Why Your Glutes Aren't Firing (And How To Fix It Today)
You've been squatting, lunging, and hip thrusting for months. So why do your glutes still feel like they're on vacation?
You sit down for 8 hours a day.
Your glutes are literally asleep by the time you hit the gym.
And then you wonder why your lower back aches, your knees hurt, and your squats feel like your hamstrings are doing all the work.
Your glutes didn't forget how to work. They just forgot how to go first.
That's a nervous system problem, not a strength problem. And the fix isn't more squats. It's teaching your brain to find your glutes before you load them.
Your glutes aren't weak. They're asleep. And no amount of squats will wake them up if your brain can't find them first.
Why Sitting Kills Your Glutes
When you sit for long periods, your hip flexors shorten and tighten at the front of your hip. At the same time, your glutes get stretched out and lengthened in the back. Over time, your nervous system starts to think of this as your body's default position — and it stops sending strong signals to your glutes when you stand up or move.
This is called reciprocal inhibition — your tight hip flexors are actively switching your glutes off. The result? Every time you squat, lunge, or deadlift, your hamstrings, lower back, and TFL jump in to pick up the slack. That's where the aches and pains come from.
The good news: your glutes are still there. They're not broken. They just need to be re-taught how to show up first.
— THE FRANCO GLUTE WAKE-UP FRAMEWORK —
Isolate Before You Load
Before you touch a weight, you need to find the muscle. Lie flat on the floor, squeeze one glute as hard as you can, and hold it for 5 seconds. That's it. Nothing fancy. You're not training fitness here — you're training your brain to locate the muscle.
If you feel your hamstring or lower back tensing up instead, you're not alone — that's exactly the problem we're fixing.
COACH FRANCO CUE
What to do: Lie on your back, squeeze one glute like you're trying to crack a walnut with your cheek. Hold 5 seconds. Switch sides.
What it should feel like: Deep, almost uncomfortable tightening right in the middle of your butt cheek — not your thigh, not your back.
If it's not working: Push your heel lightly into the floor as you squeeze — that little bit of pressure helps your brain find the right pathway.
Use a Band To Create Feedback
Resistance bands are one of the most underrated tools for glute activation — not because of the resistance they add, but because of the feedback they create. A band around your knees during a glute bridge forces the outside of your hips to work, which lights up the whole glute complex.
Think of it as giving your nervous system a roadmap. The band says "push against this" and suddenly your brain knows exactly where to send the signal.
COACH FRANCO CUE
What to do: Band just above your knees, feet flat, knees bent. Drive your hips up and push your knees outward against the band at the top.
What it should feel like: Your glutes should be on fire — like two hot coals sitting in the back of your hips. If your hamstrings are cramping, drive your heels harder into the floor.
If it's not working: Drop your shoulders away from your ears, take a breath in, brace like someone's about to poke you in the stomach — then drive up.
🔥 Coach Franco Recommends
Resistance Glute Bands — The exact tool I use with clients to wake up lazy glutes before every session. Comes in multiple resistance levels so you can progress as you get stronger.
🛒 Get it on AmazonCue the Feeling — Not the Movement
Most people think about what their body should look like during an exercise. That's backwards. You need to think about what it should feel like. The brain responds to sensation — not geometry.
Instead of thinking "keep my hips level," think "feel the outside of my hip working to hold me still." Instead of "squeeze my glutes," think "drive my heel through the floor until my glute takes over." One cue describes a shape. The other cue creates a sensation. Sensation wins every time.
COACH FRANCO CUE
What to do: On your next hip thrust, instead of just driving up, think about pushing the floor away through your heel — like you're trying to slide your feet toward the wall without actually moving them.
What it should feel like: A deep grab right at the base of your glute — like the muscle is pulling your hip into the movement rather than just going along for the ride.
If it's not working: Slow it way down. Go half the range. Find the feeling at 50% before you try to go all the way up. Speed is the enemy of connection.
Earn the Load — Don't Rush It
Here's where most people go wrong. They do two sets of banded bridges, feel their glutes slightly, and immediately pile on the weight. Then they wonder why their lower back is sore the next day.
The activation work isn't a warm-up you rush through to get to the real training. It IS the training — until your glutes can consistently fire first. Once your brain reliably finds your glutes before other muscles jump in, then you add load. Not before.
COACH FRANCO CUE
The test: Can you squeeze your glute hard on command, right now, without moving? If you have to think about it for more than 2 seconds — you're not ready to load a hip hinge.
What it should feel like: Instant. Like flexing your bicep. Fast, clean, no hesitation. That's the standard.
Progress marker: When your glute is the first thing you feel during a bodyweight squat — not your quads, not your lower back — you're ready to add weight.
Say This, Not That
The way you talk to yourself during a workout matters. Here's how to cue yourself like a coach — not like someone just counting reps.
✅ SAY THIS
- "Drive my heel through the floor"
- "Squeeze like I'm holding a carrot"
- "Drop my shoulders away from my ears"
- "Feel the outside of my hip hold me still"
- "Push my knees out against the band"
- "Slow down and find the feeling first"
❌ NOT THAT
- "Just squeeze your glutes"
- "Keep your hips level"
- "Activate your posterior chain"
- "Engage your core"
- "More reps, more weight"
- "Push through the pain"
📱 Coach Franco Recommends
Adjustable Gym Phone Mount — Film yourself during activation work so you can actually see what your hips are doing. Seeing the compensation pattern is half the fix.
🛒 Get it on AmazonYour Quick-Start Glute Wake-Up Routine
Do this before every lower body session — or even at your desk before you leave for the gym. Takes 8 minutes. No equipment needed except the band for the bridge.
The Franco Glute Wake-Up — 8 Minutes
- ✅Glute Squeeze Hold — 2 x 5 per side, 5-second hold each. Lying flat, squeeze one cheek at a time. Find it before you load it.
- ✅90-90 Hip Rotation — 2 x 8 per side. Sitting on the floor, both legs bent at 90 degrees. Rotate side to side slowly. Feel your hips opening up — not just your knees flopping around.
- ✅Banded Glute Bridge — 2 x 12 with a 2-second hold at the top. Band above the knees. Push out against the band, drive heels into the floor, squeeze like you're holding a carrot. Hold the top for a full 2 seconds — don't rush it.
- ✅Hip Airplane — 2 x 8 per side. Standing on one leg, hinge forward slightly, and rotate your hips open and closed. Feel the outside of your standing hip working to keep you balanced.
— Coach Franco —
Your glutes are not broken. They're just waiting for you to show up and find them.
Stop piling weight on a pattern your body hasn't learned yet. Do the work. Build the connection. Then load it.
That's how you build something that lasts.
KAAA KAAAW! 🦅
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Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I actually believe in and use.
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