Strengthening the gluteus doesn’t just improve physical performance and contribute to general body aesthetics but stability. Additionally, gluteal exercises help prevent hip and lower back pain and injury. This was confirmed to us by Sandra Lorden, trainer at Entraina Virtual, who assured us that, To activate it in a more effective way when we play sports, just make a gesture Simple that completely changes the dynamics of the exercise. We tell you how you can add intensity to your movements without overcomplicating the technique.
© DashandstarHow to activate the gluteus with a simple gesture
According to Lorden “When we train, Neck placement is very important To ensure that the kinetic chain works properly.” We call the kinetic chain the combination of several joints of the musculoskeletal system. “An aligned neck helps maintain proper posture, allows exercise techniques to be performed correctly, maximizes muscle activation, increases strength that we can apply and reduce the risk of injury,” explains the expert. What this means If we want to activate the gluteus, pointing the chin towards a certain point can help us? absolutely
As the trainer points out, if the neck is in an incorrect position, it can cause compensation in other muscles that we don’t want to work and create ineffective activation, putting cervical health at risk. He tells us, in buttock thrustFor example, which One of the favorite exercises celebrity To strengthen the glutes, if the chin is raised too high, it can cause excessive stretching of the cervical region, which disrupts the alignment of the spine and can cause tension in the neck. Instead, Keeping your chin slightly tucked in ensures that the ball is concentrated in the glutes and doesn’t move into the lower back..
© Biswas_athleticsThe above is confirmed by coach José Ignacio Hernández Coronado, who invites us to understand the difference between doing and not doing this key gesture by performing the Bulgarian squat, focusing on the glutes that Elsa Pataky exercises. According to the instructor, in this exercise, you’ll feel your glutes work more if you focus on your quads instead of pulling power. For that, what should you do? It’s simple: bend over and bring your chin to your chest.
In an upright position, the thighs work more. But by leaning over, you take some of the load off your thighs and make your glutes stronger. “If you bring your chin toward your chest,” you help stabilize the torso, which makes it easier to work the glutes. Instead of putting a lot of burden on the lower back,” says Jose Ignacio. If you don’t bring your chin to your chest, you’ll drive the ball into your thighs. or quadriceps and the purpose of the movement will be completely different. “Correct alignment ensures that the right muscles are activated and unnecessary tension is avoided,” affirms the expert.
© HelloThere are other exercises in which the difference is significantly appreciated. Sandra Lorden mentions some of them:
- dead weight: Poor neck posture can lead to excessive curvature of the back, increasing the risk of injury.
- in squats– Neck position and forward gaze help maintain torso alignment, which is crucial for maintaining balance and mobility in the hips.
- In the stomach type crunch and its variants: It is important to place the neck in this position so that our cervical spine does not suffer every time we raise our head.
© BornLiving YogaOther ways to activate the gluteus
To work the gluteus more effectively, it’s important to do a specific warm-up before the core, according to Lorden. To do this, our warm up should always include:
- Hip mobility exercises
- Activation exercises (similar to which Laura Eskanes practices in her conditioning routine): In this section, the use of rubber bands can be very useful. Also, isolation exercises like glute bridges or glute kicks can complement compound movements.
A strong gluteus is essential for maintaining good posture, improving mobility and supporting heavy loads in training. Besides, The glutes play an important role in hip extensionWhich is functional and essential for daily movement and sports like walking, running and jumping.
