{"id":316212,"date":"2025-11-27T06:10:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-27T06:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/316212\/"},"modified":"2025-11-27T06:10:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-27T06:10:09","slug":"bottoms-up-why-you-need-to-work-on-your-glutes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/316212\/","title":{"rendered":"Bottoms up! Why you need to work on your glutes"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\u2019s all too easy to neglect our behind. But a strong bum isn\u2019t just attractive \u2014 it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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 \u2014 which they are more likely to store in this area than men \u2014 infiltrating the muscle.<\/p>\n

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. \u201cThey are the power muscles, located in each buttock, that propel you forward when you walk, run or jump,\u201d says physiotherapist Nell Mead, author of How to Be Your Own Physio.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Read more expert advice on healthy living, fitness and wellbeing<\/a><\/p>\n

On the outside of the pelvis are the gluteus medius, \u201cwhose job is to control the pelvis\u201d, she adds. The smaller gluteus minimus muscles are underneath, \u201cand important for balance and protecting the larger muscle groups when we move\u201d.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

This can have a domino effect, Mead says. \u201cPoorly functioning gluteus medius won\u2019t stop the femur \u2014 or thigh bone \u2014 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Weak glutes can also result in lower back pain because the pelvis stabilises the spine, \u201cand 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,\u201d Mead says.<\/p>\n

Sedentary lifestyles mean we\u2019re using our glutes less than ever, she adds, and when we\u2019re stationary for too long, the gluteus medius and minimus \u201cswitch off\u201d so that when we do finally move, surrounding muscles and joints kick into action unsupported. \u201cOver time, this can result in injury, directly and indirectly, all over the body.\u201d<\/p>\n

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. \u201cPut a hand on each buttock to make sure you can feel the glutes activating,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven carving out ten minutes a day to walk can be beneficial,\u201d says the personal trainer Kate Rowe-Ham, author of Owning Your Menopause, who suggests daily \u201cclams\u201d as another way to awaken stabiliser muscles. <\/p>\n

\u2022 The 6 moves that over-40s need to do every week<\/a><\/p>\n

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. \u201cYou can do them anywhere,\u201d she says. For stronger glutes, incorporate resistance. Here\u2019s how:<\/p>\n

Glute bridges<\/p>\n

\u201cLie on your back, hands by your side, knees bent, and thrust your hips up, towards your head, keeping your spine straight,\u201d Rowe-Ham says. \u201cSqueeze your glutes at the top and slowly lower so your upper back and bottom reach the floor together.\u201d <\/p>\n

To make this harder, hold a weight lightly across your hips, or use a resistance band. \u201cPut 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,\u201d she says. Do three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions.<\/p>\n

Deadlifts\"Antonia<\/p>\n

Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your thighs. \u201cKeep your shoulders up and spine neutral \u2014 imagine there\u2019s a rope around your waist pulling you back,\u201d Rowe-Ham says. \u201cHinge forward from your hips slowly, until your weights reach your shins. Come back up slowly, squeezing your core and glutes until you are upright.\u201d <\/p>\n

Deadlifts work all the glute muscles \u201cwe can forget about\u201d, Rowe-Ham says. \u201cI often have women worrying about weak quads and knees, when it\u2019s not the quads letting them down, but their glutes.\u201d If you\u2019re a beginner, start with a 5kg weight. Do three sets of 12.<\/p>\n

Squats\"Antonia<\/p>\n

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\u2019t extend beyond your toes. To maximise focus on your glutes, rather than your quads, drive through your heels. \u201cElevated squats increase the intensity for your glutes,\u201d Rowe-Ham says. \u201cPut your heels on a weight plate, towel, or rolled-up mat \u2014 anything that allows you to sit deeper. Beginners can squat without weights. I use a weighted barbell. Rowe-Ham suggests three sets of 12.<\/p>\n

\u2022 5 easy exercises to keep you strong in midlife<\/a><\/p>\n

Lunges<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What does your bottom look like? Chances are, you are not sure. While the sight of our stomach…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":316213,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[337,97],"class_list":{"0":"post-316212","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-fitness","9":"tag-health"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/316212","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=316212"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/316212\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/316213"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=316212"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=316212"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=316212"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}