5 Key Glute Workouts for Sprinters

The article further discussed a Japanese TV show in which the sprinter Asafa Powell and the national champion were compared. An MRI showed that Powell had a much larger psoas than the Japanese sprinter, while the national champion had a stronger command of regular weightlifting exercises.

Kickbacks

Speaking about this exercise, Korfist said, “Want a great butt workout that will help your sprint? This is it.” According to the coach, it is wonderful for building stronger glutes, but that’s not all; it also enhances sprint speed. 

This can be performed on various machines, like:

• Deadlift machine
• Shuttle MVP
• KBox

But it depends on whether the resistance is light or heavy, based on individual goals. Korfist believes that measuring performance while exercising can also encourage athletes to push harder and improve their progress.

Bungee exercise 

The article further discussed the foundational glute-development exercise in track coach Chris Korfist’s training: bungee.

He trains the athletes with this exercise until they start feeling their glutes working, and then he gradually phases it out. He usually begins with Bret Contreras’ hip extension, which helps build strength, particularly for weaker and slower athletes. Korfist helps athletes reach 500 lbs on his homemade hip bridge machine, which is inspired by Contreras’ methods.

The track coach also recommends the 45-degree hyperextension exercise, which is associated with sprint speed. The correct form is to drive the hips into the pad and to drive from the hips, not from the lower back. He also mentioned some other variations, such as:

• Straight legs
• Single leg
• Bent legs
• Toe ins
• Toe outs

In fact, coach Grand Bosch believes that powerful athletes must do this exercise with 2 1⁄2 times their body weight on a single leg.

Step ups

Another exercise Korfist suggested was step-ups, but he prefers the Scandinavian sprint coach version. It is a combination of hip thrusts and step-ups. 

In fact, while coaching, he added jack-knife and butt back to the step-ups to make them more effective. The coach said, “We do it with bands, weight, and into jumps.”

Single-legged squats (SLS)

Research published in the Journal of Athletic Training revealed that “The single-legged squat (SLS) is appropriate for targeting activation, strengthening, and neuromuscular retraining of the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and quadriceps.”

The goal should not be just to squat deep, but to feel the muscles in the glutes. An effective trick is to imagine someone pulling your shin forward while you push your hips backward. This position allows maximum glute activation.

In the SIMPLI FASTER article, Korfist further said, “I like to hang the weight rather than hold on, so we don’t teach the body to drive from hands but through the glute.” To make the exercise more challenging, one can incorporate various methods such as:

• Heavy sets
• Isometric holds
• Explosive reps

To increase glute activation, one simple strategy is to lean the torso forward. To improve strength and add extra resistance, one can simply use kBox.

Out of 5 exercises, how many do you perform in your daily training regimen? Tell us in the comment section.