Main functions of the gluteus medius muscle
Have you heard about such a disease as arthrosis of the hip joint? And you won’t hear it if you pump the gluteus medius muscle. It is her weakness that becomes one of the provoking factors of this disease. For the same reason, we feel aching pain in the pelvic area after a long walk.
Musculus gluteus medius (the Latin name of our heroine) refers to stabilizers, that is, it is responsible for supporting the body. That is why strengthening it is necessary to improve posture, as well as form a beautiful and confident gait. And this muscle visually tightens the butt, so the question of pumping it up is by no means idle. For athletes, exercises for the gluteus medius muscle help improve personal performance in running and jumping.
The main function of this muscle in movement is to abduct the hip to the side, as well as rotate it inward and outward. Here lies the answer to the question of how to pump up the gluteus medius muscle - with the help of a variety of exercises with leg extensions and leg lifts.
How to pump up the gluteus medius muscle: general recommendations
The gluteus medius muscle is a problematic area of the body in many ways. Therefore, many athletes do not pay due attention to it, putting their main efforts on strengthening the upper part of the buttocks. Or they swing it obviously incorrectly, because they cannot focus on it.
To make sure your workouts are as effective as possible, follow these simple guidelines:
- alternate strength and high-repetition training;
- exercise with average weight, otherwise the main part of the load will be on the gluteus maximus muscle;
- Perform all exercises as technically as possible, avoiding unnecessary movements;
- Before you start pumping up the gluteus medius muscle, “tire” it with a base (barbell squats, deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, etc.)
- buttock training should be carried out no more than once a week. And it’s better in combination with leg training.
General recommendations
- Before starting classes, it is imperative to warm up your muscles.
- It is necessary to perform exercises for the gluteus medius muscle after basic loads.
- Do up to 25 repetitions in 3-4 sets.
- The trainings are equally effective for both men and women.
- The frequency of training is once a week, you can replace leg training in your training program. Duration of at least 6 weeks.
- Watch your diet; proteins and carbohydrates of animal origin should predominate in it.
- When working from home, you need to purchase dumbbells or replace them with homemade weights, such as filled bottles.
Exercises for the gluteus medius muscle at home
Horizontal scissors
The technique for performing this exercise is very simple. We lie on our back, raise our legs at an angle of about 40 degrees, move them apart, and then move them back crosswise. The greater the amplitude of reduction and extension, the better the gluteus medius muscle is worked. Plus, it's a great ab workout. We perform 25 repetitions in 3 sets.
Pistol
For this exercise, you will need a high-backed chair or chest of drawers. Slowly squat on one leg, holding the support with your hand and keeping your back straight. At the bottom point, hold for half a second. The deeper the squats, the stronger the buttocks. But for beginners it is better to do this exercise at half the amplitude. We perform 5 repetitions on each leg in 3–5 approaches, gradually increasing the load.
Swing your legs to the side (“fire hydrant”)
It is performed standing on all fours, supported by hands and knees. The angle between the stomach and hips is straight. Raise the bent leg to the side until it is parallel to the floor. We perform 20–25 repetitions for 3–4 approaches.
Stepping (climbing)
To perform this exercise, you will need a platform 40–60 cm high. This can be a bench or a high step. We take a step onto a hill, straighten our leg and place the second one next to it. Too easy? Then take a heavy dumbbell in each hand. If you don’t have suitable sports equipment at home, 2 five-liter bottles of sand will do. We perform 5 approaches for 1 minute.
Curtsy squat
Starting position: standing, feet shoulder-width apart. With your left foot, take a step back and to the side, moving it behind your right leg (distance approximately 25–30 cm). Lower the knee of your left leg to the floor, squatting. Straighten the leg, put it in its original position and repeat the same thing in a mirror for the right leg. Attention: do not allow your knees to extend over your toes. Standard number of repetitions: 15–20 in 3–4 sets.
Many gluteus medius exercises place significant stress on the knee joints. Therefore, it is better to take care of strengthening this part of the body in advance. How to pump up the gluteus medius muscle at home more effectively? Use fitness bands, attaching them to the middle of your thighs.
To the gluteus maximus muscle
It’s not for nothing that the gluteus maximus muscle received its name. This is the largest muscle of the gluteal region, located superficially, so it largely affects the relief of this part of the body. It covers the rest of the muscles, and the main function of extending the limbs and holding the body in an upright position rests on it.
Therefore, when working out the lumbar-gluteal region, attention should be paid to pumping the gluteus maximus muscle. Especially if the goal is elasticity and a rounded shape. To pump up your gluteal muscles, use simple but effective exercises from the complex below.
Lunges
It’s difficult to do without lunges if you want to increase the size of your buttocks and create a rounded shape. Beginners can perform the exercise without additional weights, but if you have little experience in performing physical exercises, it is better to do lunges with a light weight, gradually increasing it. It is not necessary to purchase special shells; you can pick up a bottle of water or sand.
Performing exercises for the buttocks at home:
1. The body is straight at any point of the lunge. We take weights in our hands; they will help keep the body in a straight position and simultaneously give a load to the upper body.
2. Lunge, starting with the right foot. At the same time, the left one bends at the knee, but without touching the floor with the knee - the shin should remain parallel to the floor, the angle at the knee should be 90 degrees. Then we return to the starting position. We continue to repeat 15-20 times, then change legs and perform similar actions.
Straight leg swings + cross swings
It is better to do swings with a straight leg and a bent knee alternately; after these two exercises, the muscles will begin to burn. Even beginners will be able to feel the effectiveness of the complex from the first workout.
Technique:
1. Starting position - on all fours. The back is straight, the body and abs are tense.
2. Straighten one leg at the knee and move it back to its maximum height. We make several upward swings, trying to increase the distance from the floor to the maximum point. We put the leg in place, repeat the movements on the other leg.
3. For beginners, the basic number of repetitions is 25-30 on each leg. We do 2 approaches.
4. During the last approach, we do not place the straight leg on the knee, but lift it behind the foot, which is on the floor. We lift it up again and move it to the side. We do 25-30 repetitions. For high-quality development, it is better to combine it with swings with a bent leg, performing immediately after the last swing with a straight knee.
Pulsating swings with the leg bent at the knee
The starting position is similar to the previous options - on all fours. Raise your legs one by one, move them back, and the angle at the knee should be 90 degrees. The foot should be at a right angle relative to the shin. We fix the position, then try to raise the leg as quickly as possible with pulsating movements as high as possible from the floor.
These are the most effective exercises for the buttocks. When it becomes easy to perform 4-5 sets of 30-40 times, you can use an expander for additional load.
Pelvic lift or “bridge”
The glute bridge is different from the gymnastic exercise known from physical education classes. Starting position: lying on your back. Feet rest on the floor, knees bent, arms extended along the body. From this position, straining your buttocks as much as possible and your legs as minimally as possible, you need to lift your lower back off the floor. There is no need to try to do it high, you should be comfortable in this exercise.
For advanced players there are several options for complications:
• raise your hips on one leg, the other extended along the body;
• raising the hips when one leg rests on the knee of the other.
You can proceed to complex execution options only after completely mastering the basic technique.
Bulgarian lunges
A very effective exercise for pumping, as well as working on body imbalances. It is better for beginners to master the technique first, and experienced athletes who want to diversify their workout can do it with dumbbells or a barbell. To perform this you will also need a low chair, sofa or bench.
To perform the exercise, you need to stand close to a bench or chair and take the widest possible step forward. After this, one leg needs to be placed on a support, so that your toes rest on it. The second leg is on the floor, the emphasis is on the heel.
From this position, perform a deep squat so that the buttocks are approximately in line with the knee of the leg on the floor. Using the heel of the supporting leg, you then need to push the body up. For greater efficiency, it is not recommended to fully extend the leading knee, so as not to remove the load from the muscles.
Exercises for the gluteus medius muscle in the gym
In the gym, you can perform all the same gluteus medius exercises as at home, using weights: barbell, dumbbells, ankle weights. But there are also those that can only be performed in the gym.
Breeding legs in the simulator
This is the most popular exercise for the gluteus medius muscle, since it also affects the gluteus maximus. And the necessary exercise equipment is available in almost every gym. The technique is extremely simple: we sit down, place our legs on special stands and do side-to-side extensions. It is extremely difficult to make any mistakes here. But there is one important nuance: lean forward to better feel the muscles working. We do 20 repetitions in 3-4 sets.
Leg abduction in a crossover (swing your leg sideways in a crossover)
We stand sideways to the crossover. A special cuff is installed on the lower block of the simulator, which must be fastened on the ankle of the far leg. We cling to the rack of the machine with our hands to maintain balance and move our leg to the side, lifting it as high as possible. We perform 15–20 repetitions in 3–4 sets.
Bench press
This exercise for the gluteus medius muscle works no less effectively than for the quadriceps. It is also quite easy to do. But this is in terms of technology. But the load on the lower body will be serious. We sit down (or rather, lie down) on the machine, rest our feet on the lower part of the platform and perform flexion-extension.
For beginners, it is better to start with light weights. For men – 10–20 kg, for women 5–10 kg. And this does not take into account the weight of the platform itself. We systematically increase the load with each new workout, while gradually reducing the number of repetitions. For example, with 20 kg we do 45 flexions and extensions, and with 100 kg – 15. And all this in 3 approaches.
An ideal set of exercises for working both the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles
deep squats → glute bridge → one-leg deadlift → lunges → leg abduction → stretching.
The most important thing is to feel your butt during exercise, and not your back, legs or arms. The force must pass through the buttocks, then very soon this appetizing part will acquire the desired roundness, and the holes on the sides of the butt will be filled by the grown elastic gluteus medius muscle.
How to pump up the function of the gluteus medius muscle of the buttock: proper nutrition for productive training
Physical activity provides a stimulus for muscle growth, but it is impossible without the supply of a sufficient amount of “building material”. And we’re not just talking about the amino acids that make up muscle proteins, but also about vitamins and minerals. All of the above and even more contain the natural biocomplex Leveton XXL .
In addition, muscle growth is impossible without the participation of sex hormones. And mainly testosterone, the level of which drops with overload. Leveton XXL , which contains natural analogues of human hormones, will also help fill this deficiency Our body uses them at its own discretion, so the use of this remedy normalizes hormonal levels, but does not go beyond the physiological norm. This will allow the body to reach its maximum without side effects.
And to absorb a sufficient amount of protein from food and sports supplements, the uninterrupted functioning of the liver is necessary. The plant bitterness of elecampane will help improve its functioning and stimulate the secretion of bile. It also contains inulin, which helps improve intestinal perilstatics and normalize its microflora. This natural hepatoprotector is available in a convenient tablet form - in the form of the drug Mezi - Vit + .
