Anatomy of the Glutes

Hindsight: Intro to & Overview of the Glutes



Some definitions for terms mentioned in this article:
ABDUCTION: Movement away from the body.
EXTENSION: Straightening the joint resulting in an increase of angle.
LATERAL ROTATION: Rotary movement around the longitudinal axis of the bone away from the center of the body; turning the thigh or pelvis outward.

A butt is a butt, right? Well, if you’re not interested in making yours look nicer, then, I suppose you could answer ‘right.’ However, all those in favor of a firmer, rounder booty would be more inclined to want to know a bit more about just what yours is made of.

First of all, the term ‘glutes’ is plural for a reason; there is more than one muscle that makes up what you typically refer to as your butt: Gluteus Minimus, Gluteus Medius & the ever famous Gluteus Maximus. In order to obtain our ‘best butt,’ it is important to consider that all 3 of these muscles must be worked for optimal proportionality & attractive results.

Gluteus Minimus: As the name would suggest, this is the smallest of the three muscles. Located beneath the other two muscles (immediately beneath Gluteus Medius) & connected to the outer part of the ilium (the rounded, flared part of the bones that make up your pelvis – hip). It is involved in movement of the thigh (inward rotation) & is chiefly involved when supporting the body on one leg.

Gluteus Medius: Broader & thicker than the Gluteus Minimus, this muscle is also connected to the ilium, though closer to the crest (uppermost part of the flare). It sits directly above Gluteus Maximus & over Gluteus Minimus. This muscle performs the same actions as Gluteus Minimus but is also involved in hip extension, lateral rotation and abduction, serving as a decelerator of internal rotation of the femur bone (large bone located above the knee, surrounded by the thigh and hamstring muscles) at the end of the swing of your leg during walking/running. The Gluteus Medius helps stabilize the pelvis and aids in lateral movements.

Gluteus Maximus: The largest and topmost muscle of the glutes, this one is a very broad and thick fleshy muscle running from the inner portion of the ilium. This is the muscle that makes up most of the shape & appearance of your butt. The biggest action taken by Gluteus Maximus is erecting the body after stopping by drawing the pelvis backward; it is also involved in any forward bending movements like step-ups, squats or lunges.

Now that you are more familiar with what you’re made of back there, you can begin to better understand why and how certain exercises will give you particular results. In the next blog, we will explore more of the functionality and specifics that will enable you to work all of your glutes.

Melissa, is available for Personal Training at your home or over email.

Melissa COO/CPT
Executive Vice President
Group Exercise, Program Design and Customer Service

Big butts

‘I Like Big Butts...’ Just a Fad of the Times or Timeless Sex Symbol?

It seems as though nowadays, curves are in…. or at least making a comeback. Looking around on TV, in magazines and advertisement venues, there seems to be a trend; after all, just look at the uproar J Lo caused with her particularly ‘well-rounded asset’. Living in America, it’s no secret that we’re obsessed with slim, but historically women who were curvy were always more desirable. This begs several questions. First of all, why did curves go out of style? Second, why are they coming back? And third, are they here to stay?

There are a few theories as to why curves lost their appeal. The one that makes the most sense to me has to do with equality. In the past, a more feminine appearance may have also been associated with incompetence in the professional world (as femininity is classically attributed to mothers – those who traditionally stay home & care for the children, as opposed to the men who were expected to go out in the working world to ‘bring home the bacon’). Hence, as women entered the workforce and naturally wanted to be taken more seriously and attain success, it is more than possible that they subconsciously realized a more masculine appearance could be a key factor.

The appeal of a larger lower body on women goes back to the caveman age. Innately, it is understood that strong legs and glutes would enable a person to run faster & less likely to be the prey of hungry carnivores. Darwin believed that those humans that appeared healthiest would naturally be more suited to find a mate more quickly in order to pass those traits genetically to offspring. Moreover, there is reason to believe that hip-waist ratio plays are large part in the indication of fertility in females – a determining factor on the influence of a male’s mate selection process. All of this is also very apparent in the examination of ancient art and culture (statues and paintings etc. of fertility goddesses & women alike).

Fast forward: in the present day, women are decently integrated into the professional world. (I have my own reservations on this subject matter but that’s for another blog at another time). Having more influence (not to mention laws backing us up that have forced society to strive for fairness), has allowed for less concern over one’s appearance having bearing on qualification. Additionally, more vintage taboos have also faded considerably allowing America to embrace the not-so-secret secret that ‘sex sells’. In that light, many new opportunities have surfaced for those women considered ‘voluptuous’. As women continue to fight for equality and acceptance, they have caught the attention of many companies wishing to capitalize on whatever demand is currently strongest. As society comes out of the super-skinny-waif fad, and more accepting of women who actually look the way they’re supposed to (no offense to those women who are genetically predisposed to a more slender somatotype by the way), Big Business is changing their target demographic, most especially in fashion.

Though it’s impossible to predict the future and the fads that lie in wait, it would seem that curves are finally here to stay. Considering the fact that women are built with wide hips for a very important reason (childbirth), genetically they are most certainly not going anywhere & it is therefore in the best interest of society to understand and accept that fact. In a perfect world, everyone would be A-OK with the way his or her body is built – we are all different & that’s a beautiful thing no matter what; however, it is perhaps human nature to criticize that, which is less conventionally embraced. I look forward to a society that promotes more readily a healthier self-image approach, which will auspiciously lead to a decline in eating disorders and other debilitating habits and issues.

Melissa, is available for Personal Training at your home or over email. This article should show you what a gem Melissa is to your goals. She is a treasured member of my staff. Perfect You looks forward to you debating this article and making this site even better at addressing your unique needs.

Melissa COO/CPT
Executive Vice President
Group Exercise, Program Design and Customer Service