“I can’t feel my glutes when I squat.”
“I have huge quads but can’t seem to gain muscle mass in the glutes.”
“I have been told by a trainer/therapist in the past that I need to strengthen my glutes.”
Have you said yes to any of the above? If so, keep reading to find out how you can train your glutes for better function! (If the answer is no, please enlighten us with your secret!)
When our buttock muscles are collectively referred to as “the glutes” this usually includes the following muscles – gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. As a group, they allow our hips to have 3-dimensional movement in space. More specifically, they allow our hips to extend (leg moving back), abduct (leg moving sideways away from midline) and externally rotate (leg rotating with toes turning out). When you strengthen the glutes in your workouts, you are likely using one or more of these motions. For example, glute bridges activate the glutes by moving the hips into extension.
When we walk, our legs are loaded with the foot on the ground instead of moving in space, which requires the glutes to function in a different manner. During gait, our glutes work hard to slow down movement. For example, when we step forward, our glutes help to slow down the forward momentum in the front leg and shift of the pelvis toward the front leg. In order for us to optimize the function of the glutes, we need to train them with these movements in mind. This exercise will help you do just that.
Try it out and let us know how it went!
