Glute Extension in Quadruped:
- Start in the quadruped position with a neutral spine
- Bring your leg up and back with knee flexed at a 90 degree angle
- Try to keep the leg perpendicular with the floor
- Hold the position for a few seconds and squeeze the muscle once your leg is perpendicular to the floor
- You can do this with your knee straight
- Adding ankle weights will help make this exercise more difficult
Modified Glute Extension:
- Start with your hands or elbows resting on a chair (depending how high the chair is) with your feet shoulder width apart, knees bent, and a neutral spine
- Bending your knees adds a balance, stability, and strengthening component to the stationary leg
- Bring your leg up and back with knee flexed at a 90 degree angle
- Try to keep the leg perpendicular with the floor
- Hold the position for a few seconds and squeeze the muscle once your leg is perpendicular to the floor
- You can do this with your knee straight
- Adding ankle weights will help make this exercise more difficult
​Abduction in Quadruped (Fire Hydrant):
- Begin on hands and knees with a neutral spine
- Bring your leg out to the side
- Keep your knee bent; (this is where the fire hydrant part comes in, use your imagination)
- Make sure you are activating your buttocks and outer part of your thigh, as opposed to using your back
Modified Abduction (Fire Hydrant):
- Start with your hands or elbows resting on a chair (depending how high the chair is) with your feet shoulder width apart, knees bent, and a neutral spine
- Bending your knees adds more of a balance, stability, and strengthening component to the stationary leg
- Bring your leg out to the side
- Keep your knee bent; (this is where the fire hydrant part comes in, use your imagination)
- Make sure you are activating your buttocks and outer part of your thigh as opposed to using your back
Modified Supine Glute Bridge:
- This exercise is a more advanced version of a Glute Bridge that you could do while laying flat on the floor. Begin with the easier version before progressing to this one.
- The physioball adds an extra dimension of balance, core stability, and requires more activation of the thighs, glutes, abdominals, and back
Laying on your back past the first trimester might put pressure on the vena cava and should be done with care. Watch out for dizziness/lightheadedness/trouble breathing. Discontinue if you feel any negative symptoms
- Begin with your back resting against the physioball, feet flat on the floor.
- Find your neutral spine
- Bring your buttocks up by activating your glutes
- Try to keep a 90 degree angle at the knees
- Activate your core as you squeeze your glutes by bringing your abdominal muscles in and up
- Hold the position with glutes activated for 10 sec and slowly release