Recruit the Glute(s): Part Two
Part Two: The Why of Strengthening
From Running Director Heidi Caldwell.
Last month we introduced the importance of using our glutes as runners in the blog post Recruit the Glute(s): Part One. This month, we’re getting into why it’s important for runners to develop strong glutes.
Our glutes need to be consistently strengthened in order to be strong enough to maintain an efficient, stable stride as we run. Because most of us don’t actively engage or use our glutes everyday, these muscles grow weak - a classic case of “use it or lose it”. Our modern day culture of sitting has a significant impact on our limited glute use. Many of us sit for long periods of time on a regular basis, allowing our glutes to remain inactive throughout the day. Sitting also makes our hip flexors tight, adding another obstacle to effective glute use. When our hip flexors are tight, it is much harder to use and access our glutes properly, as discussed in part one of this blog series.
Weak glutes compound the challenge of properly using them, causing them to tire quickly as we run. As they tire, other major muscles like the hamstrings and quads take over, leading to more stress on the knees, hips, and lower limbs. These other major lower body muscle groups are strong and able to take over the “work” of running because, unlike our glutes, we use them for many of our daily non-running activities. Between the strength of other muscle groups and tight hip flexors, it can be tough for the glutes to take action and fulfill their optimal role.
Image taken from a “Fitness by Ivy” blog post.
Before we look at a glue strengthening plan, it’s important to remember why we want to use our glutes in the first place.
Using our glutes takes some of the load and impact off of our legs, thereby effectively mitigating common running overuse injuries. We discussed this in Recruit the Glutes: Part One, and this article provides more detailed evidence.
When your glutes start working with you, you unlock the potential of a smoother ride as you run.
Case in point: I was first introduced to this concept in college, when our coach would constantly give the queue “fire your glutes!” (in stoic seriousness) during workouts and on easy runs. This was a foreign concept to me at the time, as were the myriad of pre-run activation exercises we began incorporating to the start of every practice. As the seasons progressed and I started to master pelvic tilt and glute recruitment, I noticed a distinct improvement in my stride. I felt smoother and more upright as I ran, and could feel that I was getting more out of every stride. Workout videos confirmed as much: it was striking to see how much more powerful and stable I looked, particularly when running fast.
On that note, it’s important to recognize that it can be harder to recruit our glutes on easy runs. Running at slower paces doesn’t demand a full stride, which allows our glutes to be lazy and for our quads or hamstrings to take over. Our bodies naturally do what they know and are used to, so it can be helpful to actively think about using our glutes when we are out for an easy run. Remember the queue, “fire your glutes!”, from Coach Baker. While it can be counter productive to think about queues all of the time, try picking a run or two each week to intentionally think about and practice engaging your glutes. Overtime, your muscle memory will improve and your body will start using your glutes naturally.
Now that we’ve dived into the “why”, it’s time to get to work. Harnessing the full power of our glutes takes time and intention. While it may feel like a lot of work in the beginning, there is so much to be gained and, over time, you’ll see the benefits when you #recruittheglute. I see this as a gift - learning we have a powerhouse group of muscles just waiting to be activated and optimized!
Ready to start strengthening your glutes? Check out our Glute Strengthening Routine for Runners here.
Strengthen your glutes regularly for a healthy, injury-free running season!