butt why? importance of strong glutes

Having a perky tush goes beyond the reasons you should intentionally train your glutes. Let’s get into the butt stuff…

Your 'glutes', or your gluteal muscles, refer to the muscles in your butt. Specifically, they incorporate 3 different muscles: your gluteus maximus (the main, larger muscle that shapes your backside), your gluteus medius and minimus (two smaller muscles that assist in movement).

with most of us living a sedentary life, these muscle can become weak and under-active. In the prESENT DAY WE SPEND LESS TIME MOVING AROUND AND MORE TIME SITTING.

WHEN WE HAVE AN UNDERACTIVE TUSH WE TEND TO BE UNABLE TO CORRECTLY ACTIVATE THE GLUTES DURING EVERYDAY LIFE … AND ALSO DURING TRAINING TIMES. IN THIS CASE, WE COMPENSATE IN OTHER AREAS LIKE USING OUR LOW BACK OR LEGS IN A MOVEMENT THAT SHOULD BE GLUTE DOMINATE. THIS LEADS TO GROWTH IN THE WRONG ARES OR EVEN INJURY OR STRAIN.

Symptoms of weak or inactive glutes can also include: tight hip flexors, knee pain, low back pain, and weak ankles and feet.

IT’S VERY IMPORTANT WE “WAKE UP” OUR GLUTES IN ORDER TO PERFORM IN LIFE & IN THE GYM SAFELY.

IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND GLUTE ACTIVATION… AND ALSO ITS IMPORTANCE! IT’S VERY SIMPLE TO UNDERSTAND, SO HERE WE GO:

UNDER-ACTIVE, WEAK GLUTES ARE “INACTIVE”. THE GLUTE MUSCLE ARE ESSENTIALLY “SWITCHED OFF”. WHEREAS A FIRED UP, ENGAGED GLUTES IS “ACTIVATED” WHICH IS THE CORRECT WAY TO ACTUALLY STRENGTHEN THE AREA. WE NEED TO “TURN THE GLUTES ON”

so why is this important? the golden question!

a strong butt can help keep your hips healthy and in good balance. an imbalance in the hips/glutes can cause a rotation in the femur (thigh bone) which then can cause knee pain … or even cause some pulling in the groin or hamstrings.

in conclusion

taking time to intentionally train your glutes can help in preventing massive imbalances in the body. take your time. get in the zone. block out all other distractions and focus on training this specific area. it’s often neglected or we sometimes think “if im doing squats im taking care of the butt stuff.” wrong! i will go ahead and list some glute focused movements below to help you get you headed in the right direction.

glute focused movements

barbell rdls
banded fire hydrants
weighted glute bridge
weighted step ups
bulgarian split squats