Quick question: What’s the biggest muscle in your body?
Chest? Biceps? Brain?
Nope. It’s the gluteus maximum, also known as the glutes, also known as: Your Butt.
If you think you’re stuck with the tush you have, then you’re not only mistaken – you’re also asking for all kinds of mobility issues. Exercising the glutes is essential to more than just looking good as you walk away. You can’t be in good shape if you ignore the derriere.
This is your body’s hub of movement, the workhorse. Problems arise when your glutes get lazy or dormant, because other muscles must kick in to perform jobs that they’re not designed to do. And that starts a domino effect of compensations that will, over time, wreak havoc on your body.
With every step you take, your glutes should absorb much of the impact and propel you into the next step. If your glutes can’t do that, your foot, knee, hip, back – maybe even your neck – are going to take the brunt of those forces.
And because your glutes are at the center of your body, they’re crucial to function for both the lower and upper body.
Ignoring your butt leads to back pain, knee trouble, and a higher risk of falling.
Talk to us here about squats, deadlifts, and other exercises to strengthen your glutes, including bridges, plank variations, and banded hip abductions.
Respect your butt. It’s so much more than meets the eye.