When
we think of the body’s powerhouse, usually the first thing that comes to mind
is our core (abs). However, the truth is that we possess a far more powerful
group of muscles in our body, known as the glutes. The glutes colloquially referred to as ‘our
butt’ or ‘buttocks’ are in charge of our posture, athletic performance and
overall strength. They are the largest and
strongest muscle group in the body.
The
glutes (gluteal muscles) are a combination of three different muscles: the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and the gluteus minimus. These
mucles work together, attached by either tendons or ligaments to the
surrounding bone area. These mucles are in charge of the movement all the way
from the hip to the thigh and allow us to rise from a sitting position, stay in
an erect position and climb stairs.
In short we can say that glutes power
our motion. In fact, these muscles control most of our lower-body movements and
are connected to our core, quads and hamstring.
Exercising these muscles is especially important as
majority of our time is spent leading a sedentary lifestyle, where most of our
time is spent in front of a screen and there is no movement involved.
Benefits of Having Strong Glutes
1) It Gives a Better
Posture: By working on our glute muscles we will have more support and our
pelvis will automatically begin to stabalise. In turn, our spine will get a lot
more support.
2) Improved
Athletic Performance: By strengthening our glutes, we also improve upon our
speed, acceleration and even explosive power. In short, we become stronger and
faster than someone having weak glutes.
3) Reduced Chance of
Injury: We are less likely to get injured by having strong glutes. Some of
these injuries could include those to our knees, lower back and hamstring.
Strong glutes also prevent serious injuries such as sprains and tears in our
back muscles.
Some of the most important freestyle exercises that
can even be done at home that work on the glutes are:
1) Squats
2) Lunges
3) Quadruped hip extensions
4) Single leg bridge
5) Walking sideways with a resistance band around our ankles
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