How to perform glute med exercise

Overview

This side-lying glute medius exercise strengthens the “back-pocket” muscle that stabilizes your hip and pelvis. By lifting the top leg and sweeping it slightly back in a controlled arc (with a short hold), you activate the glute med to improve hip stability, support the low back, and reduce leg or SI-area discomfort. It’s great for people with low back pain linked to weak glutes and helps balance out gait and everyday movements.

Level

Beginner

Targets

Glutes, hips, lower back

Step by Step Instructions

1. Lie on your side with your head supported by your hand, bottom knee bent, and hips and shoulders stacked.
2. Find the glute medius (place your thumb on the “meaty” area just outside the bony points near your sacrum/back pocket area) to cue the muscle.
3. Straighten your top leg in line with your body, foot neutral (don’t point or turn in).
4. Lift the top leg a few inches while keeping your hips stacked and your pelvis from rocking; feel the muscle working under your thumb.
5. Sweep the lifted leg slightly backward, then bend the knee and lower to lightly touch the floor in front of you.
6. Re-straighten the leg and repeat the arc: up and back → down and forward, keeping your torso still.
7. Do 10–15 repetitions; on the final rep, hold the leg up and back for 10 seconds.
8. Rest briefly and complete 3 sets (start with 5 reps if needed and build up).
9. Switch sides; if your pain is on the left, perform the exercise with the left side up (and vice versa).
10. Stop if pain increases; maintain a neutral spine and controlled, slow movement throughout.

[Video Transcript]

If you’re experiencing low back pain, one contributing cause may be weakness in the glute medius—the muscle you’d touch by placing a hand over your back pocket. To find it, feel the two small bony points on your lower back (near the sacrum) and slide your fingers just to the outside; the meaty area there is the glute medius. Lie on your side with your head supported by your hand and your bottom knee bent. Straighten the top leg, lift it, press your thumb into the glute medius to feel it working, then sweep the leg slightly backward. Bend the knee and bring the leg down to touch the floor gently in front of you. Lift again and repeat this arc—up and back, then down and forward, without rocking your hips. Aim for 10–15 repetitions; when you finish a set, hold the leg up and back for 10 seconds. Do three sets, starting with fewer reps (even five) if needed and building up. If your low back or leg pain is on the left, perform the exercise with the left side up (and vice versa for right-sided pain).

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