Strong glutes help keep the spine, pelvis, hips, and knees healthy. They work with all of the other muscles of the core and legs to keep the joints aligned and cushion the impact during walking, running, and jumping. Strong glutes and leg muscles can be used to do most of the work when lifting and moving heavy objects. This will decrease the stress on the spine and help to prevent damage and degenerative changes that occur with age.

Surprisingly, many people have a hard time activating their gluteus maximus muscle. And, even when they are able to activate their gluteus maximus, they have trouble activating only one side at a time, they both want to contract at the same time. The problem with this is that when we walk, run, and climb stairs, one gluteus maximus is working and the other is not. Training the gluteus maximus to work, and work independently is important for protecting the spine and lower body from injuries. If the gluteus maximus is not working correctly, the body will compensate and use other ways of accomplishing the end goal. A perfect example of this is glute kickbacks. Probably the most common error in this exercise is not using the gluteus maximus to lift the leg. Instead, the low back collapses, sagging at the midsection. When this happens, you can lift the leg higher with less muscle activity. The foot gets higher but the hip is not going into as much extension. The gluteus maximus is most active towards the end range of extension. If the hip never gets past neutral, the hamstrings will be able to do more of the work. Not only is this bad mechanics because the spine is moving through a rounded position and an arched position, it will also use the muscles of the back and the hamstrings without much involvement from the gluteus maximus. Over time, the gluteus maximus will get weaker. the range of motion of the hip joint into extension will get tighter, and the spine will become more mobile - exactly the opposite of what you want. Ideally, the spine is stable, and the movement and power come from the joints and muscles of the legs.

Tight hip flexors can interfere with the gluteus maximus’ ability to contract. Muscles that are on opposite sides of a joint, and do opposite actions, work in pairs. When one muscle is working to move the limb, the other one is quiet, it basically “turns off”. This is so that the muscles are not competing, and working against each other. For example, when the hip flexors are trying to pull the thigh forward, the gluteus maximus will not be able to hold the leg back and prevent the hip flexor from doing its job.

Anytime that you exercise in the hands and knees position while lifting one leg or one arm off of the floor, the core muscles work differently. When one leg is lifted from the floor, the pelvis on that side is unsupported and gravity will pull down on it. The obliques and quadratus lumborum - two of the core muscles that work to prevent rotation and side-bending of the trunk, will need to work harder to keep the spine in a neutral position. It is a good idea to include exercises that work these muscles as you are moving the legs because that is how we use our bodies in everyday life. Examples of this in everyday life would be standing on a ladder, lifting one leg to reach further - I was doing this the other day picking peaches. The core muscles have to really kick in to help maintain your balance and prevent you from falling from the ladder.