If you notice your stride falling apart as miles go by, weak glutes might be the problem. “If [runners] have weak glutes, potentially it’s causing strain in other areas of their bodies,” including knee pain and Achilles pain. Now, you may be able to get away with running on weak glutes for a while if your runs are relatively infrequent and/or short, but when you start increasing intensity or mileage, that’s when weak glutes will strain other areas of the body, Stuek adds. So, keep reading for signs you have weak glutes and exactly how to get started on strengthening them today. Researchers have also observed a connection between weak glutes and hamstring injuries , Brough says.