I can’t believe it’s been so long since my last post (and how freakin’ fast it’s gone!), but unexpected life circumstances must. Let’s not dwell – BUTTS!
If you’re unhappy with yours, it can be a pain in the glutes, but with a little bit (lots) of effort you can strengthen the glutes into something resembling an actual ass.
I’ve always wanted a “nice ass”. I was never exactly unsatisfied by the way mine looked, but I always thought it would look nicer if it was a bit bigger and higher up (ya know…?). I never did much about it though, other than trying to keep physically active in general.
This changed in the past year, where I’ve actually been actively (and unapologetically) pursuing the “goal” of a nice, strong, rounded butt.
Funnily enough, it wasn’t so much the esthetic aspect that finally pushed me to strengthen the glutes, it was finding out just how important a good sized butt actually is to your overall health! I had no idea!
In this post I’ll cover the mechanics and function of the glutes, and in what way they impact your body and quality of life.
I’ll also share some of the best butt exercises to strengthen the glutes and boost your gains.
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What are the glutes
So, in the simplest of terms it’s, of course, basically your ass in its entirety. But let’s get more specific.
The glutes are a muscle group made up of four major muscles – the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and the tensor fasciae latae muscle.
Now, the gluteus maximus is the largest and most superficial of these muscles and it’s actually responsible for the “bulk” of the shape of your butt. (*) When you grab your own butt cheeks with both hands, that’s more or less what you’re grabbing (plus skin and fat, of course).
The gluteus medius sits partially under the gluteus maximus, but further up to the top and side of the hips, from the thigh bone to the pelvis. (*)
The gluteus minimus is smaller than the medius and the more deeply located of the three. It sits just under the gluteus medius, near the rotators of the hip joints. (*)
The tensor fasciae latae is the smallest of all four and it’s located on the side of your hips. (*)
What do the glutes do
Gluteus Maximus
The gluteus maximus muscle is the major extensor of the hip.
Gluteus Medius
The gluteus medius (sometimes called the upper glutes) is the major abductor of the hip (out and away from the midline).
Gluteus Minimus
Together with the gluteus medius, it abducts and rotates the thigh inwards and outwards.
Tensor Fasciae Latae (TFL)
The tensor fasciae latae also helps to abduct and rotate the thigh at the hip joint.
Why glutes are important
So obviously you use them to walk around, run, crouch, sit down and get up again. But besides that, why are glutes important?
You know how there are certain walls in your house that are “non-negotiable”? They’re “load-bearing” walls and tearing them down would be a big “oopsie”?
That’s because they’re vital to the integrity of the whole structure. You mess with those walls and the entire thing might collapse on your head. Well, asses – same!
You should strengthen the glutes because…
1 – they’re global stabilizers
They control range of motion, stabilizing the body during movement – preventing trunk forward lean and trunk rotation.
At the same time, they stabilize your pelvis during single leg stances.
They stabilize the hips and maintain proper leg alignment. (*)
2 – they’re local stabilizers
They provide segment stabilization of the lower back and pelvis, bracing and compressing.
The glutes have attachments to the iliotibial band (that runs along your upper leg), so they also help stabilize the knee joint. (*)
3 – they’re global mobilizers
They perform movements at the lumbopelvic area (lower back and pelvis), exerting force to perform muscle activities of daily living.
Hip extension and abduction, torque, and external rotation of the femur (upper leg). (*)
Fun fact: the gluteus maximus is actually the strongest muscle in the body! Wrap your mind ’round that…
What happens when your glutes are under-developed (aka. “weak glutes”)
Your body is designed to compensate for deficiencies and imbalances – that’s what it does to be able to function and stay alive. The same applies to muscles.
Lower back pain while pregnant
A good example of biomechanical overload is lower back pain while pregnant.
Lower back pain is a very common complaint for pregnant women. Anywhere between 49% to 68% of women go through it and about a third of them have it so bad that they find it difficult to perform basic daily activities.
Lower back pain can have different causes, but the usual suspects tend to be pelvic joint dysfunction, posture dysfunction, and sciatica. All of which relate to the skeletal-muscle system of the pelvic region (your pelvis and butt). (*)
Imbalances or dysfunctions are aggravated by the sudden and growing amount of added load. Not only is baby growing in cuteness and size every day, but mom is probably putting on a good amount of extra fat to boot.
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Most common injuries caused by “weak glutes”
So, underactive or “weak glutes” can cause (*):
More reasons to strengthen the glutes
Besides preventing all of the above, when you strengthen the glutes you’re helping to (*):
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BEST EXERCISES TO STRENGTHEN THE GLUTES
Different exercises concentrate on different glute sections, although most will require coordination from the entire glute group (try saying that 3 times fast).
It also depends a lot on how you perform those exercises: the position of the legs and feet, the inclination of the torso, or the amount of weight and resistance added.
Below is a list of the best exercises to strengthen the glutes, by glute muscle.
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Best gluteus maximus exercises
The best exercises to strengthen the gluteus maximus are (*):
- step-up, lateral step-up, diagonal step-up, cross over step-up – your basic step-ups cause the highest activation
- the hex bar deadlift and conventional deadlifts (especially single leg)
- barbell hip thrusts of all kinds and band hip thrusts as well
- belt squats, split squats, single leg squats
- in-line lunges and traditional lunges
- donkey kicks, of course!
Best gluteus medius exercises
The best exercises for the gluteus medius would be (*) (*):
- side-lying hip abduction
- single-limb squat and single-limb deadlift
- lunges
- the clam and the side-step
- jumping-landing exercises with a resistance band
Most unilateral exercises (one leg) require large amounts of gluteus medius activation, so focus on those for higher engagement. (*)
Best gluteus minimus exercises
To engage the gluteus minimus more, focus on (*) (*):
- hip abduction-extension with resistance
- single-leg bridge
- side-lying hip abduction
- single-leg squat
- standing isometric (static) hip abduction
- and different variations of the hip hitch and pelvic drop
Best exercises for the tensor fasciae latae
An over-activation of the tensor fasciae latae is actually linked to abnormal hip mechanics and muscle performance. (*) That’s because this muscle mainly assists the Gluteus Maximus and Medius in hip rotation movements.
Research suggests that when these muscles becomes weak, the tensor fascia latae appears to take up the primary role in performing the movements. This way it becomes overexerted. It’s the smallest of all the glute muscles.
The muscle is essentially overactivated and overworked. In fact, if you’re already experiencing lower back pain, or hip and knee pain as a result of weak glutes, it’s very likely you have an over-stimulated tensor fasciae latae muscle as well.
Most of the exercises already mentioned above will recruit this muscle to some extent, so there’s no need to worry about engaging it specifically.
On the other hand, if you suffer from pain in your lower back, knee, or hip you might actually want to focus more on the exercises that increase the activation of the other glute muscles, with a lower engagement of the tensor fasciae latae.
These exercises are (*):
- the clam (and variations), especially using a resistance band
- the bridge with resistance band (unilateral and bilateral, though unilateral more so)
- side-stepping
- squatting
- quadruped hip extension
General tips to strengthen the glutes
1 – The wall squat
The wall squat seems to produce the highest activation and coordination of all glute muscles.
And predictably it’s a real bitch to do, too – I dare you to last 30 seconds!
2 – Perform a full range of isometric (static) and dynamic exercises
This will target multiple muscles.
Isometric are basically all exercises where you contract a particular muscle and hold that position for a period of time. For instance, planks, wall squat, pull-up holds, glute bridges, etc.
Dynamic exercises are all the ones that require continuous movement, stretching and flexing muscles through a range of motion. For instance, push-ups, chest presses, lunges, donkey kicks, etc.).
It’s important to train the entire glute complex and not overly concentrate on just one. So perform a variety of different movements, with varying weight load and/or resistance.
3 – Add weights and resistance bands to your exercises
Adding resistance is an excellent way to strengthen the glutes! This will increase the muscle activation and maximize the role of the muscles involved, even helping to engage others. (*)
For instance, a simple squat will engage more muscles if you add a resistance band around your knees. The exercise will now involve the added effort of having to push your thighs out in order to keep the resistance band taught. So play around with it.
4 – Observe proper form
Form is very important in all exercises, but especially for weight-bearing exercises. Not only will you make sure you’re targeting the correct muscles, but you’ll also be sure you don’t hurt yourself in the process.
Improper form can lead to a world of pain, joint and muscle damage.
So consult with a trainer at your local gym (if you can), or follow the advice of trained professionals online – there’s a mountain of videos on YouTube that can help. In fact, this guy has an actual literal PhD in ass!
5 – Don’t stand with your body weight predominantly on one leg for extended periods of time
This can potentially weaken the abductor muscles (particularly the gluteus medius), since they’re forced into an elongated position for too long a period of time. (*)
6 – Limit your time sitting down
This is hard for everyone, but prolonged sitting reduces the activation of the glute muscles and over time they become atrophied and weak.
If you need to sit for several hours a day, try to get up and engage your glute and leg muscles for 5 to 10 minutes every hour or so. You should also be doing it to stretch your body, in fact.
This of course should be on top of making sure to exercise your glutes 2 to 4 times a week. Regular exercise is key. (*)
As you can see, there’s more to your butt than just looking pretty or accumulating cellulite.
When you strengthen the glutes you prevent poor movement patterns and injuries, protecting your knees, hips, and lower back from pain.
You will improve athletic performance, or just basic everyday mobility and joint stability. When you strengthen the glutes you’ll also improve your posture and balance.
A nice plump butt also just looks nice too!
