[headline style=”1″ align=”center” headline_tag=”h2″]Introduction to Glute Activation
[/headline]
I probably should be slapped for saying the ugly “activation” word. In fact, I despise this word because it is over used and I hate isolating out muscles. Many years of making clients roll around and squeeze their glutes as a strength coach gives me nightmares in retrospect. This is because muscles don’t function in isolation, at least in most human function. Sure, isolation may be needed from time-to-time, especially when working with a severely deconditioned patient, increasing hypertrophy and load to a specific tissue (tendonopathy), or someone with no kinesthetic sense. However, this isn’t the time to debate this. In this post, I am going to show you a quick and easy way to increase increase glute activation without cueing your patients or tapping their booty saying something along the lines of “did you feel that contraction”?
[headline style=”1″ align=”center” headline_tag=”h2″]Why Activate the Glutes?
[/headline]
The butt is one of the most powerful sources of the body. When working optimally, the knees and back are usually happy and healthy. Since we now live in the 21st century and sit all day long, the butt becomes dormant and usually doesn’t work. For this reason, increasing recruitment of the glutes is essential in both rehab, performance training, or even general aesthetics.
[headline style=”1″ align=”center” headline_tag=”h2″]Key Principles of Activating the Glutes
[/headline]
If you know how a muscle elongates, you can facilitate it. Muscles work eccentrically before they work concentrically. For this reason, if you want to facilitate hip external rotation, drive them into internal rotation. If you want hip abduction start them elongated in more adduction. This is the same for any other plane or movement.
Principle 1: Facilitate the opposite motion that you are trying to accomplish
Not only do you need to know what motions elongates and shortens the muscle, you also need to understand functional biomechanics and loading.
For instance, what happens to your left hip when you reach at chest height at 45 degrees to the left?
What position is your right hip in when you take a step with the right foot?
Now what happens when you take a step with your right foot and reach to the left at 45 degrees at chest height with your right arm?
Principle 2: You need to understand functional biomechanics in all 3 planes of motion
By the way, if you want to learn more about functional biomechanics I would suggest taking a course through the Gray Institute (no relation). You can do this by Clicking Here
Last but not least, you need to understand moments and moment arms using a variety of loads.
For instance, what happens when I hold a dumbbell in my left hand and lunge with my right leg?
In this case, it would increase the frontal plane demands on the right hip by further creating hip adduction.
To increase more demands on a muscle, you can also increase the lever arm.
How could you increase the moment arm in this example?
How could you increase the moment in the transverse plane? Sagittal plane?
Principle 3: You need to understand moments and moment arms using a variety of loads.
[headline style=”1″ align=”center” headline_tag=”h2″]Strategies to Activate the Glutes
[/headline]
Below are some examples of me applying the three principles above. I literally went to the clinic and made my own exercises using my creativity and imagination. I can do this because I know how the muscle works. Keep in mind you can use conventional exercises such as squats and deadlifts as well, too!
What are some examples that you have in your mind? Post them at the bottom of the page.
You can use traditional deadlifts and squat variations to load your patients as well using these principles.
[headline style=”1″ align=”center” headline_tag=”h2″]Concluding Remarks on Glute Activation
[/headline]
The glutes are very important to most human function. Don’t make the same mistake I made early on in my career by trying to isolate them in artificial positions and hoping and praying it carried over to sport or function. Regardless if your treating patients or athletes, they need a butt. In most cases, your patients don’t need to be bridging and doing clam shells to death. Instead, make it fun and creative using the principles I have outlined.
By the way, post some strategies that you have come up with. 🙂
