Real Fitness Experts

Summer’s practically here. Soon everyone will be out and about strutting their stuff. Is your stuff up to snuff? If not than read on to find out how to create the butt of your dreams…

If you’ve got too much junk in your trunk you probably know it. The following “spandex” test to remove any doubt: Simply look at yourself in the mirror (naked from the waist down works best). Do you see the dimples on the sides of your butt cheeks? (Not the cellulite dimples as in the photo!) If you answered “YES” than you’ve passed the test. Go ahead and dig out your spandex. No one will complain. (don’t get ahead of yourself. The thong tests are much more comprehensive!)

If you answered “NO” than you’ve got one of two choices. Either ready your grass skirts (gentlemen, hopefully you’ll be wearing those baggy pants with lots of pockets) or you’ve got some work to do in the gym. Your butt simply isn’t working. If it’s not working (objective), chances are it’s not looking good (subjective) either.

Now that we got that cleared up let’s get down to business. What we’ve been referring to so far as the “butt” is actually the gluteus maximus (GM) muscle. There are two other gluteus muscles, medius and minimus, but they are smaller and deeper and do not contribute much to the aesthetics of dynamite derrières, so we’ll limit our discussion to the GM.

The GM is the most powerful muscle in the human body. Its primary purpose is to extend the hip such as going up a stair or performing a vertical jump. It also acts as a stabilizer when flexing the hip such as sitting (lowering the torso) in a chair.

The GM’s true functionality is to allow us to perform a basic primal movement: squatting. That being said, the absolute best exercise to emulate the squatting primal movement is the SQUAT exercise.

If you’ve tried the squat and concluded that you don’t like the squat don’t worry. No one likes doing squats at first. It is physically draining, gets the heart thumping, makes you breath hard, and leaves your muscles sore for the next two days. Gee, doesn’t that sound like the criteria for a “big bang” exercise? If I were pressed for time and only had time to perform one exercise the squat would be my first choice. It’s a complete and efficient total body exercise.

Once you learn how to perform squats correctly and realize the benefits you’ll be hooked for life.

Many people think of the squat as a leg exercise. At the same time, many exercisers are more interested in having good looking arms at the expense of their legs. Those two beliefs can be fatal flaws to an effective fitness program. While the squat does develop the quadriceps muscles, it also develops with equal vigor the GM complex.

You might be wondering about other exercises that develop the GM too, such as the dead lift, lunges and step-ups. Yes, those exercises are also great additions to your GM development campaign… when performed correctly. But if I were to rank the #1 exercise for its “big bang” effect, the squat is IT. PERIOD.

There are many types of squat exercises. Front squats, barbell squats, dumbbell squats, split squats, Jefferson squats, Sumo squats… They all share one common theme: They are high impact, multi-joint exercises that will tax the nervous system and the musculoskeletal systems. For that reason alone, squats should ALWAYS be performed at the BEGINNING of your workout. Not at the end.

Are there situations when a squat should NOT be part of an exercise program? Absolutely.

1. Back issues. Any kind of back pathologies will require medical clearance before you attempt to perform the squat. Spondylolysis (facet joint weakness), spondylolysthesis (slipped disks), herniated discs, sciatica, spinal stenosis, etc. There is nothing worse from the exerciser’s perspective than to have an exercise aggravate a pre-existing condition. If you have a pre-existing back condition medical clearance is required.

2. Lack of flexibility in the ankle, knee or hip joints. Before engaging in a serious squat training program you’ll first want to determine if your ankles, knees and hips are up to the task. Any inflexibility in any of these joints will limit your range of motion (ROM). A compromised ROM will have detrimental effects on your ability to properly perform the squat. No squat is better than an improperly performed squat.

3. Flexibility imbalances. If one leg is more flexible than the other your body will unconsciously shift the load to the side that is the most flexible. This is faulty motor programming and will eventually lead to an even greater strength and flexibility imbalance or worse, injury.

4. Inherent weakness in the joints or surrounding muscles. If you’ve had knee injuries, surgeries or have inter or intra leg muscle imbalances you should avoid squat type exercises until the joint are fully healed and have corrected the muscle imbalances by strengthening the weaker muscles.

5. Improper implementation. Most well-intentioned exercisers learn how to squat by observing other exercisers in the gym. The guys with the best physiques are often assumed to know what they are doing and are mimicked by the uninitiated. Be careful copycatting someone you don’t know… their form and technique may not be correct or their level of conditioning is past yours. Squat type exercises can involve very heavy weights and can easily lead to injury if not properly implemented and progressed from beginner to advances stages.

Always check with your medical physician before starting any new fitness program. If you’re already working with a trainer they should assess you for sufficient flexibility and muscle balance. They should also review your medical and exercise history to ensure there are no exercise contraindications. Any red flags from the assessments should automatically result in a physician clearance before any fitness activities commence.

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About the Author

Dave Turpin is a corrective exercise kinesiologist and the President of Desk Jockey Fitness.