What does your bottom look like? Chances are, you are not sure. While the sight of our stomach and quads in the mirror can incentivise us to keep them in good condition, it’s all too easy to neglect our behind. But a strong bum isn’t just attractive — it’s vital for good health. On Tuesday research from the University of Westminster found the shape of our glutes can be an early warning that we are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
MRI scans of more than 61,000 bottoms showed the gluteus maximus muscle in men who were closer to developing the disease shrank by as much as a quarter, giving it a hollowed profile. In women at risk, the muscle looked larger, because of fat — which they are more likely to store in this area than men — infiltrating the muscle.
Other studies have linked increased lower-body strength to lower mortality rates, and as the largest muscle in the body, the gluteus maximus is key. “They are the power muscles, located in each buttock, that propel you forward when you walk, run or jump,” says physiotherapist Nell Mead, author of How to Be Your Own Physio.
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On the outside of the pelvis are the gluteus medius, “whose job is to control the pelvis”, she adds. The smaller gluteus minimus muscles are underneath, “and important for balance and protecting the larger muscle groups when we move”.
The glutes seem particularly susceptible to age-related deterioration. In the journal BMC Geriatrics, CT scans of adults aged over 65 who fell showed lowest muscle strength in the glutes out of all their lower-limb muscles.
This can have a domino effect, Mead says. “Poorly functioning gluteus medius won’t stop the femur — or thigh bone — from rolling inwards, which may affect the way the knee hinges, resulting in knee pain, and even the way the foot moves, potentially leading to conditions such as plantar fasciitis.”
Weak glutes can also result in lower back pain because the pelvis stabilises the spine, “and if the pelvis is not optimally stabilised, with more than 30 muscles attached, it can cause knock-on effects throughout the upper body, all the way up to the shoulders,” Mead says.
Sedentary lifestyles mean we’re using our glutes less than ever, she adds, and when we’re stationary for too long, the gluteus medius and minimus “switch off” so that when we do finally move, surrounding muscles and joints kick into action unsupported. “Over time, this can result in injury, directly and indirectly, all over the body.”
To reawaken the connection between brain and buttocks, Mead suggests squeezing your buttocks together, holding for two seconds, and releasing, and then squeezing them one at a time, for 30 seconds, at least once a day. “Put a hand on each buttock to make sure you can feel the glutes activating,” she says.
Walking, particularly uphill, which requires the gluteus maximus to propel the hip extensors further forward and puts them in a stronger position to contract, will help build strength.
“Even carving out ten minutes a day to walk can be beneficial,” says the personal trainer Kate Rowe-Ham, author of Owning Your Menopause, who suggests daily “clams” as another way to awaken stabiliser muscles.
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Lie on your left side, feet together, knees bent at a 90-degree angle on the floor, arm on the floor in front of you, head resting on your arm. Keeping your left leg on the floor, and your feet together, lift your right leg as high as you can without tilting your pelvis. Slowly lower. Repeat 10 to 12 times on each side. “You can do them anywhere,” she says. For stronger glutes, incorporate resistance. Here’s how:
Glute bridges
“Lie on your back, hands by your side, knees bent, and thrust your hips up, towards your head, keeping your spine straight,” Rowe-Ham says. “Squeeze your glutes at the top and slowly lower so your upper back and bottom reach the floor together.”
To make this harder, hold a weight lightly across your hips, or use a resistance band. “Put the band around your thighs just above the knees, and as you squeeze your glutes at the top, push your legs out against the band, before bringing them back together and lowering,” she says. Do three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions.
Deadlifts
Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your thighs. “Keep your shoulders up and spine neutral — imagine there’s a rope around your waist pulling you back,” Rowe-Ham says. “Hinge forward from your hips slowly, until your weights reach your shins. Come back up slowly, squeezing your core and glutes until you are upright.”
Deadlifts work all the glute muscles “we can forget about”, Rowe-Ham says. “I often have women worrying about weak quads and knees, when it’s not the quads letting them down, but their glutes.” If you’re a beginner, start with a 5kg weight. Do three sets of 12.
Squats
Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms by your side, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Imagining you are sitting on a chair behind you, lower your bottom until your thighs are parallel to the floor, making sure your knees don’t extend beyond your toes. To maximise focus on your glutes, rather than your quads, drive through your heels. “Elevated squats increase the intensity for your glutes,” Rowe-Ham says. “Put your heels on a weight plate, towel, or rolled-up mat — anything that allows you to sit deeper. Beginners can squat without weights. I use a weighted barbell. Rowe-Ham suggests three sets of 12.
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Lunges
Stand with feet pointing forward, hip-width apart, with arms by your sides and a dumbbell in each hand. Step forward with your right foot so both legs are bent at a 90-degree angle and your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Squeeze your buttocks as you return to the starting position. Repeat with your left foot forward. Try three sets of 12.