Glutes SuperFeature (Part 5)
November 21, 2009Improving the connection to your Glutes- So now that we are getting a little in touch with our backsides how do you make them better. What exercises should you be doing to improve your backside? The one thing we have learned is not all bums are created equal so the exercises we all do for our backsides should not be equal either. Most people think that they can do some squats, lunges, and stiff leg dead lifts and things will take care of themselves. While some people can make some decent progress with these exercises most people do not. The two main reasons are most people do not do them correctly for targeting the glutes and secondly they may not the best exercises depending on your glute type. In exercises like squats, lunges, and stiff leg deads the body compensates for weak under-active glutes by over-using supportive muscle groups like the hamstrings and lower back. Overtime the overworked muscles become tight and more susceptible to pain and or injury.
Getting your glutes to fire properly-
The glutes don’t fire properly when the hip flexors are overactive or tight. This can happen due to poor flexibility or prolonged sitting. When the hip flexors don’t work properly, its antagonist (mainly the gluteus maximus) becomes weak. This is known as reciprocal inhibition (when muscles on one side of a joint become tight or overactive, it shuts down the muscles on the other side of the joint). When a prime mover (such as the gluteus maximus) becomes weak, other muscles (synergists) take over the function that the prime mover should be doing. Some other injuries that occur because of inactive glutes are hamstring pulls, knee ACL tears and low back injuries.
Testing Hip Flexor and Glute Strength-
Here is a test to measure your Hip Flexor and Glute strength:
You will need one tennis ball and any flat wall that you can lean against.
- Stand up against a wall with your back and butt touching it.
- Take the tennis ball and place it on one of your upper thighs
- Lift your leg as high as possible trapping the tennis ball between your upper thigh and lower abdominal area.
- While standing straight with your back and butt on the wall, try holding the tennis ball between you thigh and abs for between 20 seconds to 1 minute.
- Once you finish or the ball drops repeat with the other leg.
You should be able to hold the ball for a minimum of 20 seconds. If you drop your leg below 90* before the minimum 20 seconds your glutes are not firing properly. If you feel more of the strain in your lower back, hamstrings, hips, and or get cramps in the various places then again your glutes will need some work because these areas are overcompensating for some of the work. . The longer you hold the ball the more you should feel the glutes flex as they start to tire.
Stretches for the Glutes-
You must possess adequate hip flexor flexibility in order to open up the hips and maximally activate the glutes. Furthermore, you must be able to control your own bodyweight and learn how to contract the glutes properly before you begin adding weight. Three great stretches for the glutes are the hip flexor stretch, the single leg glute bridge and the squatting glute stretch.
The Hip Flexor Stretch-
1. Kneel down with your back straight.
2. Step forward with your left foot while keeping your right knee on the floor. Put your hands on top of your left thigh.
3. Slide your back leg behind you until you feel the stretch in the front of the hip. To intensify the leg stretches, push your hip forward, straighten your body, and put your hands on your front knee. Hold for 10-12 seconds and then change sides. Do 5 to 10 reps on each side.
The Single Leg Glute Bridge-
- Lie on your back with your right knee bent and your left leg extended. Rest your arms on the floor, palms up, at shoulder level with your hips about 2 inches off the floor
- Raise your hips to form a straight line from your shoulders to your left foot
- Hold for 2 counts, then return to start. That’s 1 rep. Do 10 to 15 reps on each side. To make it harder, cross your arms over your chest.
Squatting Glute Stretch-
- Place hands up against the wall at shoulder height and shoulder width apart.
- Cross one leg over, placing it on the opposite top thigh.
- Begin to shift back, as if you’re sitting. Place your body weight into your glutes, letting your arms extend and reach.
- Push back up to a upright position and repeat the motion.
I recommend at least 2 rounds starting with your tighter side. Repeat 1-3 sets of 5-10 reps for each side (both legs equal 1 set).
Up next…how to change your Squat, Lunge and Stiff Leg Deadlift to better suit your glutes!!! You can find more helpful articles like this one at Taylorednutrition.tripod.com
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