Bodybuilder Erin Stern is sharing a workout that can help reduce knee and back pain while simultaneously producing aesthetic results. In her latest effort, Stern broke down three exercises for strengthening the glute medius which can help enhance core strength and stability.
Having conquered the Figure Olympia stage on two occasions (2010, 2012), Stern has become a trusted voice in the fitness and bodybuilding community. In addition to her accolades in Figure, Stern found success testing herself in the Bikini category. Boasting over 312,000 YouTube subscribers, the bodybuilding champ continues to give back with insightful workout demonstrations.
“I wanted to shine a spotlight on a little muscle that when developed, can lead to big results. And, by this, I mean, not only aesthetic results by adding some curves, but also some results in core strength and stability and potentially decreasing knee or back pain if you have those. What mythical muscle am I speaking of? It’s the glute medius.”
Erin Stern’s Glute Medius-Strengthening Workout Demonstration for Enhanced Core Strength and Stability
First, Stern explained the utility of the glute medius muscle and how it can help with injury prevention.
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“It’s responsible for your rotation, it’s responsible for abduction of the leg, and it’s also responsible for keeping that pelvis stable. Whenever you’re moving or lifting in your day-to-day life. If you have hip, back, or knee pain, a weak glute medius could be what’s going on here.”
Before diving into the workout, Erin Stern revealed how to detect whether you have a weak glute medius muscle.
- Stand on a solid surface and place your hands on your hip bones.
- Slowly raise one knee until your upper leg reaches parallel to the floor.
- Note your hip bones – are they level, or did you compensate by raising one hip? If you’re able to keep your hips level, you’re good.
“Working on glute medius can still be great for hypertrophy, though. If you had issues keeping your hips level, adding these 3 exercises to your routine can strengthen this little muscle.”
The Workout
- Side Plank With Abductor Leg Lift
- Single Leg Squat
- Glute Medius Leg Lift
Side Plank With Abductor Leg Lift
Stern says sticking to 15-20 repetitions per leg is ideal for those seeking to benefit from side plank abductor leg lifts.
“One of the great benefits of this exercise is you’re also getting a core workout and you’re not only working the leg that’s on the top, but you’re also working the supporting leg as you’re performing this exercise. As a general rule, you’re looking for 15-20 reps per side here if possible.”
She believes keeping a neutral spine and aligning the shoulders with the hips will produce the best results.
“You want to keep your solid plank position. You are supporting yourself on one arm, that upper arm is perpendicular to the floor.
You’re keeping a neutral spine and that shoulder is going to be in line with the hip, it’s going to be in line with the knee and in line with the foot. You’re going to raise that working leg so the top leg, you’re going to lift that leg and bring it back down to the starting position and go nice and slow on the negative if possible.”
Single-Leg Squat
According to studies, Stern believes the single-leg squat is the most effective movement for strengthening the glute medius.
“In studies, the single-leg squat was the most effective exercise for really hitting and strengthening that glute medius. Now, the traditional single-leg squat is pretty difficult, so use a bench, use a box, use something that you can help to spot yourself.”
During this squatting movement, Stern says to pay close attention to knee placement as it should always follow the direction of the toes.
“You want to make sure that you’re close to that box or bench and that the box or bench is going to allow that upper leg to get to about parallel to the floor. Now, anytime you’re performing a squat, you want to pay attention to the knee. You want your knee to always follow the direction of the toe, so if that toe is pointing forward which it should be, then the knee should be pointing forward as well,” Erin Stern shares.
Glute Medius Leg Lift
Her next glute medius-building exercise is a leg lift variation. She specified that the leg being worked during each repetition is the one planted to the ground.
“You want to have a plate, something to elevate your foot slightly as we are actively going to dip the hip on one side. So we’re dropping the pelvis on one side and you can always start with no weight, just do body weight. I start with a small plate, and I place it right on my thigh just above the knee.”
“If you place it close to the knee, just make sure it’s on the side and on the soft part of the muscle, not resting on the bone. You’re going to hold on to something sturdy and your working leg is actually the leg that is planted. You are going to get some benefit as you lift your leg up but keep in mind that the planted leg is the working leg here.”
If your aim is rounder, fuller glutes, Erin Stern has other options aside from her latest workout. She laid out a glute routine that only uses a barbell recently, made up of sumo deadlifts, feet-elevated split squats, good mornings, and frog pumps.
Regardless of the body part, Erin Stern has strategies for growing and toning it. Not only will her workout help with aesthetic results, but strengthening the glute medius will give you more confidence across the board as it helps prevent injuries.
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