Work Those Glutes - No Ifs, Ands or Butts About It!
The only time you’re allowed to get low in life is during your squat. – www.fitnessquotesimg.com
Squats. Gym goers either love them, hate them, or love to hate them. Despite what you think of squats, they deliver results! What makes the squat such a powerful tool in your workout repertoire? Two words – Gluteus Maximus.
We’ve all heard the term ‘glutes’, which in truth is a set of three separate muscles – gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. You can probably glean the comparative size of these muscles by their names: minimus is the smallest and closest to the hip bone, medius is slightly larger and makes up the middle layer, maximus is the largest and most superficial of the three. Our gluteus muscles all work together to produce movement at the hip. Although they don’t always work as synergists with one another (in muscular terms that means assisting the same movement), they do work synergistically to create smooth, powerful movement about the hip. Let’s concentrate on the biggest, most prominent muscle (or for some of us, a muscle we wish was more prominent on our backsides!) – the gluteus maximus.
The gluteus maximus is the largest and most powerful muscle in the human body. It works hard every day – helping you get up from your chair, walk, run, cycle, dance, balance and yes, squat. We are dependent on this muscle for so many basic, functional movements, it’s no wonder we need strong glutes! If we do not have strong glutes, we pay the price. All of our muscles work together to move us. If one muscle is weak, other muscles will take over to get the job done. However, this is not always a good thing. When glutes are weak, hamstrings and lower back muscles takeover. This throws your body out of balance and increases your risk for hamstring strains and lower back pain. So, training your glutes is not just for looks, it also prevents injuries.
How do you train your glutes? The main function of the gluteus maximus is hip extension. Any moves that extend the hip will strengthen the glutes. You extend your hip any time you move from seated to standing, much like the end movement of a squat (hint, hint). This is why squats are such a perfect exercise to strengthen your glutes!
Squats are an easy and effective way to strengthen the glutes while protecting your lower back and hamstrings. However, proper form and technique are key in order to really activate the glutes correctly. Find a local personal trainer or online video by a certified trainer to learn how to perform a squat safely and effectively. They can also give you a variety of moves that help work the backside. Now that you know how important and powerful they are, it’s time to work those glutes, no excuses!