{"id":618,"date":"2025-07-11T04:57:04","date_gmt":"2025-07-11T04:57:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/618\/"},"modified":"2025-07-11T04:57:04","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T04:57:04","slug":"glutes-not-firing-try-these-expert-activation-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/618\/","title":{"rendered":"Glutes not firing? Try these expert activation tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

If your glutes feel stubborn or asleep when you head out for a run, you\u2019re not alone\u2014and the reason may be deeply rooted in your daily routine. According to Toronto chiropractor and former Canadian collegiate middle-distance runner Dr. Mateusz Krekora, the most common complaint he hears from runners is about tight glutes, which is often due to spending six to eight hours a day sitting in the same position at work.<\/p>\n

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Dr. Krekora says when runners perform glute-targeted exercises but don\u2019t actually feel their glutes working, the issue is usually neuromuscular, not muscular. \u201cYour lower back and hip flexors may end up compensating,\u201d he says. \u201cThis is known as gluteal amnesia, or \u2018dead-butt syndrome.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Gluteal amnesia doesn\u2019t mean the muscle is done for; it means it\u2019s become neurologically inhibited to move at the ability you need it to, due to prolonged inactivity (especially from sitting).\u201cWhen spinal joints become dysfunctional and don\u2019t move properly, the nerves that fire the glutes don\u2019t work optimally,\u201d Krekora tells Canadian Running. \u201cOnce proper motion is restored, patients typically notice better glute activation, especially when strength training and running.\u201d<\/p>\n

How to avoid gluteal amnesia<\/p>\n

1. Push through your heels<\/p>\n

Krekora\u2019s first tip is all about foot placement during strength training. \u201cIt\u2019s a misconception to push through the balls of your feet during squats, step-ups, or glute-targeted movements,\u201d he says. \u201cPushing through your heels activates the posterior chain\u2014especially your glutes and hamstrings, which are key for both power and stability.\u201d<\/p>\n

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2. Engage your big toe when walking<\/p>\n

You may think you already walk using your toes, but Krekora says most people don\u2019t engage them effectively. \u201cWhen walking, focus on pushing off from your big toe and pressing it into the ground with each step,\u201d he says. \u201cThat small adjustment can significantly boost glute activation.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. Tap to trigger activation<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve tried steps one and two, and still aren\u2019t feeling your glutes fire mid-exercise, try giving them a tap. \u201cPhysically tapping your glutes with your hand sends a signal to the brain to engage the muscle,\u201d Krekora says. \u201cIt can be just enough to reestablish that mind-muscle connection.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo provided by Mateusz Krekora<\/p>\n

If your glutes feel inactive or weak, don\u2019t assume you just need to strengthen them\u2014you may need to wake them up first. Small changes in posture, walking mechanics and exercise cues can make a big difference in how your glutes engage during movement.<\/p>\n

Dr. Mateusz Krekora is a former middle-distance runner at the University of Toronto, where he was a member of the school\u2019s 4x800m relay team. He still keeps up with the elite scene and treats many runners at the Toronto Corrective Chiropractic clinic and All-Access Health and Fitness (Toronto-Danforth).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If your glutes feel stubborn or asleep when you head out for a run, you\u2019re not alone\u2014and the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":619,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[837,838,337,839,840,841,97,842,843],"class_list":{"0":"post-618","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-chiropractor","9":"tag-dr-mateusz-krekora","10":"tag-fitness","11":"tag-glute-activation","12":"tag-glute-strength-for-runners","13":"tag-gluteal-amnesia","14":"tag-health","15":"tag-summer-training","16":"tag-tight-hips-and-glutes"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=618"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/619"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=618"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=618"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=618"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}