on the track.
By Elizabeth Millard
Oct 13, 2020

build stronger glutes
Patrik GiardinoGetty Images
* According to new research published in the journal Medicine &
Science in Sports & Exercise, strong glutes are a key factor in
sprint performance.
* Regularly doing exercises such as single-leg deadlifts, single-leg
glute bridges, and power skips can help strengthen your glutes
and power your runs.
__________________________________________________________________

While having strong leg muscles is important when it comes to
sprinting, they’re not the biggest driver for launching off the
blocks faster or having a speedier end-of-race kick, a recent study
in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise suggests.
Instead, it’s all about the glutes.
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Your glutes are comprised of three major muscles: gluteus maximus,
gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. Also in the mix are smaller
muscles like the iliopsoas, tensor facsiae latae, sartorius, and rectus
femoris.

Researchers used MRI scanning to examine all of these muscles in elite
sprinters, sub-elite sprinters, and a non-sprinter control group. They
found that the elite group had significantly larger gluteus maximus
muscles than the other two by about 45 percent.

When looking at other leg muscles like the calves, they found no
differences, leading them to conclude it is the largest glute muscle
that’s key for achieving faster speeds and better performance.
Researchers suggested 44 percent of the variability in performance was
explained by the size of the gluteus maximus.

Study coauthor Jonathan Folland, Ph.D., professor of neuromuscular
performance at Loughborough University in the U.K., said in a
statement that the results were surprising, because sprinting is
thought to be influenced by many factors, including technique,
psychology, and nutrition.

“To find a single muscle that alone seems so important, explaining
nearly half the variability, is remarkable,” he stated.

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In addition to being a powerhouse for sprinting, developed glutes can
be key for much more throughout your body, according to trainer
Holly Perkins, C.S.C.S., creator of a strength training guide
called The Glutes Project.

“Strong, powerful glutes create the anchor for your entire pelvis, and
that has profound implications in terms of your alignment and how you
move,” she told Runner’s World. “Think of it as your base for body
mechanics. If it’s out of alignment, your movement will be, too.”

For example, with weak glutes, you’ll often see an excessively
forward-rotated pelvis, she said. That can result in spinal
misalignment, back pain, and tight neck muscles. You’ll also tend to be
more dominant in your quadriceps, since those large leg muscles
will be doing much more work than posterior muscles like hamstrings
and calves.
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“Quad dominance can cause hip, knee, and foot issues,” Perkins said.
“You can see how weak glutes affect the entire body, from your feet to
your head. Now, imagine all that in motion as you’re running. In many
cases, your knee and hip pain is not about your knee or hip at all.
It’s your glutes.”

Fortunately, she added, it’s fixable. Adding glutes-specific
training—such as single-leg deadlifts, single-leg glute bridges,
and power skips—into your weekly routine can go a long way toward
reversing that pelvic tilt. As you do, it’s likely you’ll see benefits
like more power, better endurance, and improved injury prevention.
Elizabeth Millard Elizabeth Millard is a freelance writer focusing
on health, wellness, fitness, and food.
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