Did you know the glutes are made up of three different muscles? The gluteus maximus (which also happens to be the largest muscle in the body), gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus make up the gluteal complex. These are the muscles that allow the hip to extend and rotate and make abduction of the leg possible. These muscles are used when you walk, run, go up the stairs, sit down, and even when you stand. Beyond improving the performance of these everyday moves, there are other key reasons to strengthen the glutes.
Reduce Lower Back Pain and Injuries – Because the glutes stabilize the hip joint, having weak glutes can cause the hips to come out of line, resulting in misalignment throughout the body. This misalignment can lead to lower back pain, hip pain, or knee pain and increases the risk of injuries.
Improve Posture and Balance – Strong glutes help keep the hips and pelvis in alignment, which helps to keep the spine and shoulders in alignment, resulting in improved posture. When we have good posture, body weight can be evenly distributed throughout the body, resulting in improved balance. Balance is key in reducing the risk of falls and maintaining quality of life.
So, how do we train the glutes? For overall glute strength, all the movements of the gluteal complex need to be trained – extension, abduction, external rotation, stability, and balance. Moves such as glute bridge, single leg deadlift, single leg squat, clamshell, and fire hydrant can be performed at the gym or at home and are a great place to begin. If you haven’t been training your glutes, it’s time to get started!
