Why don't my glutes activate when squatting with weights vs. air squats? (lazysoci.al)

submitted 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) by yonderbarn@lazysoci.al to c/fitness@hexbear.net

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I am able to activate my glutes during air squats but can't achieve the same thing when performing front squats with dumbbells. I notice that the day after air squats my glutes are sore, but I barely feel any soreness with weights. There's something about being loaded with weights that I find makes it more challenging to activate the glutes.

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[-] Budwig_v_1337hoven@hexbear.net 4 points 4 months ago

you're probably just extremely hamstring dominant. Get a resistance band, string it from one ankle to another so there's a little tension in your gluteus medius (outer part of your cheeks) - you can do some side-steps with this to warm up at this point. Now squat with that tension and some weight, go up slowly weight-wise and just focus on your glutes firing with every rep. You'll have to do some re-conditioning for your nervous system to re-learn the movement, but it's worth it for a stronger squat (and a bigger butt, eventually)

as to why it works fine without weight: I'm guessing you're 'jumping' more without the axial loading, since it's easier to do so. Do include some box-jumps or something like that, if you're up for it. It's fun if you have the ceiling height for it

this post was submitted on 18 Jan 2026

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