5 Home Exercises to Build Glute and Hamstring Strength for Youth Athletes
Speed, jumping, cutting, and decelerating all depend on the backside of the body. For youth athletes, strong glutes and hamstrings help create power, control the hips and knees, and support safer movement during practices and games.
The good news: building that strength does not require a full gym. A small band, a backpack, a towel, and a clear patch of floor can go a long way.
This guide covers 5 home exercises to build glute and hamstring strength for youth athletes, with simple instructions, form tips, and common mistakes to avoid.
This is general fitness information, not medical advice. Athletes with pain or injury should check with a qualified coach, athletic trainer, or healthcare professional.
Why glute and hamstring strength matters for young athletes
The glutes and hamstrings work together during many sport skills:
Sprinting down the field or court
Jumping and landing
Changing direction
Slowing down safely
Holding strong posture under fatigue
The glute maximus drives hip extension, which helps produce power. The hamstrings help bend the knee, extend the hip, and control the leg when an athlete sprints or lands.
The glute medius deserves special attention. It sits on the outside of the hip and helps keep the pelvis level. When the glute medius is weak or poorly controlled, the knee may cave inward during squats, jumps, cuts, or single-leg landings.
That connects to the lateral line, a chain of muscles and connective tissue running along the side of the body. It includes the outer hip, side trunk, and outer leg. A strong, coordinated lateral line helps athletes stay balanced, resist contact, and change direction with better control.
The 5 best home exercises for glutes and hamstrings
Aim for 2 to 3 rounds of each exercise, 2 to 3 days per week. Start with quality over quantity. Most youth athletes do well with 8 to 12 controlled reps, or 20 to 30 seconds for holds.
1. Glute Bridge
The glute bridge is a great starting point for building glute strength and learning proper hip extension without needing equipment. Strong glutes help youth athletes produce force during sprinting and jumping while supporting hip and pelvic control.
How to Do It
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Position your feet about hip-width apart.
Gently brace your core and keep your ribs down.
Push through your feet and lift your hips off the floor.
Squeeze your glutes at the top without arching your lower back.
Pause for 1 second, then lower slowly and repeat.
Form Tips
Keep your ribs down and avoid arching your lower back.
Drive through your whole foot, especially the heel and midfoot.
Keep your knees aligned with your toes.
Maintain control throughout the movement.
Pause briefly at the top to engage the glutes.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Lifting the hips too high and overextending the lower back.
Letting the knees fall inward.
Pushing mostly through the toes.
Rushing through the repetitions instead of controlling the movement.
Make It Harder
Add a 2–3 second hold at the top.
Place a mini band above the knees and gently push outward against it.
Progress to a single-leg glute bridge once you can maintain good form with both feet on the floor.
Add a securely positioned weight or loaded backpack across the hips when appropriate.
Why It Matters
The glutes help athletes generate force for sprinting, jumping, and accelerating. Building glute strength also supports hip control during running and other athletic movements.
Coaching Tip: Focus on squeezing the glutes and keeping the ribs down rather than lifting your hips as high as possible. Quality reps come first!
2. Romanian Deadlift With a Backpack
The Romanian deadlift, often called an RDL, builds hamstring and glute strength while teaching youth athletes proper hip-hinge mechanics. It helps develop the posterior chain, which plays an important role in sprinting, jumping, and overall athletic movement.
Free weights are ideal when available, but if you're training at home without access to weights, a securely loaded backpack is a great alternative for adding resistance and building strength.
How to Do It
Stand tall with feet about hip-width apart, holding a securely loaded backpack with both hands in front of your thighs.
Soften your knees slightly.
Push your hips backward, as if closing a car door with your hips.
Lower the backpack close to the front of your legs.
Stop when you feel a stretch in your hamstrings while maintaining a neutral spine.
Push through your feet, drive your hips forward, and return to standing.
Form Tips
Keep your back neutral from head to hips.
Move from the hips rather than bending through the spine.
Keep the backpack close to your body.
Maintain a slight bend in your knees throughout the movement.
Keep your weight balanced through your feet.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Squatting instead of hinging at the hips.
Rounding the back.
Looking too far up and straining the neck.
Lowering the backpack too far and losing proper back position.
Using a backpack that is too heavy to control.
Make It Easier
Practice the hip hinge without weight first. You can also stand a few inches in front of a wall and practice pushing your hips back to touch it.
Make It Harder
Gradually add a small amount of weight to the backpack.
Lower the backpack over 3–4 seconds to emphasize control.
Add a brief pause at the bottom while maintaining proper technique.
Why It Matters
The RDL strengthens the hamstrings and glutes, which help athletes produce force during acceleration and jumping and control movement during deceleration. Learning to hinge properly also builds a foundation for more advanced strength exercises.
Coaching Tip: Master the hip hinge before adding resistance. For youth athletes, good technique and controlled movement matter more than how heavy the backpack is.
3. Single-Leg Hip Thrust
The single-leg hip thrust builds glute strength one side at a time. This helps athletes develop strength and control on each leg, which is important for sprinting, jumping, landing, and changing direction.
How to Do It
Sit on the floor with your upper back against a sturdy couch or bench.
Place one foot flat on the floor with your knee bent.
Lift the opposite foot off the ground.
Drive through the planted foot and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knee.
Keep your hips level and squeeze the working glute at the top.
Lower your hips with control and repeat. Complete 8–12 reps per side.
Form Tips
Position the planted foot so your shin is close to vertical at the top.
Keep your chin slightly tucked and core engaged.
Keep your hips level throughout the movement.
Focus on driving through the whole foot, not just your toes.
Pause briefly at the top to emphasize control.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Letting one hip drop or rotate.
Pushing mostly through the toes.
Overarching the lower back to lift the hips higher.
Using momentum instead of controlled movement.
Pushing through a range of motion you can't control.
Make It Easier
Start with a regular glute bridge with both feet on the floor. Once you can keep your hips level and control the movement, progress to the single-leg version.
Make It Harder
Add a mini band above the knees and keep gentle outward pressure.
Hold the top position for 2–3 seconds on each rep.
Add resistance across the hips using a dumbbell or weighted backpack, if appropriate and safely secured.
Why It Matters
Strong glutes help athletes produce force through the hips during sprinting and jumping while supporting control during single-leg movements. Building strength on each side also helps identify differences in control and technique.
Coaching Tip: Quality comes first. If the hips rotate or drop, switch to the two-leg version until you can maintain control.
4. Lateral Band Walk
The lateral band walk targets the gluteus medius and other hip muscles that help control side-to-side movement. It’s a great at-home exercise for building hip strength and stability in youth athletes.
How to Do It
Place a mini band above the knees or around the ankles.
Stand with feet hip-width apart.
Bend your knees slightly and push your hips back into an athletic stance.
Step sideways with control while keeping your knees aligned with your toes.
Bring the other foot in without letting the band go slack.
Take 8–12 steps in each direction.
Form Tips
Keep your toes pointed mostly forward.
Stay low in an athletic stance.
Keep tension on the band throughout the movement.
Take controlled steps while keeping your hips level.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Rocking the upper body from side to side.
Letting the knees cave inward.
Taking steps that are too big.
Standing too tall or allowing the band to go slack.
Make It Harder
Move the mini band from above the knees to around the ankles.
Use a stronger resistance band.
Stay in a deeper athletic stance throughout the movement.
Increase to 12–15 steps in each direction while maintaining proper form.
Why It Matters
A strong gluteus medius helps athletes control their hips and knees during cutting, landing, and single-leg movements. This is especially important in sports that require quick changes of direction, such as soccer, basketball, football, volleyball, tennis, and lacrosse.
Coaching Tip: More resistance isn’t always better. Focus on controlled steps, steady hips, and proper knee alignment rather than simply choosing the strongest band.
5. Hamstring Walkout
The hamstring walkout is a simple but challenging exercise that strengthens the hamstrings and glutes while teaching the core and hips to stay stable.
How to Do It
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Lift your hips into a glute bridge and keep them elevated.
Slowly walk your feet away from your body, one small step at a time.
Continue until your legs are almost straight, without letting your hips drop.
Walk your feet back toward your body while keeping your hips lifted.
Lower your hips and reset.
Form Tips
Take small, controlled steps.
Keep your glutes engaged and hips lifted.
Keep your core tight and breathe throughout the movement.
Extend your legs only as far as you can without losing hip position.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Letting the hips sag toward the floor.
Walking the feet too far out too quickly.
Moving too fast or using momentum.
Holding your breath.
Continuing after your form starts to break down.
Make It Harder
Place your heels on towels or sliders on a smooth, safe surface. Keep your hips lifted as you slide your feet out until your legs are nearly straight, then pull them back in with control.
Why It Matters
Strong hamstrings and glutes help athletes accelerate, sprint, decelerate, and control lower-body movement during sports.
6. Banded Side-Lying Lateral Leg Raises
Strengthens the gluteus medius and other hip abductors to support hip stability, single-leg control, and lateral movement in sports.
How to Do It
Place a mini band around your legs, just above the knees or around the ankles.
Lie on your side with your legs straight and hips stacked.
Keep your bottom leg on the floor and your core engaged.
Slowly lift your top leg upward without rolling your hips backward.
Pause briefly at the top, then lower with control while keeping tension on the band.
Complete 10–12 reps per side.
Form Tips
Keep your hips stacked and facing forward.
Brace your core to prevent your lower back from arching.
Keep your top leg straight, with toes facing forward.
Lift only as high as you can while maintaining proper form.
Move slowly and with control in both directions.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Rolling the hips backward to lift the leg higher.
Swinging the leg instead of using the hip muscles.
Turning the toes toward the ceiling.
Arching the lower back or letting the core relax.
Using a band that is too resistant to maintain control.
Make It Harder
Move the mini band from above the knees to around the ankles.
Use a stronger resistance band.
Add a 2–3 second pause at the top of each rep.
Slowly lower the leg over 3–4 seconds.
Increase reps while maintaining good technique.
Focus on controlled movement, not how high the leg goes. For youth athletes, good hip and pelvic control matters more than adding resistance.
How to keep form sharp and training safe
Good strength work should feel challenging, not sloppy. Youth athletes should focus on smooth reps, steady breathing, and body control.
Use these coaching cues:
Knees track over toes
Avoid letting the knees collapse inward.
Hips do the work
Glute and hamstring exercises should not feel like lower-back exercises.
Slow down the lowering phase
Control builds strength and teaches better movement.
Stop before pain
Muscle effort is normal. Sharp pain is not.
Earn harder progressions
Add load, bands, or single-leg versions only after the basic move looks solid.
Parents and coaches can help by watching from the front and side. Look for hip drop, knee cave, rounded back, or rushed reps.
Keep the effort moderate during the sports season. During off-season training, athletes can add a little more volume or resistance.
Build strength one clean rep at a time
Glute and hamstring strength helps youth athletes sprint, jump, cut, land, and stay balanced. The glute medius and lateral line add the side-to-side control that sports demand.
Start with these five exercises, keep the reps clean, and progress slowly. A few focused sessions each week can build stronger hips, better movement, and more confidence on the field, court, track, or mat.
Important
I share lots of workout ideas and exercises here, but remember that these exercises work best as part of a bigger, well-rounded training plan. Think of them as a few moves you can add to your athlete’s existing routine, not a complete program on their own.
If you don’t already have a plan in place or aren’t sure where to start, reach out! I’d love to help you build a training plan that fits your athlete’s age, sport, and schedule.
The goal is to build a strong foundation that helps them keep developing throughout their athletic journey.
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