It’s easy to start doing a glute, hamstring or hip workout without realizing whether you’re actually working out that specific muscle. This exercise, demonstrated by Point Performance’s Adam Gershowitz, is a great functional assessment for hip stability and to see if the muscles are, in fact, being used correctly. It is often done with a physical therapist, but can also be done at home or in the gym by yourself to self-assess.
Lie on the floor on your back and bridge one leg as close to the gluteus as possible. Lift the leg up 45 degrees so it is equal to the opposite knee, and put your hands straight up into the air. Lift your glutes up and stay in that position. Check to feel which muscle is working – the back, hamstring, or the buttock. If you notice it’s working more in, say, the hamstring, adjust so you can feel the tightness more in the gluteus. This allows the body to have more awareness to tighten that glute. Stay in this position for about 30-60 seconds in order to compare the two sides.