hey everybody it's doctor jo and sleepy super Kali,
and today i'm going to show you some beginner exercises to strengthen the gluteus medius
so let's get started.
so before we get started, if you haven't already, make sure and click on the subscribe button below
because that helps my channel grow. so the gluteus medius muscle which is that booty muscle a little
bit on the side, really helps when we walk. so if it's weak, sometimes we have a different walking
or gait pattern, and that can make a whole lot of things hurt. so these are just some beginner
exercises to really get you going. also with reps and sets, it's really different for everybody, so if
you want to find out more about those, i do have a video for that and the link is in the description
below. so the first one we're going to do is just a modified side plank. and so you want if you have a
specific weak side, you want that weak side to be down towards the floor or the couch or whatever
you're on. i'm doing it on the couch, but these can be done on the floor. couches and beds are a little
bit more squishy, so it's going to make it more challenging, but if you have a hard time getting
up off of the floor, you can do them on your couch. so with a modified side plank, you're going to kind
of bend your knees a little bit because you're going to come up on your knees instead of on
your feet. so if it was my left side that was weak, my left side is going to be towards the floor. so
make sure that your elbow and your shoulder are in pretty close alignment with each other because if
you're too far out or if you're too far in, you're going to put a lot of pressure on your shoulder.
so i'm starting with my knees a little bit more forward than my hips because when i come up, i'm
going to drive them forward, and that's what's going to help with the gluteus medius. so you
can kind of have them like this. you can have them a little bit further back to start off with so you
don't have to drive as much forward up, but again this is going to work those muscles. so when you're
coming up you're pushing up and in. try and get as much of a straight line as you can. i know it
doesn't quite look like that on the couch, but you want to try and bring those hips up squeeze those
glute muscles in and hold it. so you can start off with just five to ten seconds and kind of
work your way up from there. and then coming back down. if you don't get all the way up the first
time, you know if you're a little bit here, that's okay because of some weakness. but the goal is
to really try and get into that straight line to activate those muscles. that's what you really want.
so the next one is going to be a side lying abduction exercise to get that outer one.
so this time, the the leg that you want to work is going to be up on top.
now always if you want to make sure that you're lying all the way down, if that's more comfortable.
i'm just kind of propped up so i can see you a little bit better, but you know lie all the way
down if if this is not a comfortable position. you can keep the bottom leg just kind of bent up for
some extra support for your back, and you're going to straighten out that top leg. so the
really important part to activate that gluteus medius muscle with this is when you lift your leg,
you're going to slightly go behind you, and you're going to lead with your heel. so you're kind of
turned this way. if you bring it up this way you're working the hip flexor, so you really want to get
this one, so you're going to have to turn your leg a little bit to get that further back. try
and keep your hips in that perpendicular position. try not to roll back. keep them up and then you're
just going to go back a little bit that way. so coming back down, but see how i'm turned this
way? again even straight is not quite going to get the exercise that you want. really turn that heel
up, those toes in, and then kick back behind you. you should feel it activating right there. so if
it's not, kind of reset and try that again kicking up. the next one is going to be clam shells. clam
shells are some of my favorite exercises. again if you want to lie all the way down doing it you can.
clam shells are sneaky. the first couple ones feel pretty easy, but once you get going, they're
a little tough. so again it's really important to work in the proper form. so your hips again
should be perpendicular to whatever you're lying on. if you're rolling back when you go
into that clamshell, you're not activating those muscles. the feet stay together and just the top
leg comes up. so bringing it up like this. keeping it in that position. again if i go back like this,
i'm not getting that exercise, but i'm just lifting as high as i comfortably can without rolling my
hips back, and then slowing slowly coming back down. so again it doesn't look like it's much,
but believe me, especially if you haven't done them before. you get to three to four, you're like this
is pretty easy. you get to five you're like all right i'm feeling that burn just a little bit.
then you're gonna go into a reverse clam shell. so it's kind of just like
it sounds, it's the reverse motion. so this time the knees are going to stay together.
you're still staying in that perpendicular position, and now your foot is coming up
this way. so that's just kind of getting that reverse movement. and again these might not feel
like a lot. this helps stretch it as well, so this is kind of a good movement with that.
so then after you get all of those, the last one is going to be a little bit harder, so you might
not be ready for this in the beginning. do the other ones first once. they get pretty easy, you
can try this. so this time this is going to be a plank, and then if you can comfortably do the
plank you're going to do a hip extension or a leg extension with it. so when you come into a plank,
again make sure everything's pretty lined up so you don't irritate your shoulders.
you're going to push up on your toes, squeeze those glute muscles. so make sure you're squeezing that
booty. you're not sagging down. you're not coming up like this. you're kind of staying in that pretty
straight line. sometimes it's not exactly straight if you're really squeezing your glutes. if this is
easy then just a little lift. but i'm not rolling and lifting it because then that's changing the
exercise. squeeze, lift, nice and slow come back down. whew Kali is very tired from her workout.
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to subscribe by clicking down there. and remember be safe, have fun, and i hope you feel better soon.