The glutes are an important, yet often overlooked, muscle
group. The glutes are a set of
three posterior hip muscles – gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus
minimus from superficial to deep.
All three glute muscles act on the hips.
Few of us manage to use our glutes effectively. Most of us spend a majority of our time
sitting, which results in tight and shortened hip flexors – the muscles on the
front of the hips that act as antagonists to the glutes. When a muscle contracts, the opposing
muscle relaxes (reciprocal inhibition) to allow joint movement to occur. Although this is necessary for
movement, it results in the body turning a muscle off when the opposing muscle
is chronically tight. In Core
Performance Women, Mark Verstegen describes it as if a circuit breaker is
tripped, cutting off the power to the muscle. Tripping the glutes’ circuit breaker leads to lower back and
knee problems. The body is a
kinetic chain; immobility in one joint will cause other joints to compensate,
leading to dysfunctional movement patterns.
If you can learn to activate and fire your glutes and move
through the hips, you will improve your movement patterns and reduce the likelihood
of lower back and knee issues.
Here are some exercises that will help return the power to your glutes.
1)
Glute Bridge: Lie supine on the floor with your knees bent, back of your
head flat on the floor (do not hyperextend your neck), and feet hip-width apart
and as close to your glutes as is comfortable. Relax your arms by your sides and lift the balls of your
feet so you are on you heels.
Contract your glutes and lift your hips off the floor until your
shoulders, hips, and knees are in a straight line. Keeping your glutes contracted, lower your hips until your
glutes barely touch the floor. Keep your glutes contracted throughout the
entire range of motion. Perform three sets of ten repetitions.
2)
Mini Band Walk: Place a mini band around your legs just above your
knees. Assume a ¼-squat position
with your feet hip-width apart and your knees inline with your toes. Maintaining your ¼-squat and foot
position, take ten steps forward and ten steps backward. Perform three sets of
ten repetitions.
3)
Mini Band Lateral Walk: Place a mini band around
your legs just above your knees.
Assume a ¼-squat position with your feet wider than your hips and your
knees inline with your toes .
Maintaining your ¼-squat and foot position, take one step to the right then
one step to the left. Perform
three sets of ten repetitions.
4)
Mini Band External Rotation: Place a mini band around your legs just
above your knees. Assume a ¼-squat
position with your feet wider than your hips and your knees inline with your
toes. Keeping both feet flat and
planted, dip your right knee inward and then push into the band to return to
the starting position.
Complete set and repeat on left side. Perform three sets of five to ten repetitions.
