7 Best Exercises You Can Do for Glutes If You Have Bad Knees

Glutes are one of the most powerful muscles in the body and they have a huge impact on our daily functions. If you have bad knees and your hip abductor muscles that help support the knee aren't firing, you're going to have problems.

You can still counter these problems by doing glute strengthening exercises. These exercises are a core part of any rehab program, whether you have back pain, arthritis, knee pain when you run, or even if you are flat-footed.

With that in mind, here are seven exercises that will not only rehabilitate your knees, but also strengthen your glutes.

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7 Best Glute Strengthening Exercises for Bad Knees

1) Romanian Deadlift

Romanian Deadlift is the finest leg exercise for bad knees since it works the hamstrings and glutes. It's crucial to concentrate on your form when performing this exercise since it can put stress on your knees if done incorrectly.

Here's how you perform the Romanian deadlift:

• To begin, stand up straight with your legs close to each other. Hinge from your hips and grab a barbell or a dumbell - whichever you feel most comfortable with.
• Maintain a straight back while you slowly lift the weight up using the hamstrings and hips. Stop once you're back at the starting position.
• Continue the same for 10 to 15 repetitions, three to four sets per day, five days a week.

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2) Hip Thrust

It is one of the best glute and leg/knee friendly leg exercises you can perform at the gym or at home, provided you have a bar with plates. It allows you to strengthen your glutes and tone the muscles effectively while having a low impact on your knees, lower back, legs, and quadriceps.

Here's how you do hip thrusts:

• Sit down on the floor with a couch, chair or bench behind you, and bend your knees such that your feet are firmly planted on the ground.
• Place a barbell so that it is resting right below your hips.
• Lean backwards until your shoulder blades are resting on the bench and place the bar on your hips.
• Drive the barbell up using your hips while maintaining a steady grip.
• Squeeze your glutes in the top position. Make sure your knees form a ninety-degree angle with the floor in the top position.

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3) Sumo Deadlift

This exercise stimulates your glute and hip muscles more than an RDL training, yet being identical to the Romanian deadlift.

The two major rules are to keep your feet somewhat wider than shoulder-width apart and to lower yourself slightly.

To do a sumo deadlift:

• Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, hold a barbell or set of dumbbells in front of you.
• Turn your feet out 30 to 45 degrees so they are away from your body's midline.
• Reach down and take an overhand grip on the dumbbells as you bend at the hips, maintaining your chest up and thrusting your hips back.
• Straighten your legs to stand while contracting your glutes, pushing your hips forward, and lifting the dumbbells.

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4) Banded Lateral Walk

Resistance band exercises such as the lateral band walk and miniband walk are popular in professional athletics, bodybuilding, and pilates. Hip abductor muscles are primarily targeted and strengthened with lateral band walks.

To do banded lateral walks:

• Get into a relaxed stance with your feet close together.
• Wrap your upper legs in the resistance band.
• To aid your balance, hold your arms out in front of you, hands clasped together.
• Move your right leg firmly away from your left leg and to your right side. Maintain the squat position by pushing into your hips.

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5) Weighted Lying Clam Lift

To give you a rounder-looking booty, the weighted side-lying clam lifts work your hips and inner thighs.

To do weighted clamshell workout:

• Lie on your side, holding a dumbbell in between your bent top leg and the floor.
• Lift your top leg up in the air while supporting your head with one hand, then lower it back down to start position.

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6) Hip Raises

Unlike bridges, hip rises require you to lift your feet. The best hip lift exercises are those that target the buttocks. These are more difficult exercises since they train the hip muscles more broadly.

To do hip raises:

• Kneel down on a low stool with your feet placed hip-width apart.
• Clench and lift your buttocks into a bridge position and hold

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7) Stretches

Stretching your muscles before and after a workout is an excellent way to warm up and cool down. It also helps to keep tight muscles loose and relaxed. There are several different stretches you can do for your hip muscles, including one that focuses on the piriformis muscle.

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Takeaway

Strong hip muscles also improve knee health. Knee injuries are common in runners and other athletes, and weak glutes contribute to them. A lower-leg injury can take you out of the game for months at a time, making it difficult to get back in there. The exercises above are great for improving your strength and stability, whether your knees have had issues or not.