Chances are you’ve Googled how to activate your glutes when cycling because you want toned, well-defined glutes. I put together this guide with some of my favorite exercises that will help you achieve just that. With these tips, you can make your cycling workouts even more effective!
What are the gluteal muscles?
The gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus all make up what most people simply call the glutes. This set of powerful muscles controls hip extension and stability and also helps limit rotation of the thigh.
The glutes have the potential to provide a lot of power throughout the pedal stroke. The hips are also stabilized, which can have positive effects on knee health.
The gluteus maximus muscles are responsible for extending the femur at the hip, so you use them every time you move and push your leg down when cycling.
Why do cyclists often have weak glutes?
The main reason for glute weakness lies in the effects of contemporary life. Gluteal activity has decreased due to technological developments and the increase in office jobs.
Prolonged sitting has been linked to shortening of the hip flexors and is compared and called the new smoking because it is very bad for your health.
This problem therefore does not only concern cyclists. We’re all in this together and even if you’re not trying to become a pro and win races, you would benefit from increasing your glute activation just for everyday life.
One of the best ways to reduce the time spent sitting is to use a standing desk.
Weak glutes and knee pain from cycling
If your glutes are weak, it can hurt your knees. This is because your glutes are responsible for stabilizing your hips and pelvis, and if they are weak, your knees can wobble and move more than they should. This can lead to knee pain.
This instability of the knee also leads to shifting the work of stabilizing the glutes towards the quadriceps.
Since the quadriceps are responsible for both pedaling and stabilizing the knee, they can now lead to more knee pain from overuse injuries.
4 Ways to Increase Glute Engagement When Cycling
1. Work on visualizing muscle activation
Muscle activation is the process that causes a muscle fiber to contract. This happens when an electrical signal is sent from the brain, down the spinal cord, and out to the muscle.
The electrical signal causes the release of a chemical called acetylcholine, which then binds to receptors in the muscle fiber. This interaction causes the fiber to contract and the muscle to move.
Muscle activation is important for many reasons. First, it allows us to move our bodies the way we want.
Second, it helps protect our joints and bones by stabilizing them during movement.
Third, it allows us to generate force, which is necessary to go fast on our bikes.
Finally, muscle activation can help improve our posture and prevent pain.
One of the easiest ways to see how well you are activating your muscles is to put a finger on the muscle and feel it physically contract.
So on your next ride, when it’s safe to do so, take one hand off your handlebars and press it to your glutes and feel the sensation of a tight muscle.
2. Do glute activation exercises when you’re not cycling
One of the best ways to help your brain get into the habit of properly activating your glutes is to do exercises on your days off and even right before a bike ride.
This will increase your neuro-muscular connections as explained above and improve your driving skills.
There are a few different exercises that are great for activating the glutes. One of the best is the donkey kick. To do this exercise, start on all fours with your hands and knees on the floor. Keep your back straight and engage your core.
Slowly lift one leg behind you, keeping your foot flexed. Step back until your leg is in line with your body, then return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side.
Another great exercise for activating the glutes is the single-leg deadlift. To do this exercise, start by standing with your feet hip-width apart. Holding a weight in one hand, hang at your hips and lower your torso until it is parallel to the floor.
Keeping your back flat, extend one leg behind you and reach the weight toward the floor. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
These are just a few of the many exercises you can do to target your glutes. Incorporate them into your workout routine and you’ll see results in no time.
Immediately before a bike ride, I like to do 5-10 minutes of specific exercises to prepare my glutes for cycling.
- Glute Bridges: A glute bridge is a great way to activate your glutes before a bike ride. To do a glute bridge, start by lying on your back with your feet flat on the floor and shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and bring your heels closer to your butt. Dig your heels into the floor and lift your torso and upper legs into the air, extending your hips until your thighs and torso are in line with each other – hold for two seconds. Slowly lower yourself back to the starting position. Repeat for 10 to 15 repetitions.
- Clam Shells: You need a resistance band for this exercise. Wrap the band around a sturdy pole and lie on your back with your knees bent. Place the soles of your feet together and tighten the band. Next, slowly open your legs like a clam shell, making sure to keep your core engaged. Hold for two seconds before closing them together. Repeat 10 to 15 times.
- Side walks in strips. Use the same resistance band from the last exercise and place it around your knees. Take a side step and focus on contracting your glutes. Do this 10 to 15 times in both directions.
These exercises don’t take much time and you will immediately notice a difference while cycling.
3. Get a Professional Bike Fit
If you have the money, having a bike installed professionally is one of the best investments you can make for your health and longevity.
A professional bike fit will give you a personalized bike position, tailored to your unique body and riding style. This will help you ride more comfortably and efficiently, and will also help prevent injuries.
A professional bike fit is usually performed by a certified bike fitter. The process usually takes 1-2 hours and can be done at a local bike shop or specialist bike assembly studio. During bike fitting, you will be asked to mount your bike on a trainer while the fitter observes and adjusts your position.
Some of the most important mistakes leading to less gluteal use seen by bike fitters are:
- Crampons too far forward
- Saddle too high
- Handlebars too high
Your torso should be brought forward 45 degrees to properly activate your glutes. This is the same position as when you squat and your back should be straight.
4. Change your sitting position
Even if you don’t want to get a bike or are just an amateur cyclist who doesn’t want to spend a ton of money on riding, there is one simple thing that will make a huge difference.
Your body position on the bike saddle can make a huge difference in glute activation.
Try sitting further back in your saddle on your next ride. When I first learned about this and tried it, I immediately noticed a huge change in the way my glutes felt.
Think about the angle of your hips when you are out of the saddle and move your seat to a position where that angle is replicated when you are seated.
Related Questions
What if your glutes don’t work when you cycle?
If the glutes are not used, the brain learns to adapt by assigning the stability responsibilities normally carried out by the glutes to the quadriceps and hamstrings throughout the pedal stroke.
This indicates that the quads drive the pedals and support the knee, which can lead to knee pain due to overinjury.
Does cycling work the glutes?
Cycling certainly strengthens and tones your glutes.
But you’ll build them much better and more efficiently if you follow the 4 steps I outlined above to increase glute activation.
Does indoor cycling build glutes?
Yes, indoor cycling builds your glutes. The same principles as riding a road bike apply though, so make sure your saddle is far enough back and focus on actually visualizing your glutes.
If you really want to feel your glutes during an indoor bike ride, Peloton has you covered. Take this glute bodyweight class before your Peloton ride and I promise your glutes will burn like you’ve never felt before.
Pain in your glutes while cycling? Try this!
The main reason for glute pain when cycling is from a bike that doesn’t fit you.
If you are experiencing pain, it would be very worthwhile to go to a professional bike shop and have a bike fitment done. You’ll be riding pain-free in no time.
There are now even virtual bike outfits that can be useful if your town doesn’t have a good bike shop.
Conclusion
I hope this article has helped you understand why it’s so important to focus on engaging your glutes when cycling.
The gluteal muscles are responsible for triggering the downward phase of the pedal stroke and are worked every time you ride.
As an added benefit, working on activating your glutes means they will grow and you’ll end up with more toned glutes even when you’re not riding.
Falk Baumann
Falk Baumann is the founder of Prodify Cycling. Falk has been riding and racing mountain bikes and road bikes since he was very young. He started Prodify Cycling to attract more people to the sport and help introduce them to the most fun sport there is.