Wake up dormant glutes and reverse the damage of sitting all day with this quick resistance band workout

Our glutes—the three powerful muscles in our butt—are often dormant because we sit on them all day. But it’s important that we activate these muscles and keep them strong, as they’re responsible for lots of everyday movements like walking, running and standing upright. Having strong glutes will also support the lower back during lifting and help prevent knee injuries.

You don’t need much equipment to build these muscles, just a looped resistance band. Here’s a quick seven-move routine I like to do after a day at the desk. Team it with some hip stretches to undo the damage of sitting.

How to do Biddulph’s glute strength bands routine:

There are seven moves to try:

• Banded squat
• Banded narrow to wide squat
• Banded reverse lunge
• Banded toe tap
• Banded donkey kick
• Banded lying leg raise
• Banded lying toe tap

Aim for 8-10 repetitions of each exercise with 15-20 seconds rest between. Complete three rounds and warm up and cool down before and after the session.

Below are form guides for each move.

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Banded squat

• Loop the band around your thighs and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing out slightly.
• Push the hips back and squat down as if sitting on a chair. Keep heels flat on the floor and your chest up.
• Pause for two seconds at the bottom of the movement then push back up through the heels to the starting position in one explosive movement.

Banded narrow to wide squat

• Stand with the resistance band looped around your thighs.
• Push the hips back and squat down as if sitting on a chair. Keep heels flat on the floor and your chest up.
• Stay in this static hold position then step your right leg out into a wide squat.
• Stay low as you return the right leg to the squat hold position, then step the left leg out and back in. That’s one repetition.

Banded reverse lunge

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart with the resistance band around your thighs, just above your knees.
• Step back with one leg and lower the knee until the shin is parallel to the floor.
• Drive through the front foot and return to the standing position. Swap legs and repeat.

Banded toe tap

• Start on your hands and knees, with shoulders stacked over your wrists and the resistance band looped around your thighs.
• Extend the right leg back and point your toe towards the floor.
• Tap the toe onto the floor then return your leg to the starting position.
• Switch sides and repeat.

Banded donkey kick

• Start on your hands and knees with the band around your thighs, knees under your hips.
• Keeping your back flat and hips parallel to the floor, lift one leg, maintaining a 90° bend at the knee.
• Press the foot upward to the ceiling then lower the leg to the starting position.
• Complete your repetitions, then switch sides.

Banded lying leg raise

• Start with the band around your ankles and lie on your side.
• Make sure your body is in a straight line and lean on your elbow, stacking your shoulder over your wrist. You can use your other arm to support you by placing your hand on the mat in front of you.
• Raise the top leg up and then slowly lower down. When you’ve done eight repetitions, swap legs.

Banded lying toe tap

• Start with the band around your ankles and lie on your side.
• Make sure your body is in a straight line and lean on your elbow, stacking your shoulder over your wrist. You can use your other arm to support you by placing your hand on the mat in front of you.
• Slightly raise your top leg and rotate your hip forwards towards the floor so that your toe is pointing towards the mat.
• Tap your toe on the floor in front of you and then behind you.
• When you’ve done eight repetitions, swap legs and repeat.