Yup, that's me and my kettle-booty!

Glute strength is important for generating power – whether you are a Kettlebell Sport athlete or simply aspiring for greater fitness, you don’t want to neglect the glutes!

Recently, I discovered that I wasn’t using my glutes in a number of athletic movements. Rather, I was overcompensating with my lower back (which happens to be overly flexible), and experiencing some tightness in my lower back because of the extra work. Now that I am aware my glutes are not always doing their share of the workload, I am learning to better engage them in my training. My kettlebell swing and snatch have become more powerful, my deadlift form has improved, and my lower back feels much better.

If you are a Kettlebell Sport athlete, using your butt muscles more will increase your strength and stamina throughout your set – more glute activation means less work for your upper body and your back.

If you are not a Kettlebell Sport athlete, using your butt muscles more has obvious aesthetic benefits (a tighter, more toned tush), as well as increased power and energy for daily activities. As mentioned before, activating your glutes may be key to alleviating back pain.

Here are a few of my favorite exercises to strengthen the butt:

• Kettlebell swing
• Deadlift
• Front squat
• Single leg hip bridge
• Bench hip lift
• Single leg deadlift
• Deep squat

In all of these exercises, bring mindfulness to using your glute muscles. The more you focus on engaging them in the movement, the more work they will do. For lack of a less ridiculous way to say it: think about pinching your buttcheeks together and tucking your pelvis (visualize a dog tucking its tail between its legs).

What’s your favorite way to train the glutes?