Isometric gluteal squeezes

The gluteal muscles (casually called „buttocks”) are contracted in a variety of positions: with legs (knees and/or hip joints) bent or extended, supine, prone, in sitting, in kneeling, in kneeling on one knee, and in standing.

Studies showed that gluteal squeezes were as effective as glute-bridges, and gave proof for clinical and aesthetic reasons to perform them. This one-of-a-kind landmark lesson is exceptionally original and diverse. It can serve as a highly refined workout program to improve the activation of, awareness of, and integration of the gluteal muscles, and how they contribute to upright posture, hip extension, leg rotation, the stabilization of the lower back, pelvis, knees and the arches of the feet, etc.

buttockssupinepronesittingkneelingstanding gluteal_muscles_1

1

Supine, lie on your back, legs extended, feet spread apart.

Squeeze both buttocks …supine, with legs extended

Your buttocks harden up as they contract. As a result your pelvis rises up a bit.

  • Make sure you're only contracting your buttocks, and not so much your legs, and not your belly muscles.

    Squeeze your buttocks, and then relax them again. Do this a couple of times.

Squeeze both buttocks …supine, with legs extended

Your buttocks harden up as they contract. As a result your pelvis rises up a bit.

2

Supine, legs extended and firmly pressed together.

…supine, with legs joined together

Press the ankles of your feet together. Can your buttocks contract stronger in this position?

…supine, with legs joined together

Press the ankles of your feet together. Can your buttocks contract stronger in this position?

3

Supine, lie on your back, legs extended, feet spread apart.

Reference movement

…supine, with legs extended

Feel if it is different than before.

  • Switch back and forth from legs apart to legs pressed together, and squeeze your buttocks many times, until the difference becomes clear.

Reference movement

…supine, with legs extended

Feel if it is different than before.

4

Prone, legs extended, hands on buttocks.

…on the belly

Focus on the rotation of your legs while squeezing your buttocks, do the heels come closer together?

  • In lying prone on your belly it's easier to feel the outward rotation of your legs whenever you squeeze your buttocks.

…on the belly

Focus on the rotation of your legs while squeezing your buttocks, do the heels come closer together?

5

Supine, legs extended and relaxed, feet casually spread apart.

Reference movement

…supine, feel rotation

Feel if both legs tend to rotate outwards equally well.

Reference movement

…supine, feel rotation

Feel if both legs tend to rotate outwards equally well.

6

Supine, on your back.

Squeeze right buttock only

Isolate, contract only your right buttock.

Squeeze right buttock only

Isolate, contract only your right buttock.

7

Supine, on your back, legs extended.

Squeeze left buttock only

Is it different than your right one?

  • How does the left leg move? Does it stay put, or does it rotate inwards? Or outwards?

Squeeze left buttock only

Is it different than your right one?

8

Supine, lie on your back, legs extended, feet spread apart.

…supine, fast, slow, hard, lightly

Squeeze them fast, from being relaxed to full contraction, or squeeze them slowly.

  • Squeeze your buttocks powerfully, hold them contracted, and then squeeze them even more. Alternately, squeeze them only very lightly, as little as you are able to.

    Experiment with timing, squeeze and release your buttocks together with your breathing.

…supine, fast, slow, hard, lightly

Squeeze them fast, from being relaxed to full contraction, or squeeze them slowly.

9

Supine, touch the soles of your feet together, knees bent and pointing outwards.

…with soles of the feet touching

Do your knees come closer to the floor while you squeeze both buttocks? At what distance from your pelvis have your feet to be in order for your buttocks to be able to contract the strongest?

…with soles of the feet touching

Do your knees come closer to the floor while you squeeze both buttocks? At what distance from your pelvis have your feet to be in order for your buttocks to be able to contract the strongest?

10

In sitting, lean on both arms behind, touch the soles of your feet together, knees bent pointing outwards.

…in sitting, soles of feet touching

Is it easier than in lying supine? Continue to observe your knees while contracting both buttocks.

  • Can you contract the gluteal muscles (buttocks) as powerfully as when your legs are straight?

…in sitting, soles of feet touching

Is it easier than in lying supine? Continue to observe your knees while contracting both buttocks.

11

In sitting, lean on both arms behind, touch the soles of your feet together, knees bent pointing outwards, or have your legs extended.

…in sitting, knees bent or straight

Can your buttocks contract equally powerful when your legs are straight or bent?

  • Try with your knees bent and with your knees straight, observe the difference.

    Before, when lying on your back, only your pelvis was lifted when you squeezed your buttocks. Feel now in sitting how, your entire torso is lifted up, as a result of your buttocks hardening up.

…in sitting, knees bent or straight

Can your buttocks contract equally powerful when your legs are straight or bent?

12

Sit, both legs extended, legs joined together, lean on both hands behind, arms straight.

…in sitting, with legs together

Can your squeeze your buttocks harder with your legs squeezed together or with your legs apart?

…in sitting, with legs together

Can your squeeze your buttocks harder with your legs squeezed together or with your legs apart?

13

Sit, both legs extended, feet spread apart, lean on your left arm behind. Your right arm is lifted up in front of you.

…in sitting, lean on left hand, right arm up

Contract both buttocks. Does one buttock work more, contract stronger, than the other?

…in sitting, lean on left hand, right arm up

Contract both buttocks. Does one buttock work more, contract stronger, than the other?

14

Switch hands: sit, both legs extended, feet spread apart, lean on your right arm behind, your left arm is lifted up in front of you.

…in sitting, lean on right hand, left arm up

Switch hands, contract both buttocks, observe how it is now.

  • Which side of your buttocks contracts more?

    Also observe the movements of your head, neck, and shoulders.

…in sitting, lean on right hand, left arm up

Switch hands, contract both buttocks, observe how it is now.

15

Sit, both legs extended, feet spread apart, both arms lifted in front of you.

…in sitting, both arms up in front

Contract both buttocks, observe how it is now.

  • Feel how your pelvis is raised when your buttocks are contracted.

    Feel how even you head is raised, when both buttocks are contracted.

…in sitting, both arms up in front

Contract both buttocks, observe how it is now.

16

Kneeling, on both knees, knee slightly spread. Palms of hands on buttocks.

…in kneeling, hands on buttocks

Contract both buttocks, many times. How does the pelvis move?

  • You will see that it pulls the navel upwards, towards the face.

    Another cue could be to „squeeze the buttocks together”.

…in kneeling, hands on buttocks

Contract both buttocks, many times. How does the pelvis move?

17

Kneeling, on both knees, knee slightly spread. Palms of hands on buttocks.

Continuation

…in kneeling, also contract abs

Contract both buttocks, with and without contracting the abs; and also contract your abs only.

  • Differentiate clearly between all combinations.

    Be sure to be able to contract your buttocks without contracting your abs.

Continuation

…in kneeling, also contract abs

Contract both buttocks, with and without contracting the abs; and also contract your abs only.

18

Kneeling on one knee; kneel on your left knee, stand on your right foot. Both hands behind, the palms on the buttocks.

…in kneeling on the left knee

Observe which buttock merely hardens up, and which contracts and shortens, and thus is moving the pelvis.

  • As all throughout the lesson, contract both buttocks. However, since this is an asymmetrical position, one buttock contracts differently than the other.

    Use your hands to help feel and assess the contraction of the buttocks.

…in kneeling on the left knee

Observe which buttock merely hardens up, and which contracts and shortens, and thus is moving the pelvis.

Kneeling on one knee and having the other foot standing, like in a knee stand.

In kneeling, which buttock can contract and shorten more?

  • An isometric contraction can stabilize a joint, but only when a muscle shortens over a joint it does create movement.

    In an asymmetric kneeling position only the buttock at the extended hip joint can shorten.

In kneeling, which buttock can contract and shorten more?

19

Kneeling on both knee; both hands behind, the palms on the buttocks.

Continuation

…in kneeling on both knees

Feel the difference between the knee-stand on both knees or one knee, for your right buttock.

  • In the previous movement your right foot was standing, instead of your right knee. How does this change of position affect the ability of your right buttock to contract, and to rotate and move your right leg?

Continuation

…in kneeling on both knees

Feel the difference between the knee-stand on both knees or one knee, for your right buttock.

20

Kneeling on one knee; kneel on your right knee, stand on your left foot. Both hands behind, the palms on the buttocks.

…in kneeling on the right knee

Observe which buttock can contract stronger, and is tilting the pelvis, and pushing the knee.

  • Observe what happens with your left knee. Which way does it move? That’s the right buttock tilting the pelvis, pushing the left knee forward.

    That means in this position, when both buttocks are contracted simultaneously, the left buttock cannot create the movement of extension of the hip joint. Only the right one can shorten and thus create this kind of articulation in the right hip joint.

…in kneeling on the right knee

Observe which buttock can contract stronger, and is tilting the pelvis, and pushing the knee.

21

Kneeling on both knee; toes standing, like in a position to run; both hands behind, the palms on the buttocks.

…in kneeling on both knees, toes standing

Observe any movement of your heels while contracting your buttocks.

…in kneeling on both knees, toes standing

Observe any movement of your heels while contracting your buttocks.

22

In standing, legs extended, feet standing under hip joints, not far apart; hands on buttocks to help feel.

…in standing

Sense how your legs and feet move, when you're squeezing your both buttocks together.

  • The knees/legs rotate outwards. The weight shifts towards the heels and the outside edges of the feet. The inside edges of the feet lift and shorten, bringing the big toes and heels closer together.

…in standing

Sense how your legs and feet move, when you're squeezing your both buttocks together.

23

In standing, legs extended, feet standing under hip joints, not far apart; hands on buttocks to help feel.

Continuation

…in standing, lift arches

While contracting your buttocks, lift the middle of your arches to allow for a bigger rotation of the thighs and the legs.

  • Lifting the middle of the inside arches of your feet brings the big toes closer to the heels, because the arch in the middle raises up higher. This helps with the rotation of the legs, while squeezing your buttocks.

Continuation

…in standing, lift arches

While contracting your buttocks, lift the middle of your arches to allow for a bigger rotation of the thighs and the legs.

24

In standing, stand on your left leg, so that the full weight is on your left leg. Use your right leg only for balance, on tip-toes, in any location.

…in standing on your left leg

Contract your left buttock, like before, but not your right one.

  • Allow your left leg and foot move in the way they did before. The left leg turns and the inside arch of the left foot rises. Feel yourself get taller.

    Then take a break in standing, walk for a bit.

…in standing on your left leg

Contract your left buttock, like before, but not your right one.

25

In standing, stand on your right leg, so that almost your full weight is on your right leg. Use your left leg only to keep balance, on tip-toes, in any location.

…in standing on your right leg

Contract your right buttock. Also, flex your right big toe on purpose.

  • Allow your right leg to rotate to the outside, and your right foot to shorten.

    Also switch back and forth between standing on the left and right leg. Notice the differences between the two legs.

…in standing on your right leg

Contract your right buttock. Also, flex your right big toe on purpose.

26

In standing, feet joined together

…in standing with legs jointed together

Contract both buttock muscles. Also contract or do not contract your abs.

  • See how it is with your legs joined, with and without contracting your abdominal muscles.

…in standing with legs jointed together

Contract both buttock muscles. Also contract or do not contract your abs.

27

Supine, lie on your back, legs extended, feet spread apart.

Reference movement

…supine, with legs extended

Observe how it is now. Also, contract the left/right buttock separately.

  • Also, try the same thing in sitting, as in the beginning. Your legs will twist outside but the movement will be as if someone pushes into your heels to get you up.

    Also, in sitting (knees bent and the feet up in the air), contracting one buttock after the other you could try walking on your sit bones, or even hop.

Reference movement

…supine, with legs extended

Observe how it is now. Also, contract the left/right buttock separately.

28

In standing

Reference movement

Walk

Is it different from your usual way of walking?

Reference movement

Walk

Is it different from your usual way of walking?

29

In standing

Reference movement

Mini-squats and climbing stairs

Contract your gluteals for hip extension with mini-squats, and walking up stairs. Can you feel the power drive?

Reference movement

Mini-squats and climbing stairs

Contract your gluteals for hip extension with mini-squats, and walking up stairs. Can you feel the power drive?

Supine, on your back.

In lying supine, in which leg position do your buttocks contract the strongest?

  • With knees bent? Legs extended? Legs or soles of the feet joined together?

    You may find that by having the legs slightly open, and extended long, you will be able to contract your buttocks the strongest.

In lying supine, in which leg position do your buttocks contract the strongest?