A lot of people spend time trying to ‘activate’ muscles prior to training…
…but in reality the biggest indication of muscle contribution to a movement is how much that muscle is lengthened in a movement prior to the following concentric movement.
The glutes in squatting are no exception. The glutes (max and med) are at their longest in the bottom of the squat, when the hip is in flexion, adduction and internal rotation.
Abduction and external rotation happens in the squat as part of technique (knees out) but the glutes are shortening in the frontal and transverse planes when this movement is happening.
The good stuff happens at the bottom of the squat when the foot pronates and causes the hip ADDUCT and INTERNALLY ROTATE.
Hip flexion, adduction and internal rotation = LOADS OF GLUTE!
The timing of this movement is massive too – going too early at the foot means you’ve gone to your glute early.
Watch your feet in your squat and see what happens!