Apparently BIG butts are all the rage these days!
There is such an obsession with derrieres that women are wearing butt pads (yes you heard me, butt pads!) and electing to get cosmetic buttock augmentation.
I recently watched a documentary that shared the story of women who had elected to get butt injections on the black market and ended up causing way more harm to their health.
Now don’t get me wrong, we all have those moments when we look in the mirror and we see things that we want to improve, it’s only human. BUT (pun intended) It is very important to love yourself just the way you are and if you do elect to have any enhancements to do it the right way. Although doing it the right way can also cause issues depending on how your body reacts.
I personally always speak to not comparing yourself to others and being the BEST version of YOURSELF you can possibly be physically, mentally and spiritually!
So….What are some ways to tone and lift your glutes the natural way???
First, let me give you a little lesson in the anatomy (structure) and physiology (function/how it works) of your glutes. Knowing the function of a muscle can help you know what movements will help you train that muscle.
![gluteals-and-piriformis](https://storage.googleapis.com/wzukusers/user-30668637/images/5b817fab852653gV5Wqf/gluteals-and-piriformis.jpg)
We actually have three sets of muscles that make up our glutes: the gluteus maximus, medius and minimus.
- Gluteus Maximus: Responsible for leg (thigh) extension, so pretty much any movement that extends your leg backwards.
- Gluteus Medius: Responsible for leg adduction, moving the leg outward. Also responsible for internal and external thigh rotation.
- Gluteus Minimus: Responsible for leg adduction, moving the leg outward. Also responsible for internal and external thigh rotation.
The exercises below mainly focus on the gluteus maximus and produce more thigh extension:
- Squat
- Lunge
- Split Squat
- Deadlifts
- Hip Thrust
The exercises below mainly focus on the gluteus Medius and produce more thigh abduction:
- Side-lying leg lift
- Fire Hydrant
- Lateral Walk with Resistance Band
- Monster Walk with Resistance Band
- Curtsy Lunge
***check out the videos at the end of this blog post on how to perform each of the exercises.***
The best part is that all of the exercises I listed above can be done in the comfort of your own home! All you need is a mat, a resistance band, dumbbells and a chair or bench. I recommend you focus on your form first then as your technique improves add weight with either dumbbells or a barbell.
Add a little Protein
After you complete your new and improved glute workout be sure to replenish your muscles with some protein. The body uses protein to build and repair all tissues. During exercise you are actually breaking down the muscle tissue so consuming protein after your workout will help repair, maintain and grow your muscle tissue.
If you have been working out and really don’t see many changes in your lean muscle mass you may want to add a little more protein to your diet. This can be added in the form of food, protein shakes or protein bars. Just be sure to read those labels to ensure it doesn’t have too much sugar!
Now it’s time to try some new moves and work your way to new and improved glutes the natural way!!
Tip: Take a before pic of your glutes, sometimes it’s hard to see our own improvement but a picture will help to document your progress!
As always,
Find Health in Every Day!
Dr. Lindsay