Many benefits to working your backside into shape
It may have been one of the first attributes you noticed about your significant other. In addition to charm, humor, dedication and the way his or her eyes twinkled, you undoubtedly glanced at your new love's backside. Glutes are attractive muscles. Why muscles mystify and how they relate to romantic relationships are a subject for a different type of column.
If you want your muscles to look better, especially your glutes, keep reading here.
The glutes are among the biggest and strongest muscles in the body. They're also among the laziest, allowing other muscles to do their work. Similar to co-workers who don't pull their weight, the slack needs to be made up by others. It's not fair, is it? When this happens in the body, it is manifest in the form of a postural deviation. If a muscle is weak or tight, then it can't perform its task. This causes other muscles to take over. In time, these minor deviations can worsen and lead to additional postural problems and even chronic pain.
For example, if the glutes are weak, then the lower back takes over. If you have ever lifted an object improperly, by using the back instead of the legs, then you know the body will alert you that something isn't right. You might have pulled a muscle and walked with a slight limp for a few days.
The same deviations can occur in the legs. If the calves are tight, then the heels will rise during a squat. If the adductors (inside of the leg) are weak, then the knees will turn outward. If the knees turn out while the heels rise during a squat, then the body is not properly aligned to perform a weight-bearing exercise. Doing exercises with the incorrect form will lead to injury. Exercising in front of a mirror or having a partner watch will help you keep proper form.
The kinetic chain is made up of the nervous system, the muscular system and the skeletal system. The muscles hold the structure of the skeleton in place and the nervous system tells the brain which position the body is in. The skeleton has structural strengths that the musculature system uses in performing tasks, including exercises. If weak muscles cause the skeleton to be misaligned, then injury likely occurs.
Building stronger glutes while working on form will assist in preventing injury. Here are two exercises to get you started. When doing these exercises, remember to engage the glutes. Squeezing the butt muscles at the top of each exercise will ensure they are engaged.
Chris Huth is a Las Vegas trainer. You can contact him at 702trainer@gmail.com. Before beginning any exercise program, consult your physician.
Photos for this column were taken at UNLV's Student Recreation and Wellness Center. Although the facility's primary clientele is students, faculty and staff, the center also welcomes community members 18 and older at a monthly fee of $25.
You can contact the service desk at 774-7100 or by email at srwc.memberships@ unlv.edu.
