overloaded.

Wrap a medium weight mini band around the ankles and another just below the knee. Come down into a very shallow squat. From a starting position, take a small hop backwards then quickly back to the starting position. Make sure the knees and feet stay wide. When you get back to the middle, pause for a moment, but stay down in your squat. Perform three sets of 15 reps.

The exercise can be progressed by taking a hop backwards then back to middle, left back to middle, right back to middle, forward back to middle. Try completing that sequence five times.

Derek Samuel is a licensed physical therapist and owner of Derek Samuel MPT. He’s trained multiple Heisman Trophy winners, NFL and MLB MVPs, NFL All-Pros and NCAA All-Americans. This article is the first in a four-part series on glute exercises. If you enjoyed it, follow him on Instagram.

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