Why you need to train those glutes

Why you need to train those glutes

Sculpting your peach has more benefits than you think, find out why you need to train those glutes.

Our glutes are made up of three components – gluteus maximus (which covers your entire seat), gluteus medius (which is from your butt over onto the sides of your pelvis and your hips) and gluteus minimus (which is underneath the other two gluteal muscles).

Booty building has become one of the biggest trends in the fitness industry over the past year. It is near the top of many people’s priorities when training in the gym, if not the top. Everyone is after a nice, rounded peach to create a feminine, curvy figure. But actually there are more important reasons other than aesthetics to prioritise training your glutes.

The power is in the glutes

Running, walking, squatting, lunging – the glutes hold a great deal of power over all lower-body movements. They are the speed behind your sprinting, the strength behind your squat PB and the key to having control over all total-body exercises. Many people blame their ‘bad knees’ for not being able to perform some movements properly, but it may be your glutes that you need to pay attention to. These are the muscles that drive movement.

Sedentary lifestyle

Many of us have jobs which involve sitting down for the majority of the day, meaning that our lower body muscles can become tight and inactive. Our glutes and hip flexors suffer hugely from inactivity, becoming weaker and therefore less able to offer support to the rest of the body. This forces smaller muscle groups to take over, eventually putting stress on muscles which shouldn’t be responsible for certain movements. Our lower-back muscles are a common victim of this and can often feel painful if they are compensating for weak glutes.

Posture alignment

Your glutes are hip stabiliser muscles, providing support for your lower back and keeping your posture in check. If you turn to the side in the mirror and see something other than a near to neutral spine, this could be a sign of weak glutes. The same goes for squatting, turn to the side and have a look in the mirror to check for rounding in the back, your chest leaning forward or any postural imbalance.

Fat loss

Unlike fat tissue, muscle tissue burns calories even when you are not active. The more muscle we have, the more energy we burn on a day-to-day basis. The glutes are one of the largest muscle groups in your body, so are worth paying attention to. Build up the muscle in your bum to get buns of steel and you will burn more calories through out the day which will also result in fat loss. Win win.

What to do now?

-Include squats, lunges, hip thrusts and single-leg squats in your workout to target and strengthen your gluteus muscles. Start off using your body weight, upgrade to using resistance bands around your legs and then when you are ready add some real weight!

– Activate your gluteus muscles before beginning your workout by performing bodyweight glute bridges and resistance band walks.

-Stretch out your hip flexors on a regular basis to prevent stiffness and inactivity. You can do this in between sets in the gym, while you’re watching TV in the evenings or at work on your lunch break.

-Stand up and walk around regularly at work to avoid your muscles going to sleep.

Follow me on Instagram @aimeecorry for more tips and advice.

Looking for more ways to enhance your gym experience? Here’s our ultimate guide to nutrition and 5 steps to the perfect squat.