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THE IMPORTANCE OF GLUTE ACTIVATION
With bikini season well and truly upon us- we want to give you some tips on how best to build that booty! You can be hip thrusting, deadlifting and squatting until the cows come home but if you don’t activate those glutes to begin with- ain’t no booty building happening here!
What are the glutes?
The term “glutes” or as they are more formally known “gluteal muscles” consist of 3 separate muscles. Think of these as a 3-player team each with their own key function, of equal importance.
Gluteus Maximus - Aka the powerhouse of the booty. This is the most superficial of the glute muscles and is responsible for the movement of the hip and our posture. It is also the largest muscle in the body.
Gluteus Medius - This is the muscle on the side of your bum and lies underneath your gluteus maximus. It is strongly associated with the tracking of your knees and movement of the hips.
Gluteus Minimus - This is the smallest of the 3 glute muscles and is associated with rotation at the hip join and stabilising the pelvis.
What is Glute Activation?
The key when trying to build a bum in the gym is glute activation and progressive overload. As we spend a significant amount of time either sitting or lying down our glutes can get extremely lazy so firing up these muscles before you train lower body will help to engage the glutes and allow them to perform at their best.
It's all in the Mind
Mind to muscle connection is also really important! Think about your glutes when you want to work them and ask yourself- am I really feeling this in my glutes or are my quads or hamstrings taking over here? What can prevent you from feeling your glutes really working is if you have an anterior tilted pelvis which is when your pelvis tips forward. This can result in weak glutes and abs and nobody wants that - so think about tucking your pelvis under before carrying out any glute movements.
The Best Glute Activation Exercises
• Crab walks with a resistance band
• Donkey Kicks
• Clam with a resistance band
• Glute bridge (double/ single leg)
Although building strong glutes looks great aesthetically - it’s also great for posture, injury prevention and increased athletic power so before any lower body resistance training or cardio- fire up those bad boys to really feel the burn.
Have a BOOTY-FUL day!
Don't Forget: good nutrition!
Not only do you need to be training your glutes to build that butt of yours, but if you are not eating enough of the right foods - all your efforts will not show! To find out what food to incorporate into your diet and how to eat for that butt - read our article: Fuel your Booty with Breakfast!
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THE IMPORTANCE OF GLUTE ACTIVATION
With bikini season well and truly upon us- we want to give you some tips on how best to build that booty! You can be hip thrusting, deadlifting and squatting until the cows come home but if you don’t activate those glutes to begin with- ain’t no booty building happening here!
What are the glutes?
The term “glutes” or as they are more formally known “gluteal muscles” consist of 3 separate muscles. Think of these as a 3-player team each with their own key function, of equal importance.
Gluteus Maximus - Aka the powerhouse of the booty. This is the most superficial of the glute muscles and is responsible for the movement of the hip and our posture. It is also the largest muscle in the body.
Gluteus Medius - This is the muscle on the side of your bum and lies underneath your gluteus maximus. It is strongly associated with the tracking of your knees and movement of the hips.
Gluteus Minimus - This is the smallest of the 3 glute muscles and is associated with rotation at the hip join and stabilising the pelvis.
What is Glute Activation?
The key when trying to build a bum in the gym is glute activation and progressive overload. As we spend a significant amount of time either sitting or lying down our glutes can get extremely lazy so firing up these muscles before you train lower body will help to engage the glutes and allow them to perform at their best.
It's all in the Mind
Mind to muscle connection is also really important! Think about your glutes when you want to work them and ask yourself- am I really feeling this in my glutes or are my quads or hamstrings taking over here? What can prevent you from feeling your glutes really working is if you have an anterior tilted pelvis which is when your pelvis tips forward. This can result in weak glutes and abs and nobody wants that - so think about tucking your pelvis under before carrying out any glute movements.
The Best Glute Activation Exercises
• Crab walks with a resistance band
• Donkey Kicks
• Clam with a resistance band
• Glute bridge (double/ single leg)
Although building strong glutes looks great aesthetically - it’s also great for posture, injury prevention and increased athletic power so before any lower body resistance training or cardio- fire up those bad boys to really feel the burn.
Have a BOOTY-FUL day!
Don't Forget: good nutrition!
Not only do you need to be training your glutes to build that butt of yours, but if you are not eating enough of the right foods - all your efforts will not show! To find out what food to incorporate into your diet and how to eat for that butt - read our article: Fuel your Booty with Breakfast!
- OTHER STORIES -
IMPORTANCE OF CARBS FOR MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT
Without sufficient carb intake you won’t be able to maximise your workout performance or recovery. Find out why.