The Best Glute Medius Exercises for Cyclists!

Health care providers who use therapy and exercise like Manual Therapy UK for more great original content, and information on my workshops!

If a four-time Ironman World Champion triathlete like Chrissie Wellington can have glute and core weakness issues, it shows that training in varied planes / directions is necessary.

My last coach, Dave Scott, integrated strength and conditioning work into my programme and it helped no end, especially towards the end of a race. Dave knew that my drop-off in the marathon wasn’t due to glycogen deficiency or lack of energy – it was because my glutes, core and hamstrings weren’t strong enough, so my form would disappear. So we worked on those by including exercises like lunges, squats, single-legged squats and hip flexion exercises. Simple bodyweight-bearing stuff really.

Three times a week, each for about an hour, I’d undertake a strength and conditioning session. That’s not realistic for the amateur athlete, but even doing 2 x 20mins will have an effect. And you can always incorporate the exercises into your everyday life. For instance, when brushing your teeth or making porridge, do it while standing on one leg and squatting. Just take care to do the exercises correctly or your time will be wasted. Chrissie Wellington

Below are the exercises that I recommend, in an order that makes sense to me. Do the exercises for about 9 seconds take a 3 second break, then 8 seconds and break, 7 seconds break, ….down to 5 seconds or so. Rest for a minute and start again.

Tak S. The effects of active release technique on the gluteus medius for pain relief in persons with chronic low back pain. Korean Academy of Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science. 2013

“Our results suggest that the response to ART may be usable to treat low back pain. ART was presented to reduce pain level of low back in people with chronic low back pain. Further study is required to management for low back pain due to gluteus medius and more ART study.”

Active Release Techniques (ART) is hands-on manual therapy that works wonders on a tight glute medius. Follow it up with foam rolling and stretching at home. Chrissie Wellington was regularly treated by ART founder Mike Leahy.
It wasn’t an accident that I left out the clam-shell. It is too easy for most uninjured cyclists.
The side-plank requires massive glute medius contraction (study) along with a good contraction of other frontal plane stabilizers, the quadratus lumborum and obliques.
If you want to get maximal glute medius activation with minimal TFL activity, do isometric side-lying hip abduction (study).
Interesting study on women involving ITBS had some revealing findings on hip strength, cross-over gait and leaning with the torso while running.