Muscle of the Month: Gluteus Maximus
- samantha155
- Aug 12
- 3 min read
It's Muscle of the Month time, and July is all about the Gluteus Maximus! Get ready to learn about the largest and most powerful muscle in your body - the true powerhouse behind your movement.
Gluteus Maximus: The Body's Ultimate Powerhouse
The gluteus maximus isn't just the largest muscle in your body - it's also one of the most important for functional movement and athletic performance. This impressive muscle is what gives you the power to climb stairs, jump, run, and rise from sitting. When it's firing properly, you feel strong and stable - when it's weak or underactive, your entire movement pattern suffers.
Anatomy: Built for Power
The gluteus maximus is a thick, fleshy, quadrilateral muscle that forms the bulk of your buttocks:
* Originates from multiple sites: the ilium (back of the hip bone), sacrum, and coccyx (tailbone)
* Also attaches to the sacrotuberous ligament and gluteal aponeurosis
* Inserts into the gluteal tuberosity of the femur and the iliotibial (IT) band
* Lies superficially over the other glute muscles (medius and minimus)
This broad attachment allows the gluteus maximus to generate tremendous force and power across multiple planes of movement.
Actions: The Movement Generator Your gluteus maximus is responsible for:
1. Hip extension (moving your thigh backward behind your body)
2. Hip external rotation (turning your thigh outward)
3. Hip abduction (moving your leg away from your body)
4. Stabilizing the pelvis and trunk during movement
Why It Matters: Power, Performance, and Protection
A strong, properly functioning gluteus maximus is essential for:
* Generating power for walking, running, and jumping
* Maintaining proper posture and spinal alignment
* Supporting the lower back during lifting and bending
* Providing stability during single-leg activities
* Enhancing athletic performance in virtually all sports
* Preventing compensation patterns that lead to injury
What Happens when The Gluteus Maximus is Weak?
"Glute amnesia" is a common problem in our sitting-heavy society, where the gluteus maximus literally "forgets" how to fire properly. When your gluteus maximus is weak or "sleepy" (not activating properly), several issues can develop:
* Lower back pain and increased spinal stress
* Knee pain and poor tracking during movement
* Reduced power and speed in athletic activities
* Hip flexor tightness and anterior pelvic tilt
* Increased risk of hamstring and calf strains
* Poor movement mechanics during squatting and lunging
Ready to activate and strengthen your gluteus maximus? Check out this video for a few of my favorite simple exercises to target and strengthen this vital muscle. The key with glute training is both activation (teaching the muscle to fire) and strengthening (building its capacity to generate force).
Visit my website or YouTube channel for additional videos!
*Real-life rehab techniques
*Injury spotlight series
*Curated exercise classes
*Free Pilates exercise demonstration videos from my book, Pilates for Rehabilitation , and my BASI advanced education course, Pilates for Injuries & Pathologies
📸 All photos courtesy of @motionscapephotography
Exciting News! Starting soon, I'll be expanding my monthly features to include either "Muscle of the Month" OR "Move of the Month"! 🎉 Why the change? We've been exploring the incredible world of human anatomy together, and while there are still amazing muscles to discover, I want to bring you even more ways to move better, feel stronger, and prevent injury. Some months we'll dive into fascinating muscles you may not know about, and other months we'll explore exercises that can transform how you feel and perform.
I Want to Hear from YOU! Which muscles are you curious about, or what movements would you love to master? Reply to this email and let me know what you'd like to see featured in the coming months. Your suggestions will help shape upcoming content!
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