MIHP Think Tank Brainstorms… Movement Training Specialists

Fire up the glutes!

I really don’t mean to keep picking on Men’s Health Magazine, but I just can’t help it.  I guess it’s because it’s the only fitness magazine that comes to my house, and I really enjoy reading it.  So, as I was perusing the December 2009 issue, I came across an article entitled “Work Your Buns Off”.  My heart started to pound.  Yes, an article about firing the glutes!  Under the title, it reads, “Too much junk in the trunk?  Here’s how to make your gluteus or maximus”.  Clever and inviting!

It’s actually a very good article describing how most people’s glutes “forget how to fire”.  So true! We see that every day.  When I got to the exercise portion, it left me a little flat (like a lot of peoples’ butts).  Anyway, the article describes nine different exercises.  SEVEN of them are in the sagittal plane and the other two in the frontal plane. All of the exercises are good for getting the glute max to initially fire, however, they need to be trained how they are used.  Since our bodies move in THREE planes of motion, with the transverse plane being the most used in normal movement, you would think there would be at least one exercise in that plane.  Plus, when you train in the sagittal and frontal plane and then move and play in the transverse plane, you are setting yourself up for an injury.

A great exercise to work the glute max in the tranverse plane is a simple lunge with a twist.  To do this exercise, stand with your feet shoulders width apart with your toes pointed straight ahead.  Step forward and slightly out to the side with your right foot into the lunge position.  Be sure that your knee does not move forward over your toes and does not “fall in or out”.  Keep your back straight.  As you lunge, twist your torso to the right as you reach with your left hand toward your right foot.  Push up from the right foot back to the starting position.  Repeat this motion ten times and then do it on the left leg.

Make sure you feel the glutes (butt muscles) working, because you know, “it’s almost always about the butt!” (Sherry McLaughlin, MSPT)

'til next time......