Great Glutes! A Total Gym Butt Workout

Having a strong back side (butt muscles) has a lot more importance than just looking great in and out of clothes; these muscles are critical in almost every movement we make.

The superficial muscle of the hip is comprised of four smaller muscles, three of which make up the gluteal muscle: the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus muscles. The fourth muscle is the tensor fasciae latae muscle. If we speak in terms of traditional action of these muscles, they extend, abduct and laterally rotate the femur (the largest bone in the upper leg). In terms of functional anatomy (how they work in the way we live) a few of the many things they help us do are: walk, run, stand still, stand up, stabilize the pelvis and knee, transfer energy from the lower body to the upper body, have good posture, swing a bat or a golf club, throw a ball, climb stairs, etc. People who spend an excessive amount of time sitting (which is most of us these days) can have tight, over-active hip flexors and lengthened, under-active gluteal muscles. If left unchecked, this can lead to weak gluteal muscles that will impact the way we move and can increase the risk of low back, hip and knee pain.

Here is a routine to keep these muscles strong and looking great:

Squats: 8 – 15 reps
Unilateral Squat: 8 – 12 reps per side
Toe-out squats: 8 – 15 reps
Sprinter Start: 8 -12 reps
Hamstring Pull (Hip Extension): 8 – 15 reps
Rear Lunge: 8 – 15 reps per side

Was this article helpful to you? Let us know in the comments!
Don’t forget to follow Total Gym Direct on Facebook and Twitter for great workouts ideas and healthy living ideas you can do!