No more ifs and butts

BUTTOCKS: FIRMER GLUTES WILL BOOST OVERALL STRENGTH

For as long as man and woman have been around, there has always been a fascination with butts. The butt, or for a more anatomically correct name, gluteus maximus, are very important for athletes, health and functions.

The butt is made up of the big part which, as mentioned, is called the glu-above teus maximus. Just that, to the left and right side, is called the gluteus medius and to the bot-that tom of the glutes, is called the gluteus minimus .

The glutes are always required to be strong because they are responsible for movement of the hip and thigh. Athletes under video analysis with a low knee drive motion tell us that one of the factors that could be contributing to a low knee drive motion, or quite frankly slower sprinting, can be attributed to having weaker glutes.

If the glutes were strong, the bum would have no issues picking up the leg as high as possible again and again. It is only because it is such an effort to pick the leg up so high each time that the body finds a way of cheating to try and find the easy way out.

The reason why you need a high knee drive motion in most sports is because most sports require you to have explosive power and speed. If you can’t even lift your leg very high, how can you expect it to lift quickly without effort? The high knee drive motion also helps in generating large amounts of drive force to overcome the resistance created by surface area and gravity.

Think about this in another way; when a boxer is about to strike, is a jab going to drive significant force to knock out the opponent, or is a full length punch going to do the trick? Obviously, the full blown punch is going to generate more energy, force and power.

Another important thing to remember why muscle strength is important, is because people are so fixated on becoming faster and more powerful, but the real question is, do they also have enough muscle strength to stop those bigger forces being generated? Being fast is one thing, but being able to stop a bullet train is another.

If you are an athlete whose sport requires you to sprint, change direction, jump and make contact with other players, and your largest muscle group is weak, then understand, you are a ticking time bomb for potential injury and you are more than likely in for a world of pain.

Unfortunately, our current environments don’t help either, we are becoming a nation of “professional sitters”. You sit at the office at your workstation, at home on the couch, at dinner table and, when you go out with friends, more than likely you are sitting. Sitting most of the day is killing your posture, your pelvis and all the while contributing to a weaker butt. It is critical you focus on strength development for the glutes and hamstrings and core stability.

Find a qualified professional to set up a homework programme that focuses on your key areas and if you are an athlete, seek a sports scientist who can assess your lower leg strength and biomechanics.