5 Ways to Improve Glute Function

photo credit: muscleandstrength.com

First impressions are kind of a big deal. You can determine a lot about someone within the first couple minutes of meeting them. There are usually a few things that stand out like a nice watch, big smile, eye contact, or shoes. From a physical standpoint, you can usually tell when someone takes care of themselves. As a fitness professional I can appreciate things like good posture and muscular development. Among other attributes, I think many of us can appreciate a set of well developed glutes.

What, you thought Kim Kardashian was famous for her talent?

Aside from the obvious aesthetic appeal of a well developed backside, proper glute function is essential for injury prevention and athletic performance. There have been numerous studies done on how better glute function translates to knee, hip, and low back health in addition to contributing to better performance. 

Basically, a better butt is almost as awesome as Arnold Schwarzenegger riding a unicorn while drinking Wild Turkey and slaying communists. All while AC/DC is playing in the background.

So sad I couldn't find a picture of that...but I digress.

Unfortunately, many have what Dr. Stuart McGill calls "gluteal amnesia". Due to the sedentary nature of our society, we spend more time sitting on our glutes than we do using them. Most people have no idea what ideal hip extension looks or feels like. As a result we have more marshmallow asses and low back pain than buns of steel and bulletproof spines.

Here are a few things you can use to wake up those glutes.

1. Know What Proper Hip Extension Looks Like

You might think I would start with a long list of stretching and corrective exercises, but before you go down that road you need to know what proper hip extension looks like. Many are quick to jump into a corrective strategy without addressing whether motor control is the real issue first. A little bit of coaching can go a long way.

There are several different hip extension exercises out there, but I find the easiest way to teach it is with a simple glute bridge. Lie on your back, bend the knees, brace your abs and drive the heels into the floor to lift the hips as high as possible. Give your glutes a good squeeze at the top.

photo credit: motherfitness.com

Notice in the image above how there is a straight line from the knees, through the hips, and all the way to the shoulders. This is the position the hips should be in at the top of every rep of squats, deadlifts, kettlebell swings, and most other lower body exercises that are performed. If you can achieve this position AND feel a good contraction in the glutes, you may be ready to progress to more advanced variations.

Conversely, if you feel your hamstrings light up like a Christmas tree your glutes probably aren't firing properly. If this is the case you need to address a few other things first.

2. Learn How to Breathe Properly

I have covered breathing at length before, so I won't belabor the point here.

Proper pelvic alignment is essential to proper glute function. If you don't know how to breathe properly, chances are the pelvis is already out of alignment due to an accessory breathing strategy. If the diaphragm isn't doing its job, the hip flexors and paraspinals will most likely be picking up the slack and contributing to more anterior pelvic tilt.

Try some crocodile or 3 month breathing to get yourself right. Get on the floor and knock out 10-15 deep diaphragmatic breaths with a full exhale.

3. Stretch the Hip Flexors

Piggybacking on my last point, stiff hip flexors can pull the pelvis into an anterior tilt, thus limiting the glutes' ability to extend the hip.

There are several reasons for short and stiff hip flexors that I will not get into here. It is sufficient to say some extra stretching for this area can help. There are many examples of effective hip flexor stretches out there on the interwebz, so I'll let you do the homework.

4. Train Anti-Extension

After you have loosened things up a bit, you need to cement that new mobility with some stability work. Training the anterior core to resist lumbar extension is essential because it allows the hips to fully extend without extra spinal motion.

In layman's terms, the spine should stay still so the glutes can do their job.

My favorites are ground based core exercises like dead bugs, pullovers, plank variations, and ab wheel rollouts.

5. Train the Glutes Directly

Now that you have addressed potential weak links, its time to get into some direct glute work.

I didn't used to be a huge fan of glute bridges and hip thrusts, but after incorporating some of them into my own training and programming I have changed my tune. These are also a great way to train hip extension for individuals that don't tolerate spinal loading well (ie. back pain).

SL Hip Thrust

Barbell Glute Bridge

There are a few different options here and different ways to load each. Just make sure you brace your abs, drive the heel into the floor with each rep, and get a full contraction in the glutes at the top. I actually just came across a post on Greg Robins' site that went up today on hip thrust variations. Check it out here.

Give these a try and enjoy the soreness.

Summary

Whether your goal is to sculpt a more aesthetically pleasing backside, reduce pain, or to improve your performance, the glutes merit some direct attention in any training program.

Keep in mind you can do all the hip thrusting and stretching in the world to make your butt look better, but if your nutrition sucks nobody will take notice.

Put the above points into action and you should be happy with the result.

Stuff You Should Read Because I Said So - 11/16/13

I've been in a bit of a writing funk lately. Between work and all the other stuff I have going on I haven't been feeling overly inspired. I suppose that's part of the creative process. Coming up with insightful content week after week certainly isn't an easy task. I am also very analytical, which certainly doesn't expedite the writing process.

I've actually heard of several accomplished authors scrapping months or years of work because they thought it was crap. Others spend years working and never get published. I suppose I shouldn't be too hard on myself considering I am still pretty new to this whole writing thing. At the end of the day the best thing I can do is keep writing and getting better. This happens to make a wonderful transition into the first item in this month's stuff you should read.

You're Not Good Enough to Be Disappointed

3 Reasons You Can't Perform Big Lifts

Earning the Right to Train Overhead: Eric Cressey on the Snatch

Front Squat

Deadbugs: The What, Why, and How

How to Be the Worst Personal Trainer Ever!

The +1 Workout

Take Ownership of Your Life

4 (Not So Obvious) Reasons You're Not Seeing Results in the Gym

5 Things You Should Do Every Day

What's the Best Diet for Losing Fat?

30 Years 30 Lessons - Part 2

Something strange is happening. Now that I have been 30 for a couple weeks, I feel markedly wiser and even more handsome. Hopefully this renewed intelligence and good-lookingness will lead to fame and fortune in the next decade.

Now, on to the second half of my 30 lessons.

16. The best way to get stronger is adding weight to the bar. If you are lifting the same weights week after week, month after month, you probably aren't making any progress. Vary the load, intensity, speed and rep schemes you are using and make sure poundage is increasing. A few of my favorite programs out there include 5/3/1, The Juggernaut Method, AMD, and Show and Go. I haven't purchased it yet, but Eric Cressey's High Performance Handbook is out now and I'm sure it is a fantastic program as well. Go pick one of these up if you are serious about getting stronger.

17. Pain is a manifestation of dysfunction elsewhere. If your knee hurts, the knee probably isn't the problem. Look for a mobility or stability problem in the adjacent joint. The same goes for the shoulder, back etc.

18. Cherish every day and every moment. You only get one shot at life.

19. Auto-regulation is a fantastic thing. Some days we feel great and others we feel like crap. Real life is tiring and stressful. If you always keep your foot on the gas you will inevitably burn out. Constructing a program that allows one to capitalize on the good days and "punch the clock" on the bad is crucial to long term success.

20. Preserve your athleticism. We don't spend enough time at play. All the time we spend in the weight room is beneficial, but along the way we stop running, jumping, rolling and throwing. Why? Make it a point to get outside and play or add some agility work into your routine. All that time in the weight room doesn't mean much if you can't play a little flag football with your buddies without getting hurt.

21. Consistency is the key to long term success.

22. View your time and energy as an investment. You have control over the situations, and individuals (personally and professionally) that are worth your investment. Invest wisely.

23. We don't give breathing patterns enough credit. You don't really own your stability until you can breathe through it. Start making proper breathing a priority and marvel at the results.

24. You should never pay anyone for something you can do yourself (unless that person is me).

25. Movement capacity is the most important aspect of fitness and performance. Strength is important, but not at the expense of proper movement. If you can't get yourself in the correct position to squat, deadlift, and press you will never be as strong as you could be.

26. Any idiot can make you tired. A good coach will make you better. Any good fitness professional has a systematic way of approaching just about everything. Results by default aren't worth your money. If your trainer can't identify the steps they will take to progress you to your goal, take your business elsewhere.

27. Goals MUST be specific and measurable. It is much easier to hold yourself accountable if you have a quantitative measure to aim for. Anything else is spinning your wheels.

28. If more people picked up heavy things and listened to AC/DC the world would be a better place.

29. There is a difference between "training" and "exercising". Exercising is for those with no direction. They have no goals and no expectations of themselves. Going to the gym and eating well is nothing more than an obligation and they expect to see results with minimal effort. Training is for those who have a purpose. They have concrete goals and hold themselves to a higher standard. Their time is a valuable commodity and they use it wisely. Training is a life long pursuit and it takes a heavy dose of hard work and dedication. These individuals don't get hung up on minor setbacks. They keep pushing forward and setting new goals.

30. All your health efforts don't mean shit if you don't buckle your seat belt.


Hopefully you all take something away from a few of the lessons I've learned in my short time on this earth. Looking back, I have been pretty fortunate thus far and hope to live happily through my next 30.

Have a great weekend!

30 Years 30 Lessons - Part 1

Well it's official, 30 years ago I graced the world with my presence.

You're welcome world.

All kidding aside, I have so much to be thankful for and am grateful for every new day. I thought it would be a good idea to share some of the most important lessons I've learned over the years regarding strength training, movement, and life. When I sat down and made this list I thought it would be difficult, but I actually had a tough time keeping the it to 30!

1. Master the basics first and do them forever. Everyone seems to be in a rush to get to the coolest, most advanced training and nutrition protocols. Movements like squatting, hinging, pulling and pushing should always form the cornerstone of your training program.

2. Perfect practice makes perfect. Half reps and half-assed nutrition won't get you any closer to your goals.

3. If you're not assessing you're guessing. How can you get to point B if you don't know what point A is? You should constantly be assessing to gauge progress and set new goals.

4. 90% of your problems can be solved with hard work and a positive attitude.

5. Stop looking for a fitness solution to a medical problem. If you are injured (there is a difference between hurt and injured), seek out the help of a clinician.

6. Avoid frequently training to failure. Training to failure has its place, but 5 clean reps are better than 8 ugly reps.

7. Stop with the sit ups already! Train the core to resist motion.

8. Time your carbohydrate intake around your training. On training days the majority of your carbohydrate intake should be around workout time. Limit carbohydrate intake on non-training days. 

9. Strength builds character. I learned some of my most valuable lessons in the weight room. Overcoming fear and testing your limits will make you a better person inside and out.

10. Corrective exercise in the traditional sense is overrated. We should be trying to correct movements with movement rather than focusing on what muscle group isn't working properly.

11. You can't run to get a runner's body. You need a runner's body to run. Running is a high level activity, yet the first thing most people do to get fit is embark on a distance running program. Most are nowhere near qualified to run to their mailbox much less run a 5k. Clean up your diet and build tissue tolerance through strength training first.

12. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

13. Don't forget to rotate your lifts. Back squatting and bench pressing for months on end will make you strong, but can also lead to an overuse injury. I learned this one the hard way. Change the bar placement, angle, or grip every few months and your joints will thank you.

14. Don't subscribe to just one form of conditioning. HIIT, speed work, and long duration cardio all have different benefits and are part of a well rounded conditioning program. You can prioritize one or two over the others depending on your goals, but don't completely ditch any of them.

15. Never stretch just for stretching's sake. Flexibility should be approached on a case by case basis. If someone already has an extreme amount of laxity (looseness) in a particular joint, why would you continue to stretch it? This does way more harm than good. Yet another reason why assessment is so important. Eric Cressey had an excellent post a while back about this topic. Check it out here.

That's it for part 1. Check back soon for part 2.

Eat and Train Like a Spartan

 

I'm definitely a bit of a minimalist.

If you look in my closet for example, you won't find a cornucopia of different wardrobe options. I generally stick with a tee shirt and a pair of jeans on most occasions. I own exactly two suits (c'mon bro I'm a trainer) and two pairs of dress shoes.  In my experience, you really can't go wrong with a nice tee shirt and a pair of jeans. For most occasions, it just works.



 

The ancient Spartans are well known for their minimalist approach. They carved away nearly every activity they deemed a luxury and focused on a simplistic lifestyle. Their architecture, speech, and way of life revolved around success in the only aspect they deemed necessary; war.  They ate only what was needed, trained efficiently, and concealed their intellect in an effort to be underestimated by their adversaries.

Spartan minimalism will serve you well in several aspects of life. Especially as it pertains to training and nutrition.
 

Spartan Training

MED stands for minimal effective dose. This is the lowest volume, lowest frequency, and the fewest changes needed to achieve the desired outcome. In this case, less is more.

I find it best to pick three things you can make time for that directly contribute to your success. Consider this: If you had to choose just three exercises to achieve your desired result, what would they be? The best choices are always going to be compound movements which recruit the largest number of motor units and muscle fibers.

For example, if your goal is fat loss:

1. Chin Up 5x10
2. Kettlebell Swing 5x20
3. Twerk till you puke or sprint 5x100 yards

Or strength development/muscle gain:

1. Deadlift 6x3
2. Chin Up 6x8
3. Press 6x6

Keep in mind this is the bare minimum, but accomplishing these three things allows you to continue to make progress in times of chaos. Depending on your fitness level and goals, you can add variety with different exercises, set, rep, and rest period combinations. Use these three movements as your MED and add more when you have the time and energy.

This is very similar to how I train most of the year. I don't waste my time with the newest, coolest fitness trends or a set of bullshit DVDs that promises results in 90 days. I know what works and I do it consistently.

Spartan Nutrition

One could argue nutrition is not so simple. True, there are several factors to consider when designing a good nutrition plan, but there are four variables one can isolate to achieve the best outcome. The four most important nutritional variables are:

1. Protein intake
2. Fruit, vegetable and whole grain consumption
3. Food quality
4. Common sense

Most nutrition plans fail because of shortcomings in one or more of the above variables. You would be surprised to see how many people have problems with #4. Not surprisingly, our MED for nutrition will revolve around these variables.

For Fat Loss:

1. Eat only clean foods with a very short list of ingredients.
2. Consume a minimum of 30g of protein at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
3. Eat a salad or green vegetable with every meal.

For Muscle Gain/Strength:

1. Consume a minimum of 50g of protein at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
2. Eat a fruit or whole grain with every meal.
3. Eat a salad or green vegetable with every meal.

I think common sense goes without saying here. Again, this is the minimal effective dose. Sure you would benefit from keeping track of calories and macronutrients, but when your proverbial well is running dry this Spartan approach works great.

Summary

The Spartans were successful because they showed tireless dedication toward achieving a single goal. Taking the Spartan approach is simple, not easy. Any quest for self-improvement takes a healthy dose of dedication and determination.

Consistency is key. We all have several obligations. Home ownership, children, and work to name a few. Few of us have the time or energy for a year-round rigorous training and nutrition plan. When the things get crazy at home and work, you need a simple set of effective principles to fall back on.  By stripping away all of the excess, you allow yourself to make continued progress in the things that matter.

Stuff You Should Read Because I Said So - 10/15/13

It's almost here...

I am officially only two weeks away from the end of my youth. The big 3-0 is knocking at the door.

I had previously been looking at this upcoming milestone with feelings of dread. Looking back, I'm not really where I thought I would be at this age. So I grabbed my high school yearbook and looked up my prediction on where I would be in ten years. It said something about living in California and drinking protein shakes on Venice beach in between sets of deadlifts with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Just kidding, but hey a guy can dream right?

After some self-reflection I realized I've accomplished some pretty great things in my 30 years on this earth. I'm proud of myself for making a positive contribution to society and hope to continue to do the same in the my next 30.

Now on to this month's stuff you should read. Enjoy!

Surviving Whole Foods

Training the Aging Athlete

Speed Training is NOT Conditioning

You Are Setting Yourself Up to Fail

Fat Loss Workout Mistakes You Might Be Making

Cutting Crossfit a Break

5 Critical Training Mistakes

5 Life Stressors That are Affecting Your Training

Low Bar Squat vs High Bar Squat: Choosing the Right One for You

Nobody can debate the effectiveness of the squat. It is the cornerstone of any good strength training program. Regardless of your goals, some squat variation deserves its special place in your program.

Want big legs? Squat.

Shapely glutes? Squat.

A date with Sofia Vergara? Keep squatting.

The back squat is probably the most popular squatting variation. It also allows one to handle the most load, therefore I consider it the most beneficial.

Early in my strength training career, I really didn't know the difference between the low bar back squat and the high bar back squat. My coaches probably didn't either. Like any beginner, I just put the bar on my back and started cranking out reps. For a beginner this is probably fine, you just need to get used to squatting with some weight on your back and adding pounds to the bar.

As one progresses to the intermediate level, it becomes useful to know the difference between back squatting in the low bar and high bar positions. This way one is able to choose which is a better fit for their goals.

High Bar Squat

The high bar position is the most commonly seen bar placement in the back squat. Walk into any commercial facility and you will likely see any Bro Montana using a high bar position hammering out half reps with a puss pad and less than stellar technique. I'm not saying the high bar position is bad, just making a point that its rare to see someone squatting correctly in a commercial gym.

In the high bar position, the bar is placed high on the shoulders, right on the upper traps. Due to the higher center of gravity one must maintain a more upright torso through the movement. This decreases the knee angle and increases the hip angle, thus making the lift more quad dominant.

Due to the quad dominant nature of the lift, the high bar squat is best used by those with more aesthetic goals in mind (big quads). High bar squats are commonly used by bodybuilders because of increased quadriceps recruitment. The high bar position is also preferred by Olympic lifters because it keeps the torso more upright (as in catching a clean in the bottom position).

The only real downside to the high bar position is that it limits the amount of weight that can be used.

Low Bar Squat

The low bar position is less commonly seen in your average commercial gym setting. Usually because it is more technically demanding and most people simply don't know how to do it correctly.

In the low bar position the bar is placed lower on the shoulders. The proper position is located right above the spine of the scapulae. The first attempt at maintaining this position is usually very uncomfortable, especially when the weight gets heavy. The "chest out" cue becomes very important when using a low bar set up.

Due to the lower center of gravity, this variation requires a more angled torso during the descent. It feels a little strange at first because you have to actively lean forward at the torso and sit back at the same time. This increases the knee angle and decreases the hip angle, thus making this movement more posterior chain dominant and allowing for maximal glute and hamstring recruitment.

A low bar position is best used by those with more performance based goals because the lower center of gravity and ability to recruit the hips more allows for the use of heavier loads. Low bar squats are commonly used by more experienced strength trainees and powerlifters. I would argue that they are more beneficial to athletes as well (stronger backside = more powerful athlete).

A downside to the low bar squat is that it can be hard on the shoulders. Placing the shoulders in an abducted and externally rotated position under load can beat them up over the long haul. Especially if your shoulder mobility is a little shaky to begin with. If you decide to make the low bar squat your variation of choice, it would be wise to rotate periods of high bar and front squatting (along with the usual pre-hab) into your programming to keep your shoulders healthy.

Summary

As always, knowledge is power. Knowing the correct variation to use based on your goals will serve you well over the long haul. I've cited it a few times on here now, but Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength is an excellent book for those of you that want to get more serious about your barbell training.

So here's a quick recap:

High Bar Squat

• Lower learning curve.
• More quad dominant.
• Less weight can be used.
• Best for aesthetic-based goals and Olympic lifting.

Low Bar Squat

• Higher learning curve.
• More hip dominant.
• More weight can be used.
• Best for performance-based goals and the serious strength crowd.
• Hard on the shoulders. Make sure to rotate your lifts accordingly.

Now go squat something!