Skater Exercise: Glute Strengthening

Video Transcript

Hey everyone, Dr. Alibhai here from Stuart Chiropractic. Today, I’m going to show you an exercise called the skater. You can use a chair if you need support, especially at the beginning. The exercise involves standing on one leg and kicking the other leg back.

We’re doing this to strengthen the glute muscles. When these muscles are weak, it can lead to lower back pain, knee pain, and even foot pain. This exercise activates the right muscles to help you get out of pain and perform at your best.

You’ll start by standing on one leg, say the right leg. Hinge at your hips, not your back, bending your knees slightly and sitting back. This position alone might be challenging. You can keep both hands on the chair. If this is all you can do right now, just stay here. You’ll feel your glute muscle activating as you press your foot into the ground.

To advance to the full skater exercise, keep your pelvis pointed straight ahead—imagine you have headlights that shouldn’t move. Keep your head in a neutral position and your ribcage locked down to engage your core, ensuring you’re still breathing.

Now, extend your left leg back at a 45-degree angle as if you’re skating. Make sure not to arch your back or open your hips too much; the focus is on keeping your pelvis forward. Hold that position briefly to intensify the glute activation. You can use your hands for balance if needed. Perform this movement for 12 reps.

Now switch sides and repeat, progressing to the point where you might not need to use the chair. Focus on hinging from your hip, keeping your back straight, and your ribcage down. Try it with one hand for balance as you extend your leg back, activating the supporting glute muscle. Count up to twelve, and you might notice the supporting leg getting tired—which is good.

Great work! This exercise not only tones your muscles but also turns on your glutes, significantly aiding your recovery process and keeping you healthy long-term. I’m Dr. Alibhai from Stuart Chiropractic. Give this a go and let me know how it works for you. Bye now.

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