How To Train The Glutes

Glute Max is the largest of the 3 glutes and there are two main ways we see them trained – concentrically and eccentrically.

Movements like glute bridges and hip thrusts are focused on a CONCENTRIC contraction of the glutes ie. long-to-short.

Movements like squats and lunges are focused on an ECCENTRIC contraction of the glutes, followed by a concentric contraction ie. short-to-long, to-short.

Most movements in everyday life and sport see an eccentric-to-concentric contraction of the glutes e.g. run, squat, jump etc.

There are instances where you see a concentric contraction of the glutes like throwing an opponent off you when on the floor in sports like wrestling, but for the most part the glutes work eccentric-to-concentric.

When loaded eccentrically, Glute Max decelerates hip flexion, adduction and internal rotation and then helps create the opposite motion – hip extension, abduction, external rotation.

We see this movement combination at the hip both long range in movements like the squat and lunge and short range in movements like running, jumping and landing…to name a few!

Top Tip – If you’re training your glutes to work harder when you move, choose movements in training that work in the same range as the movement you want to get better at.

And remember… If you lack the ability to find flexion, adduction and internal rotation at the hip in any given movement you may well struggle to hit your glutes!

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Image credit @visible.body