Listen to this classic while you read about today's Muscle!
So I saved the LARGEST glute for last !
We've covered Gluteus Minimus and Gluteus Medius so today it's all about
GLUTEUS MAXIMUS
It's no secret that our culture (mostly hollywood, celebrity & fitness media) is butt obsessed !
"how to get a big booty" etc! I'm pretty sure there was a time where 'flat butts' were 'IN' but
it's definitely been all about the booty for some time now we can't escape it! Love it or hate it, I'm sorry if anyone is offended by any of today's content but I can't talk about butt muscles without going there - at least a little bit!
Glute Max is the LARGEST glute but also the LARGEST muscle in the body!
The Glute muscles live UNDER the fatty tissue layer - so if you want bigger buns you'd want to increase the muscle mass underneath the fat right?
Aesthetics aside, we should ALL be strengthening our Glute muscles !
(more on that towards END of this post!)
Glute Max is the most posterior of the group with its muscle fibers running diagonally.
Glute Max is one of two muscles that attach into the IT Band (Iliotibial band - see below)
(the other one is TFL)
Gluteus Maximus Attachment Points
Origin: Posterior Iliac Crest, the posterolateral Sacrum, the coccyx & sacrotuberus ligament
(many points but they're all close to eachother, aka : the back of your hip, base of spine & tailbone)
Insertion: Ilio-tibial Band (lower fibers attach here) and the gluteal tuberosity of the femur (upper fibers attach here)
Most people have WEAK glute muscles.
Glutes are part of our "Core" and a strong Glute MAX plays an important
role in GOOD Posture. Lower back pain could be a sign of GLUTE
WEAKNESS. Another sign of Glute weakness would be
THIS posture - also known as "Anterior Pelvic Tilt"
(image c/o www.somastruct.com)
It's funny because a sign of of weak glutes is someone whose butt is sticking out (image on the right side) ! Also worth noting:
if you have weak Glutes, there's a good chance you have weak Abdominals
as well! Together they make up majority of our "core".
Play with strengthening these muscles to take pressure off of the back and knees and watch many of your aches and pains go away!
One of my favourites, give it a try - but remember ! "know your limit stay within it!"
Pain is a sign from your body to back out now!
the main action of Glute Max is Extension of the thigh at the hip joint but it does more than that!:
(squats!)
Gluteus Maximus Muscle Actions:
-EXTENSION of the thigh @ the hip joint
- Abduction of the thigh @ the hip joint (upper fibers)
- Adduction of the thigh @ the hip joint (lower fibers)
- Lateral Rotation of the thigh @ the hip joint
It also encourages a "posterior tilt" of the pelvis (aka "tucking your tail bone IN")
Below: Lateral Rotation of the thigh at the hip joint:
upper fibers do ABduction
And lower fibers do ADDuction.
Try This!
STAND UP and play with squeezing/contracting your own glutes! While you're at it, gently contract your abdominals as well! What do you notice? Is there less pressure on your low back and knees? Are you standing stronger, taller? NOW LET IT GO....how did that feel? Try isolating just your Left side from your right ...is one side stronger?
And I'll leave you with this - glutes in all their glory!
