Regularly performing these three Pilates exercises can help strengthen your glutes.
Emma Stallworthy, a renowned Pilates instructor and the founder of Your Reformer, shares her favourite mat-based Pilates exercises for targeting the glutes. These exercises are ideal for building glute strength and endurance in Pilates workouts.
The Glute Bridge
The glute bridge is a staple exercise for maximal glute activation. To perform this move, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Engage your core and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Hold briefly, then lower slowly. This exercise targets the gluteus maximus, hamstrings, core stabilisers, and lower back [1][3].
To intensify the glute bridge, you can add weights over your hips [1].
Quadruped Donkey Kick
While not detailed fully in the text, the quadruped donkey kick is one of the three key exercises Emma Stallworthy recommends for glute strength, alongside the glute bridge and the side-lying leg lift [1].
Side-Lying Leg Lift
Lying on one side, bend the bottom leg at 90 degrees, lift the top leg off the mat, then lower back. This exercise targets the glute medius, glute minimus, and obliques, improving lateral hip strength, stability, and gait efficiency [2].
To make side-lying leg lifts more challenging, you can use a resistance band around your legs [2].
These exercises are particularly recommended by Stallworthy for building glute strength and endurance in Pilates mat workouts. The glute bridge is a recommended exercise for maximal glute activation, the donkey kick engages both the gluteus maximus and stabilisers in a quadruped position, and the side-lying leg lift strengthens lateral hip muscles critical for stability [1][2][3].
Recommended Sets and Reps
For the glute bridge, Stallworthy recommends performing 1-3 sets with 15-20 reps [4]. These guidelines ensure a balanced and effective workout for glute strengthening.
[1] Stallworthy, E. (2021). Your Reformer Pilates Mat Workout: Glutes Edition. [Video file].
[2] Stallworthy, E. (2020). Side-Lying Leg Lift: Pilates Mat Exercise for Glutes. [Video file].
[3] Stallworthy, E. (2020). Glute Bridge: Pilates Mat Exercise for Maximal Glute Activation. [Video file].
[4] Stallworthy, E. (2021). Pilates Mat Glute Workout: A Comprehensive Guide. [Article].
[5] Stallworthy, E. (2021). The Benefits of Pilates for Strengthening Your Glutes. [Article].
- Incorporating science and health-and-wellness practices, Pilates expert Emma Stallworthy showcases the side-lying leg lift as an effective Pilates mat exercise that targets the obliques, glute medius, and glute minimus while improving lateral hip strength, stability, and gait efficiency.
- The glute bridge, a popular exercise for maximum glute activation, is part of the fitness-and-exercise routine recommended by Emma Stallworthy, and it is ideal for building endurance and strength in the gluteus maximus, hamstrings, core stabilisers, and lower back, often featured in Pilates workouts and research studies.
