Maximizing your gluteus.
No other body part has been mythologized as often as the glutes. The glutes have been memorialized in verse,* employed to sell jeans, and famously weaponized to break the Internet.
And yet, the glutes are notoriously difficult to "activate," (in personal trainer parlance) and remain largely misunderstood. So, in this article, I want to give a brief overview of the glute muscles and provide some exercises for targeting them.
The glutes are the largest muscle complex in the human body. They are comprised of three distinct muscles: the gluteus maximus (the largest one), the gluteus medius and the gluteus minimus.
From a functional standpoint, the muscle group is responsible for hip rotation and stabilizing the pelvis during activities such as running, squatting, or climbing. Weak glute muscles from extended sitting (poetically referred to as "gluteal amnesia" or less poetically as "dead butt syndrome") can result in lower back injury, pelvic misalignment, and balancing difficulties. In other words, those glorious globes serve a very important purpose other than selling jeans.
Here are some great exercises to improve glute strength. But, first my usual disclaimer: “Please be cautious when performing these exercises. If you have any pre-existing injuries, please consult a licensed professional before attempting. Be careful operating under the "no pain ... no gain" mantra. The people that carelessly follow that mantra often end up with too much of the former and not enough of the latter.“
Exercise Number One: The dog peeing on the fire hydrant/mule kick.
Level: Beginner through advanced (depending on the number of reps).
This exercise has an unwieldy and awkward name but it yields profound results. It really engages the hip flexors and glutes, with the ab complex involved as stabilizing muscles. The first step is to get in position on your hands and knees. Then, without twisting too much, raise one bent knee out to the side, aka "the dog peeing on the hydrant." This is pictured in the first pic above. Now, bring your knees back to a neutral position. Next, raise your same knee, while bent at 90 degrees, and bring your foot straight to to the ceiling. This is the "mule kick," and it really is focused on your glutes and hamstrings.
Try a set of 20 each leg (one set is one "dog peeing" and one "mule kick") and then switch sides. Work your way up in increments of 10 sets per leg. 50 is advanced, which is what I do with my clients.
Go advanced: use a stability ball for the mule kick.
Now, things become much more difficult. In this position, you have to fight to stabilize yourself. At this point, the abs become heavily involved, as well as the upper body muscles like the triceps and deltoids.
Start in a neutral position, with both knees on the ball, as pictured above. Then, perform the mule kick as described in the preceding paragraphs. Try 20 on each leg and progress in increments of 10.
Exercise Number Two: The modified "clamshell."
Level: Beginner through advanced (depending on time.)
This is a slightly different take on a popular exercise called the "clamshell." You'll need a pair of resistance bands for the exercise. They come in many different levels of resistance. Mine are pastel colored (bonus!) and are labelled "light," "medium," "heavy," and "crazy." Instead of fastening the bands around your ankles (the traditional version), I wrap the band just above both knees. I find this really hones in on both the glutes and hip flexors.
Try for a thirty second hold on each side, and increase in increments of 30 seconds. Two minutes is outstanding, and three minutes is "pro." If it gets too easy, just switch to a band with heavier resistance.
Exercise number three: wall squat.
Level: Beginner through advanced (depending on time).
One word: "ouch!"
If you want to know what your muscles have been missing by using a chair, try a wall squat. Man, does it burn. I have strong legs. I cycle everyday, whether it's on a road bike or indoor trainer. But guess what? I'm still sitting! In other words, my butt still has amnesia! It can't remember how to fire and activate!
So, if this scenario sounds like it pertains to you — and I'm almost certain that it does — boy, do I have a simple solution for you. Just grab a wall (any wall will do!) and squat! Make sure that your back is straight, your butt isn't elevated (thighs parallel to the ground), and your knees are bent 90 degrees and placed shoulder length apart. Tighten your abs and butt to straighten your back and assist with the exercise.
Within twenty seconds (or possibly less) you will feel an unpleasant burn. That sensation is your glutes, hamstrings, and quads staging a protest. Try for twenty seconds and aim for progressive twenty second increments. Three minutes is outstanding.
Go advanced: the wall squat with upper and lower body resistance band.
If the generic wall squat is just too much "tiptoeing through the tulips," and your muscles have a masochistic streak, toss in some resistance bands (as pictured above). Now, not only will your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and hip flexors become really engaged, but your deltoids, triceps, chest muscles and abs get to join the party too!
Aim for a minute and increase in increments of 30 seconds. If you can last five minutes or longer with at least medium resistance bands on both your lower and upper body, congratulations! I'll anoint you the "Glute King," and personally send you a set of inscribed resistance bands in your choice of color. The mauve one looks really cool...
And now for your glute inspired soundtrack:
*The top five booty anthems of all-time. (Purely subjective. But it's the truth.)
#5 "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty" KC and the Sunshine Band A long, long time ago, there was a musical genre known as "disco." And it was very, very good.
#4 "Bonita Applebum" A Tribe Called Quest I have a soft spot for the Tribe. They were one of my favorite bands of the early Nineties.
#3 "Baby Got Back" Sir Mix-a-lot The quintessential booty anthem with a cultural critique of prevailing beauty standards mixed in.
#2 "Bootylicious" Destiny's Child Three things made this song great: (1) an ode to body positivity with a great beat (2) the Stevie Nicks sample and (3) the song introduced the term "Bootylicious" into the popular lexicon.
#1 "Fat Bottomed Girls" Queen Freddie Mercury is the greatest front person in rock history. End of story.
One last note... this past week I had about thirty new members sign up. Many of them came from my bike forum ("The Paceline Forum") and I'd like to welcome them and give a big shout out to my friend Michael Locke of B3 Bicycles who wrote a nice review of my blog on the site. Thanks again, Mike!
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