Walk like a monster for glute activation.

Glute training is the de-jour training of the last few years.

If anything has defined the recent fitness zeitgeist its glutes.

There are now approximately 40 zillion glute exercise variation videos available on instagram. But are they all worth it and effective?

And what if you want to progress a client from bodyweight side lying clamshells? Which exercise is the next step? . Of course, there are a 1000 next steps, but the ones I like are the side mini band walk (aka sumo walk, x-band walk) and monster walk. (Also band resisted clamshells, but I will post them in a separate video/blog).

I do see quite a few people in the gym these days with their own mini bands (mainly women - thanks Insta coaches). Butt (see what I did there) nearly all of them places the band around the knees for doing band walks and various squat exercises.

Is this the best placement?

Well no, the research shows (see Cambridge et al 2012) that to get more glute medius activation and less Tensor fascia latae the band should be lower down around the ankles or feet.

And the most glute max activation is when the band is around the forefoot. I am assuming that most of the women in the gym (and guys) are looking for more glute max activation for either injury rehab purposes, athletic purposes or lets face it aesthetic reasons. Therefore the optimal placing of the band would be around the forefoot and then next best would be around the ankles.

Why do it?

• can help as part of a programme for lower back pain.
• can help as part of a hip programme (my hips always feel better after it).
• get more toned glutes!
• athletic purposes, in which case always go in different directions.
• warm up, activation and mobility either for a leg workout or sport.

In the 2 videos below my colleague Nick is demonstrating the side walk and monster walk. Now you may be asking why is the band around his ankles and not his forefoot, if forefoot is better? The answer is you can do both, but from a practical point of view the band around the foot can end up getting caught the floor depending on the surface you have, and the friction of the band on the floor can wear your band out quicker. But hey, try both.





Or the monster walk, I don't see too many people doing this one, but I find it hits the glutes just as much, all you have to do is pretend you are a zombie or Frankensteins monster!



  How to do it:

1. Place band around the ankles or foot!
2. Get into a quarter squat/ athletic position.
3. Don't step too narrow, you will lose tension on the band.
4. Don't step too wide, you will end up using your back and not your glutes. In fact, a common thing I see when looking at peoples lower backs while doing this, is their spine bending to the side and doing the movement and their hips are not really doing anything. Especially if someone is not used to using their glutes or activating them you will see this compensation.
5. To stop the above happening, get some light core bracing. Also, getting the client/patient to put their hand on their waist and lower back, try and breathe diaphragmatically into that whole core region and be cognizant of not moving through the lower back.
6. Also look out for the knees collapsing inwards, they don't have to be excessively forced out but you don't want to see knee collapse.
7. Keep a good neck and shoulder position too.
8. Top tip: a band around the ankle with bare skin can cause chaffing and pinching. Either wear longer socks or trousers/leggings. Or try the band around the foot position.

I like to do this exercise before a leg workout, just one or two sets of 10 in each direction. Or put it into your leg workout and superset with something like walking lunges or glutes thrusts.

For people with back pain, it might be one of the exercises you give them as part of their programme.

And as always, even though someone might be doing it on instagram there is no need to make this exercise more complicated by doing it sideways or backwards on an inclined treadmill or by jumping up the steps on a stairmill - yes I have seen people doing this in the gym!

If you want to feel a glute burn give these variations a go!

References:

Cambridge E, Sidorkewicz N, Ikeda D, McGill SM (2012). Progressive hip
rehabilitation: The effects of resistance band placement on gluteal activation during two
common exercises. Clin. Biomech. 27:719-724

Smith Machine Hip Thrust (Yes, I Found A Use For The Smith Machine)

Unless you spend your time hanging out at LA Fitness and reading back issues of Flex magazine you are probably aware of an exercise called the Barbell Hip Thrust as popularised by The Glute Guy Himself Bret Contreras.

Contreras has shown this exercise to have high levels of glute activation and if you want to have a strong booty this is a 'go to' exercises. However, I have noted that many women seem to avoid it for a several reasons:

1. They have to venture into the freeweight area and negotiate guys doing their third chest and bicep workout of the week and have to put up with their braying stares as they set up.
2. The set up can be awkward for both men and women. But I think especially for women, as they can probably hip thrust some heavy weights, normally way more than they can bench press and in many cases probably more than they can squat. So loading up the bar and getting set up can take time.
3. They then have to position themselves under the bar and bridge up. This requires them to stabilise the bar with their hands and I have a had a few people who are not so confident about this.
4. One of the common errors I see, is people drifting up the bench, or 'travelling' thus turning it into more of a leg press, as their body tries to desperately avoid activating their dormant posterior chain.

Of course, it turns out I didn't invent the Smith Machine version but I like it for several reasons

1. Set up is easier. You can load up the bar and then when you are ready twist it and let the weight down onto your hips.
2. No need to worry about stabilising the bar with your hands. It's going to stay in place. And at anytime you can re-rack.
3. In the video you can see that the Smith Machine we are using doesn't let you go all the way down to the bottom and get a fuller range of movement. At first I thought this would be a problem but it turned out to be advantageous. Firstly, it allows for a more continuous tension on the glutes. Secondly, its easier to get out of at the bottom. Thirdly, it really lends itself to pumping and partial reps.
4. The bar moves in a vertical path. It's much harder to cheat on this movement. I've had people who could only feel the traditional hip thrust in their back or hamstrings, despite coaching and cueing. As soon as I put them on the Smith Machine version they could feel their glutes activating for the first time. It is much harder to travel up the bench and turn it into a leg press, as you will feel the bar moving down your legs away from you.

Several women in the gym have tried this and they have all said that this is best glute activation/soreness they have felt with any exercise.

I like moderately high reps with this exercise, sets of 15-20 reps and finishing some sets with partial reps and iso holds for good measure.

The only issue you are going to have is accessing the Smith Machine if there is a group of 16 year olds on it doing partial assisted 1 rep max bench press day or some old skool fella doing his behind the neck press supersetted with shrugs workout. 

This doesn't mean don't do glute bridges and thrusts with the barbell or bodyweight versions (another version I like is with the sand bag) but its something else to add into the exercise tool box.

Now I think about it, there are a few other exercises that the Smith Machine is good for if you have access to one:

1. Inverted Rows (also known as fat man pull ups or as named by James Exall 'Lazy Boys')
2. Side stepping over it like a hurdle for hip mobility. This is good because you can adjust the height of the bar
3. Press up progression, start with the bar high, steep body angle, progress down to a flatter press up position. Similar to what you can do with a suspension trainer/ TRX, but more stable.
4. Chest/ Lat stretch
5. Possibly a one leg squat variation.
6. Hanging your coat on
7. Frees up the power racks and bench presses because of all the people doing their partial rep bench presses and squats on it.

I will add in videos of the above exercises at some point. In the mean time give the Smith Machine Hip Thrust a go.