Tip: The Ultimate Glute Warm-Up

I love quick and effective warm-ups. The best ones are made up of drills that complement each other and help you sneak in some mobility work without having to spend loads of time stretching. Combining the couch stretch and kettlebell swing will deliver both.

Do 3 Rounds:

• 30-Seconds Couch Stretch, each side
• 10 Kettlebell Swings

Focus on opening your hips completely and squeezing the glutes throughout both exercises.

The couch stretch, when done correctly, is one of the best mobility drills to open the hip flexors and improve your hip extension. The kettlebell swing is all about an effective hip hinge and building strength and power during hip extension.

So, the first exercise opens that range in your hips, then you directly apply that same motion to a strength movement. This will not only give you better glute activation but also stop your hip flexors from tightening up again.

Many people get stuck in the "stretching forever" cycle because they stretch and stretch and never actually strengthen their new ranges. Their body can't keep the new open position, so it goes back to being tight.

Try this quick warm-up for a few weeks and see what difference it makes to your hips.