John Kirkpatrick is the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Sale Sharks, and a former professional rugby league player who played for St Helens RLFC, London Broncos RLFC and Widnes RLFC.
Here, Kirky shares three top glute-strengthening exercises that can support your triathlon training.
- Deadlifts
- Feet hip width apart, shoulders back and down, core engaged.
- Move from your hips, bend your knees and squat to reach the bar.
- Overhand grip, hands should be on the bar just outside your legs.
- Lift, keeping your back flat, shoulders down, head forward, core engaged.
- Screw your feet into the floor and squeeze your glutes to get them working.
- Lower and repeat.
- Hip thrusts
- Lie down on your back, knees bent with feet flat on the floor.
- Neck is relaxed, arms at your sides.
- Lift your hips towards the ceiling as high as you can, without raising your shoulders, moving your feet, or using your arms.
- Squeeze the glutes as you thrust.
- Lower and repeat.
- Box squats
- Use a box or bench to lower on to.
- Feet just wider than hip width.
- Squat down until you touch the box (don’t put your full weight on it, just touch it).
- Engage glutes and power back up.
- Add a bar across the back of your shoulders to challenge yourself even more.