Build a great Gluteus Maximus
how to hold up your pants without a belt
Glute activations.
There are more to the glutes than filling out a pair of pants. I find as my clients get older, one of their main problems is they can’t contract their butt muscles anymore. As a result they can have back pain; have a shortened gait and tend to shuffle; a hunched over posture; and balance issues. These are some exercises you can do at home (see the notes on how to adapt) to build and strengthen your glutes.
As I always recommend, let pain be your guide, if you feel knee pain, or it’s making ‘those’ sounds like grinding, popping and creaking, clearly this is not something you should be doing right now. Do not push through, adjust posture or switch to an exercise that has less load (or body weight). Better yet, consult a professional, we want to reduce wear and tear, not add to it.
But first, a little background… (this is the ‘sciencey’ bit..)
The gluteal complex is composed of the largest and strongest muscle group in the body. They not only round-out our appeal and keep our jeans from hitting the floor; they are essential in allowing us to stand upright, something we have earned as a bipedal sapiens. They anchor the hips as we walk, and provide the power we need to run or climb stairs. The gluteus maximus, as well as the gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus make up the bulk of the buttock region along with other hip-stabilizing, and rotating muscles.
When glutes are not functioning efficiently, it can put more pressure on our lower backs, as other muscles try and take over to extend and stabilize. ‘Use it or lose’ it applies to function, not just size and shape. Standing up should be pretty natural, but you’d be surprised how hard it is to get up off the couch if you can’t use your butt muscles. Never mind the loss of independence once you can’t get yourself safely on and off the toilet.
If you are still not convinced you need to focus on your seat, think on this; gravity is constant and can be so cruel! A lifetime of sitting, and your cheeks will have more chins than a Shar Pei eating a lemon. If you’ve ever been in a public change room, or, say- at the pool, you know what happens to butts as we age. With a little effort, these exercises should help keep the cakes from falling and have you twerkin’ to the oldies no time.
These exercises are not meant to replace your regular leg workout, but if you are starting from zero, or are are behind in your behind, try adding these exercises to your week. Do these two exercise complexes each as a super set without much rest between the heavier weighted exercise and the movement/bodyweight portion. As with any exercise program, if you are unsure of the proper form seek out assistance with a qualified trainer to prevent injury.
“Ok please bear with me, the images were from when I had gym access, and a wing man to shoot them, so read below the exercise explanations in the sections to where I’ll give you some notes how to adjust to home workouts. Under ‘AT HOME’.
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Weighted Glute bridge-
Lay with your back to the bench (or chair or couch, or ball ) and place the bar (or weight) across your lap (aware you aren’t crushing the goods, or resting on anything fragile. (You may want to pad things if you are pushing a lot of weight) Place your upper back and shoulders on one bench, with knees bent and your heel(s) on the floor.
Push into the heel and raise your body up to horizontal. Do not push your hips high (hyper-extend) your lower back. Let the glutes determine the range of motion you have to work with. Let your butt drop towards the floor and then repeat to bring your hips up even with torso squeezing your glute(s) at the top, hold for a count of three and lower with control. Complete 10-15 reps.
AT HOME
You can do these off a solid chair or the couch, something that won’t slide away from you. Start with two legs, and just let the hips sink and push in the heels to raise to starting position, Do Not thrust your back up, just push into the floor and the hips will rise. As you gain more strength and confidence you could place a weight on your hips, (or a jug of water, or a well behaved pet, just make it harder for yourself before you advance to single legs.
Weighted Bar Rear Lunge-
Load the bar on your back like you are doing a squat. With control, start by letting the hips drop backwards keeping the weight in the front heel and don’t let the upper body drift - (not leaning over forwards).
To stand up push thru to the front heel and extend all the way up, while bringing the back leg all the way up and forward at a 90º angle. It should be glutes and hamstrings doing the work. Do not let the knees fall inwards, or hips twist. Follow each set immediately with a set of the Weighted Bridge.
AT HOME
No weight needed, just try and match your front foot and shin posture to the pic above. and keep that upright torso…See how the shoulders are almost above the hips? if you are struggling, try holding onto maybe a door jam to help you balance and not stress out the knees. To increase the challenge start by holding weights down by your sides, and as you get stronger you can raise the weights above your center of gravity, and even eventually above your head for a core challenge as well. Or you could step back off the bottom stair hanging onto the railing.. obviously not from the top step, or Darwin may have been right about you..
Weighted Bar Step-ups
This exercise is like a lunge but onto a step to increase glute activation. Load the bar on your back like you are doing a squat. Step up with your right leg onto a bench or platform that allows a 90º angle in the high leg. Shin straight up and down, weight on heel.
Push into the step with the right foot and raise your left knee to hip level, (do not push off of the back (left) foot as you stand upright. Left thigh, should be parallel to the ground at the top, hold for 1 second, and return your left foot with control don’t be letting gravity have all the fun. Your goal is to keep most of the weight on the right. Complete 10 to 12 reps on one side, and then repeat on the other side.
AT HOME
These you can do off the bottom step and hold onto the railing if you need same idea as a rear lunge again… keep that shin perpendicular and keep the torso upright, to stand don’t throw yourself forward, push into the heel on the step and pull the back leg all the way through in front of you with the 90º bend. This increases strength, balance and stability.
Stationary lunge
Put the back foot onto a high bench, or stable bar, (Actually I like to get it onto a TRX band to really get the stretch and add some nice instability to challenge those hip and ankle stabilizers at the same time).
Let the hip sink down and back like a rear lunge and push into the front heel to get back upright. Stand straight and don’t half-ass the effort, you should feel a good glute contraction at the top.
AT HOME
These are great with the top of your foot on a chair behind you, or the arm of the couch works well too. You could steady yourself with a cane, a bat, or a patient loved one from the front if you need. Push the hips back and down and keep that front knee over top of the heel, if knees start sliding over toes that’s when we get a little too much compression.