4 essential exercises
The buttocks are very much in demand during sports exercises such as gymnastics and jogging, the walkfitness and especially bodybuilding. Today, it is precisely the practitioners of body-building who will be interested by this article. It is therefore important to know how to stretch for warm-ups and thus avoid injuries or any other muscular problem. Here are 4 exercises that you can do at home or at the gym, to optimize your training sessions with targeted stretching. And don't forget! hydrate is not the only precaution to take during and after a sports session, think also about stretching!
Before you start
Stretching aims to soften the muscles of the body. These stretches help to prepare the body before an intense muscular activity such as muscle strengthening exercises. We will then call them more of a warm-up. But after your strength training session and more precisely your strength training exercises, they help you to relax to relieve the muscle fibres at rest, and facilitate recovery. This is called stretching.
The exercises that we will discover also participate in the recovery, the flexibility and can decrease certain aches.
This article will cover gluteal stretching and you will have other articles about stretching other muscles. So, if you are working on in split, you will be able to practice the stretches that interest you depending on the muscle you are working on.
The gluteal muscles
The gluteus maximus or gluteus maximus is a muscle group which is subdivided into 3 main groups: the greater gluteal, the middle gluteal, and the lesser gluteal.
- The Great Gluteal is the largest and most powerful muscle in the human body. Located on the back of the buttocks, it is the muscle that gives them a bouncy silhouette.
- The gluteal medium is a thick, short muscle tissue that occupies the lateral area of the hip. It is the muscle that emphasizes the lateral contour of your buttocks. When it is well worked, it also contributes to the shape of the buttocks.
- The little gluteal also occupies the lateral area of the pelvis, except that it is a deep muscle compared to the others.
Exercise n°1: stretching of the whole gluteal
This exercise will allow you to stretch the gluteal, the pyramidal muscle of the legs, and even the psoas. Whether it is the large gluteal, the medium, or the small, all will be solicited. If you wish, you can refine it with a massage roller to better relieve the buttocks.
Application
Lie on your back with your legs straight, spine straight, then bend and cross one leg over the other. Stretch the upper leg and push your knee up with your elbow and the other hand behind your buttock. Hold for 30 seconds. Do this for your left leg and then reverse the positions with your right leg. Repeat the same exercise 2 to 3 times, trying each time to intensify the flexion performed.
Exercise n°2 : spread legs
The choice of this exercise of musculation was made because it is rather complete. It makes it possible to stretch the buttocks while contracting the hamstrings (thighs) and the twins (legs). Moreover, this position solicits the hips and increases the muscular reinforcement in the lower back. It is therefore the perfect exercise for building upper and lower body strength. It is also very recommended to fight aches and pains because it acts on each joint of the lower limbs.
Application
- Stand with your legs apart, then slowly lower yourself as if you were going to sit down, keeping a constant distance between your legs.
- Stop when your thighs are horizontal and parallel to the floor. Make sure your back is straight, hold this position for 30 seconds and then repeat.
Exercise 3: Stretching the glutes with donkey kicks
The donkey kick is the ideal exercise for anyone who wants to stretch the gluteus maximus. It is also the most effective exercise for sculpting a round and bulging buttock when you contract the buttock to the fullest. One can say that it is multifunctional.
First of all you should know that the donkey kicks should only involve the hip joint. It is a mono articular exercise, which means that the only movement tolerated is that of the contracted limb. Thus, while you are performing it, you must avoid at all costs the contraction of the kidneys, the flexion of the arms, or a sudden rotation.
Application
Get down on all fours on the floor or on a mat, with arms straight and legs bent. Keep your back straight and shoulders parallel over your flat hands. Contract your belly at the belly button to wink at your deep abs, toning them in the process. Next:
- Lift one of your bent legs by pushing the sole of the foot towards the ceiling, maintain a vertical push until the thigh is horizontal.
- Perform the same movement with the other leg and maintain the pace without stopping, in sets of 10 repetitions
Exercise n°4: stretching of the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus
This exercise targets the small and medium buttocks located on the side of the pelvis. By toning them you strengthen the harmonious curve of the hip.
Application
- Sit on a mat or on the floor with your back straight.
- Bend one leg and cross it over the other, bringing the knee toward the chest. Perform this movement with your torso facing the bent knee, keeping the other leg straight.
- Hold this knee bend for 20 to 30 seconds, then repeat with the other leg. Do the same exercise until the effects are felt.
Conclusion
If you practice these stretching exercises, you will improve your recovery as mentioned above. It will ease the stiffness you may feel the day after a good workout. There are of course other stretches that you can do to relieve your buttock muscles but if you apply these regularly after your workout, they will be beneficial to your body.
Find more stretches here:
Whether you want to build up your buttocks or any other part of your body, hiring a sports coach personal training. It will allow you to reach your goals quickly, while avoiding any risk of injury.
To benefit from a weight training program
Other articles to read :
The massage roller as a complement to weight training
3 exercises to get a nice butt (special for girls)
