What is the largest muscle in the human body? | eNotes What is the largest muscle in the human body? dano7744 | College Teacher | (Level 2) Educator Posted on May 22, 2010 at 10:56 AM The gluteal muscles are largest. The gluteus minimus and maximus comprise this group. They are your buttocks. A very close second is the bilateral latissimus dorsi muscles which are your "lats". They run more than half way up your back and wrap around laterally (the sides). They connect distally in the hip or coxal area. The gluteals are indeed much thicker and have more mass. Another large muscle group is the adductor group on the anterior thigh and also the quadriceps group which is also on your anterior thigh(front thigh). As you can imagine, the muscles of the legs are very strong inpart because they help to support your weight. The masseter muscles of the bilateral jaws are also very strong, and the strongest of all.

like 5 dislike 0 discussion | College Teacher | (Level 1) Assistant Educator Posted on May 18, 2010 at 1:18 AM According to most online sources, the gluteus maximus or buttock muscle is the biggest of the 639 named muscles in the human body. The longest muscle in the human body is the sartorius. This narrow muscle of the thigh passes obliquely across the front of the thigh and helps rotate the leg to the position assumed in sitting cross-legged. The strongest muscle depends on how you measure strength. A good case could be made for the heart! Information from ehow.com: In terms of absolute force, the strongest muscle in the body is the masseter, the prime mover of the jaw for chewing. It can create force of 55 lbs. on the incisors or 200 lbs. on the molars. The hardest-working muscle in the body is the heart. It pumps 2 oz. blood at every heartbeat, at least 2,500 gallons daily. The muscle that can pull with the greatest force is the soleus, underneath the calf muscle.

It is this muscle that keeps us from falling backward while standing up, and it is essential to running, walking and dancing. The largest muscle in the body is also one of the strongest--the gluteus maximus. This large muscle in the buttocks keeps us standing upright and fights against gravity when we walk up stairs. The most flexible muscle is the tongue, which can take many shapes and also is always moving, even in sleep. The most active of muscles is the eye muscles. Muscles of the eye are constantly moving. In an hour's worth of reading, they can move 10,000 times. Unlike the heart, however, eye muscles can get fatigued easily. like 8 dislike 1 August 2, 2012 at 7:03 AM The gluteus muscle is the largest muscle in the human body. It consists of gluteus maximus and gluteus minimus. it is called asbuttockmuscles. Hip region is the most important region in the human structure because human stands on both legs and when he stands this buttock region gives support to the human structure.

Also, above the hip region there are so many internal organs (including respiratory, digestive system) which are very important for the human life,to protect these organs and to support them the muscle in the buttock should be very thick and large Exercises to Reduce the Gluteus Maximus | Healthy Living - azcentral.com Exercises to Reduce the Gluteus Maximus by Grace Bordelon Share on Facebook The gluteus maximus is the largest of the three gluteal muscles that make up your buttocks. You can reduce the size of the muscle by losing excess fat and toning the muscle. This can be achieved through a combination of cardio and strength training paired with a healthy diet. Cardio will burn calories, trimming fat from your entire body if you reduce your total caloric intake via burning calories or reducing your daily total. Strength training changes your underlying musculature to have a more sleek, toned appearance. Cardio Exercise at the Gym There are many options for sweating it out at the gym, but the elliptical machine is an excellent choice and available at most gyms. According to Health Status, a 130-pound woman will burn 672 calories an hour and a 160-pound man will burn 825 calories.

The elliptical mimics running but is low impact, with foot pads that raise and lower with your movement; swinging hand bars add an upper-body workout as well. Maximize your gluteal workout by distributing your weight evenly between the heel and pad of your foot. Cardio Exercise from Home There are a variety of cardio exercises you can do from home with or without equipment. Alternate walking and running for 30 minutes, or bike for 30 minutes if the weather allows. For intense indoor cardio targeting the glutes, do three sets of 25 jumping jacks and 12 lunges. For the lunges, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Step as far as you can forward with one leg and lower until your front leg is at a 90-degree angle; pause, and then repeat with the opposite leg. Hold your abs and gluteal muscles tight for maximum benefit. Strength Training on Weight Machines On your gym days include a routine of resistance machines that targets your glutes; include the abductor, abtractor and leg press machines. Do two sets of 12 repetitions on each machine and choose a weight based on the last repetition being challenging but possible without pain.

Consult a trainer at your gym to check your form, and be sure to hold your abs tight to work your core and protect your back and neck from injury. Diet and Safety A diet that is high in lean protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables will support your workout while slimming your waistline. Do not eat less than your recommended daily caloric intake in an effort to lose weight, as this will only sabotage your workout, leaving you sluggish and unable to build the new lean muscle. Determine your recommended daily calorie intake with the Mayo Clinic's calculator. If you have a significant amount of weight to lose or health concerns, then consult your doctor for beginning your new exercise routine. References Muscles of the Gluteal Region - Superficial - Deep - TeachMeAnatomy Muscles of the Gluteal Region Original Author: Oliver Jones Last Updated: December 30, 2016 Revisions: 51 The gluteal region is an anatomical area located posteriorly to the pelvic girdle, at the proximal end of the femur. The muscles in this region move the lower limb at the hip joint.

The muscles of the gluteal region can be broadly divided into two groups: Superficial abductors and extenders – A group of large muscles that abduct and extend the femur. Includes the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus and tensor fascia lata. Deep lateral rotators – A group of smaller muscles that mainly act to laterally rotate the femur. Includes the quadratus femoris, piriformis, gemellus superior, gemellus inferior and obturator internus. In this article, we shall examine the two groups of gluteal muscles – their attachments, innervations and actions. We shall also look at the clinical consequence of gluteal muscle disorders. The Superficial Muscles The superficial muscles in the gluteal region consist of the three glutei and the tensor fascia lata. They mainly act to abduct and extend the lower limb at the hip joint. Gluteus Maximus © 2015-2017 TeachMeAnatomy.com [CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0] Fig 1 – The superficial muscles of the gluteal region.

The gluteus maximus and medius have been partly removed. The gluteus maximus is the largest of the gluteal muscles. It is also the most superficial, producing the shape of the buttocks. Attachments: Originates from the gluteal (posterior) surface of the ilium, sacrum and coccyx. It slopes across the buttock at a 45 degree angle, then inserts into the iliotibial tract and the gluteal tuberosity of the femur. Actions: It is the main extensor of the thigh, and assists with lateral rotation. However, it is only used when force is required, such as running or climbing. Innervation: Inferior gluteal nerve. Gluteus Medius The gluteus medius muscle is fan-shaped and lies between to the gluteus maximus and the minimus. It is similar is shape and function to the gluteus minimus. Attachments: Originates from the gluteal surface of the ilium and inserts into the lateral surface of the greater trochanter. Actions: Abducts and medially rotates the lower limb.

During locomotion, it secures the pelvis, preventing pelvic drop of the opposite limb. (Note: the posterior fibres of the gluteus medius are also thought to produce a small amount of lateral rotation). Innervation: Superior gluteal nerve. Gluteus Minimus The gluteus minimus is the deepest and smallest of the superficial gluteal muscles. It is similar is shape and function to the gluteus medius. Attachments: Originates from the ilium and converges to form a tendon, inserting to the anterior side of the greater trochanter. Actions: Abducts and medially rotates the lower limb. During locomotion, it secures the pelvis, preventing pelvic drop of the opposite limb. Innervation: Superior gluteal nerve. Tensor Fascia Lata Tensor fasciae lata is a small superficial muscle which lies towards the anterior edge of the iliac crest. It functions to tighten the fascia lata, and so abducts and medially rotates the lower limb. Attachments: Originates from the anterior iliac crest, attaching to the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS).

It inserts into the iliotibial tract, which itself attaches to the lateral condyle of the tibia. Actions: Assists the gluteus medius and minimus in abduction and medial rotation of the lower limb. It also plays a supportive role in the gait cycle. Innervation: Superior gluteal nerve. © 2015-2017 TeachMeAnatomy.com [CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0] Fig 2 – Positive Trendelenburg sign, characteristic of left superior gluteal nerve palsy. The superior gluteal nerve innervates the gluteus medius and the gluteus minimus. These muscles have an important role in stabilising the pelvis during locomotion. In the standing position, the gluteus minimus and medius contract when the contralateral leg is raised, preventing the pelvis from dropping on that side. If the superior gluteal nerve is damaged, the previously described muscles are paralysed – and the pelvis becomes unsteady. A characteristic finding of gluteal muscle weakness is the Trendelenburg sign.

Trendelenburg Sign The Trendelenburg sign is produced when the patient is asked to stand unassisted on each leg in turn. In a positive sign, pelvic drop will occur on the unsupported leg. Pelvic drop can be recognised by observing the level of the iliac crests on both sides. For example, if the left gluteal muscles are weak, the right side of the pelvis will drop when the patient stands on their left leg (and the right leg is unsupported). The Deep Muscles The deep gluteal muscles are a set of smaller muscles, located underneath the gluteus minimus. The general action of these muscles is to laterally rotate the lower limb. They also stabilise the hip joint by ‘pulling’ the femoral head into the acetabulum of the pelvis. Piriformis The piriformis muscle is a key landmark in the gluteal region. It is the most superior of the deep muscles. Attachments: Originates from the anterior surface of the sacrum. It then travels infero-laterally, through the greater sciatic foramen, to insert into the greater trochanter of the femur. Actions: Lateral rotation and abduction.

Innervation: Nerve to piriformis. © 2015-2017 TeachMeAnatomy.com [CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0] Fig 3 – The deep muscles of the gluteal region. The obturator internus forms the lateral walls of the pelvic cavity. In some texts, the obturator internus and the gemelli muscles are considered as one muscle – the triceps coxae. Attachments: Originates from the pubis and ischium at the obturator foramen. It travels through the lesser sciatic foramen, and attaches to the greater trochanter of the femur. Actions: Lateral rotation and abduction. Innervation: Nerve to obturator internus. The Gemelli – Superior and Inferior The gemelli are two narrow and triangular muscles. They are separated by the obturator internus tendon. Attachments: The superior gemellus muscle originates from the ischial spine, the inferior from the ischial tuberosity. They both attach to the greater trochanter of the femur. Actions: Lateral rotation and abduction.

Innervation: The superior gemellus muscle is innervated by the nerve to obturator internus, the inferior gemellus is innervated by the nerve to quadratus femoris. Quadratus Femoris The quadratus femoris is a flat, square-shaped muscle. It is the most inferior of the deep gluteal muscles, located below the gemelli and obturator internus. Attachments: It originates from the lateral side of the ischial tuberosity, and attaches to the quadrate tuberosity on the intertrochanteric crest. Actions: Lateral rotation. Innervation: Nerve to quadratus femoris. Clinical Relevance: Landmark of the Gluteal Region The piriformis is an important anatomical landmark in the gluteal region. As the muscle travels through the greater sciatic foramen, it effectively divides the gluteal region into an inferior and superior part. This division determines the name of the vessels and nerves that supply the area. The superior gluteal nerve and vessels emerge into the gluteal region superiorly to the piriformis (and vice versa for the inferior gluteal nerve).

In addition, the piriformis can be used to locate the sciatic nerve (a major peripheral nerve of the lower limb). The sciatic nerve enters the gluteal region directly inferior to the piriformis, and is visible as a flat band, approximately 2cm wide. Fig 4 – The piriformis as an anatomical landmark in the gluteal region. Rate This Article What Are the Main Muscles in the Buttocks & Thighs? | LIVESTRONG.COM What Are the Main Muscles in the Buttocks & Thighs? by TIMOTHY OWENS Last Updated: Dec 18, 2013 Timothy Owens Timothy Owens has been in the fitness and wellness industry since 2000. He holds a Master of Arts in physical education: sport and exercise science from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and is a certified personal trainer through the National Council on Strength & Fitness. Owens worked as a exercise physiologist and personal trainer for eight years until moving into recreation administration and management. Starting block on track Photo Credit Berc/iStock/Getty Images As a fitness enthusiast, your butt and legs are either your best commodity or your worst.

While you may want a firmer butt or to avoid the dreaded chicken legs, failing to understand muscular movement may slow progress toward your goal. Understanding the muscles within your legs and bum leads to understanding why they are trained in specific ways. Buttocks Woman in mediation pose Photo Credit m-imagephotography/iStock/Getty Images Of the three buttocks muscles, the gluteus maximus is the largest, as well as the largest muscle in human anatomy. The gluteus maximus originates on the ilium – the largest bone of the pelvis -- and inserts on the femur with primary responsibility for hip extension and hip external rotation. Your two smaller buttocks muscles are the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. While they have the same origin and insertion points, they have different movement responsibilities. Abduction, transverse abduction and internal rotation are performed by the medius and minimus. Three exercises that train the buttocks are squats, dumbbell lunges, and step-ups. Quadriceps Man in lunge pose Photo Credit Corina Acosta/iStock/Getty Images The front of your thighs consists of the four muscles of the quadriceps. The rectus femoris, largest of the four, extends the knee and flexes the hips.

It originates on the front and lower portion of the ilium and inserts on the tibia bone of the lower leg. The three remaining muscles -- vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis -- deal only with the extension of the knee. They all originate on the thigh bone, the femur,and insert on the tibia bone. While exercises for the buttocks also train the quadriceps, a few focused exercises are the leg extension and 45 degree leg press. Hamstrings Woman exercising at gym Photo Credit prudkov/iStock/Getty Images The hamstrings consist of four muscles, the two largest being the semitendinosus and the long head of the biceps femoris. These two muscles originate on the lower part of the hip bone and insert on the tibia -- the larger of the two bones in your lower leg. They are responsible for the flexion of your knee and the extension of your hips. Training the hamstrings require exercises such as the stiff-legged deadlift, leg curl and hyperextension.

Related Searches THE LIVESTRONG.COM MyPlate Nutrition, Workouts & Tips GOAL Gain 2 pounds per week Gain 1.5 pounds per week Gain 1 pound per week Gain 0.5 pound per week Maintain my current weight Lose 0.5 pound per week Lose 1 pound per week Lose 1.5 pounds per week Lose 2 pounds per week GENDER Exercises and Workouts for Women for a Strong, Toned Butt | Fitness Magazine The Science Behind Your Booty I'm alone with a handsome young doctor who has his hands down my shorts, but neither of us is too happy about it. Joseph Herrera, a doctor of osteopathic medicine, furrows his brow as he struggles to untangle a 48-inch lead attached to an electrode that he has taped to my butt. The electrode is slick with conductivity gel and he's holding it in place as he attaches the other end of the wire to the electromyography (EMG) machine, a hulking piece of equipment that measures electrical activity in your muscles. Dr.

Herrera, the director of sports medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine's rehabilitation department in New York City, has agreed to help me figure out what, if anything, is going on with my glutes when I'm not explicitly working them out. Which is almost never. And it shows. Or rather, doesn't show on my unremarkable, flat butt. On Dr. Herrera's signal, I mimic myriad daily moves, including walking, jogging at catch-a-bus speed, crouching to pursue a toddler, and shifting my weight from hip to hip, as I do waiting in line at the ATM. With each movement, the line on the machine's screen gives a pathetic little jump; the readout looks like a lie detector test minus the lies. Dr. Herrera shrugs and says that this is normal no matter what shape butt you have. "Your glute muscles are typically not that engaged throughout the day," he explains. "The quads do a lot of the heavy lifting." Then I step up onto a stair and the screen's readout shows a violent spike.

Finally, my gluteus maximus is doing what it was born — or rather, evolved — to do: keeping me upright as I stride, especially during more balance-challenging hikes up stairs. Among the things that differentiate us from our knuckle-dragging primate ancestors are not only our big brains but our big butts — or, as Stephanie P. Marango, MD, a physician and anatomy expert in New York City, puts it, our well-developed gluteus maximus. "That ability to be bipedal is a huge deal," Dr. Marango says. "And it's this muscle that is really doing a major component of that." It's ironic, then, that the largest muscle in our body, which has given humans their signature upright strut, spends most of the day metaphorically sitting on its butt. Anything Butt Normal While we obsess about shaping the ideal butt, the multibillion-dollar jeans industry and even the government have been hoping to define exactly what the typical one looks like.

For years the rule of thumb for chairs was that seats be at least 18 inches wide — to fit 95 percent of female fannies, because our hips outspan men's — or about three inches wider than this magazine when it's open. (Go ahead, sit on it to see how you stack up.) Data confirmed that our collective backside is indeed spreading. When 3-D scanning technology was developed, the air force, along with a group of automotive engineers and apparel companies, was the first to use it, conducting the CAESAR (Civilian American and European Surface Anthropometry Resource) study, published in 2002. Thanks to CAESAR, "you can get a digital replica of a whole butt in 3-D," says Kathleen Robinette, PhD, an anthropologist at the U.S. Air Force research laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio and director of CAESAR research. "You can prepare a before-and-after scan, and see how apparel affects shape." The armed forces used such data to reconfigure women's uniforms, adding "women's" cuts — that is, a wider hip and butt area — to cover many more of their female soldiers without resorting to costly alterations.

The apparel industry subsequently pulled together with the U.S. Department of Commerce to conduct the Size USA study, using different 3-D scanning with a much larger, 10,000-person sample that included a wider range of body mass indexes, ages, and ethnic backgrounds. From these studies, we've learned a lot about the average American female butt — mainly that there's no such thing. The Size USA study found that 86 percent of women 26 to 55 years old who are between five foot two and five foot seven and weigh less than 160 pounds have a seat circumference of 37 to 43 inches at the widest point. Those numbers, however, should be taken with a grain of salt, Robinette says. "As soon as you start trying to make an amalgam, an 'average' female body, you lose touch with reality," she explains. In other words, you can have a statistically average butt size, but your weight, height, or waist measurement is unlikely to be likewise average. A short woman with a so-called average butt size would have a proportionately large bottom, whereas a tall, heavy woman with an average butt size would have a proportionately small one.

In other words, shopping for your dream butt in celebrity magazines is a bad idea. Meet Your Butt Muscles Meet the three main muscles that make up your rear view. 1. Gluteus minimus The smallest of the glute muscles lies directly under the gluteus medius. 2. Gluteus medius This pork chop-shaped muscle sits near the outside of your pelvis. 3. Gluteus maximus True to its name, the maximus is the biggest muscle in your body. A few weeks after my experiment with Dr. Herrera, I am at the gross anatomy lab of the Mount Sinai Medical Center. On a blindingly white table lie pieces of various cadavers' lower extremities, including glute muscles on a tray. Without fat on them — it's stripped off manually and with chemicals so that medical students may examine just the muscle or connective tissue — there are only brownish pink slabs of fibers. No matter whether our butts are perfectly rounded or flat and droopy, they all look more or less the same on the inside.

Your glutes are made up of three main muscles: the maximus, the biggest portion of your behind; the pork chop-shaped medius near the top of your hips; and the minimus, which is tucked beneath the two aforementioned muscles. The gluteus maximus gets all the attention, but the medius does just as important a job. Along with the minimus, "it's responsible for stabilizing your pelvis when you walk or anytime you're off balance," Dr. Herrera says. Without it you would lurch from side to side like a drunken sailor as you lifted your feet. Because everyone's gluteal muscles attach at the same points on their skeleton — the maximus runs diagonally from the top of the pelvis to the femur and iliotibial band on the outside of the upper thigh — if you have a tall pelvis, "you may have a longer, squarer shape to your posterior," says Kimberly Topp, PhD, chair of the department of physical therapy at the University of California, San Francisco. "With a wide pelvis, you may have a more horizontal orientation of the muscle." If your back is a bit more curved, your buns may appear more lifted.

You can work on your glutes and change their size and shape (more on that later), but some people start off with the nicely rounded gluteal muscles that inspire pop songs, while many of us do not. So just how much of our butt shape is predetermined by genetic roulette? Up to 70 percent of the body's overall shape, and therefore your rear's, is genetic, Dr. Marango says. "The rest is going to be influenced by nutrition, exercise, sleep, posture — anything outside your genetic code." You can thank our gender for the fact that women generally have more posterior padding than men, and thank Mom and Dad for where that padding tends to congregate. But no matter what shape butt you start out with, it will morph later in life. At the same body mass index, says Matthew P. Reed, PhD, a research associate professor at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor who studies body shape, a woman of 50 has a flatter butt profile than a woman half her age because shifting hormone levels postmenopause signal the body to store fat in the belly rather than the buns.

"You'll see less fat at the side of the butt and more up at the iliac crest at the top of the pelvis," he says. "That's why pants don't fit the same way as you get older." The good news? Even with a little less padding, you can give gravity a good run for its money by getting your butt muscles firm and keeping them that way. How to Shape a Better Butt "If you're willing to spend the time on it, you have a lot of possibility to change the shape of your buttocks," Topp says, when I ask her if there's any hope of nonsurgically plumping my flat one. In general, the gluteus maximus is a combination of fast-twitch muscle fibers — that is, rapid-firing fibers, which are tapped for bursts of speed or power — and slow-twitch muscle fibers, which are the workhorses during aerobic activities. Some studies suggest that the glutei medius and minimus consist primarily of slow-twitch muscles.

This means the glutes can benefit from both strength training with high load and low reps, like heavy-weight squats (to work the fast-twitch muscles), and with low load and high reps and endurance exercises, like running and stair climbing (to work slow-twitch muscles). In fact, EMG studies have been done to find which strength moves get each muscle firing, and our Sculpt Your Backside routine puts those principles to work; one flat-fannied tester added a quarter inch to her behind within four weeks. Meet 6 women who tried the Sculpt Your Backside Workout Of course, a big part of your butt's appearance is dictated by the layer of fat that covers those glutes. "Much of the female posterior is adipose tissue," Reed says. "The actual muscles are shaped like men's, if a little different in orientation because the pelvis is slightly wider." If extra flab is obscuring yours, your surest bet to uncover its true shape is to follow a healthy 1,500-calorie-a-day diet and add regular cardio on most days to lose fat all over, including around your lower half. This mix of diet, cardio, and toning will give you the best butt you can have.

And that should be the goal — not J.Lo's or the one belonging to that woman putting her head behind her ankles in yoga class. "People say 'I want her butt,' but you can't have it, and you shouldn't want it," Dr. Marango says. "Instead, within your own structure, maximize what you have." And that's something any of us who is willing to get off her butt and move it can do. Butt-ology 101: How to Enhance Your Gluteal Muscles | Breaking Muscle Butt-ology 101: How to Enhance Your Gluteal Muscles Coach          Your butt - a.k.a. tush, ass, derriere, caboose, unit, booty, moneymaker, hiney, bum, arse, or fanny. We all have one, so how can you care for it and develop it? Fun Facts About Your Butt: It affects your purchase of underwear, shorts, and jeans. Others may notice it when you are shopping at the mall for the aforementioned items.

You sit on it at some point during the day. Some people do it for hours . The primary butt muscle - the gluteus maximus - is the largest muscle in your body. Some are small, some wide, some average, some narrow, and some quite large. Among others, K.C. and the Sunshine Band and Sir Mix-a-Lot wrote songs about it in 1976 and 1992 , respectively. And ZZ Top wanted to be taken downtown to look for it. The basic anatomy and kinesiology of the glutes If squats alone can build your butt What role genetics play How anthropometrics and body composition figure in How to optimally warm up and train your glutes Workout programs you can start right now Basic Anatomy and Kinesiology of Your Butt There are three main muscles that comprise your butt: gluteus maximus Gluteus Maximus This muscle is the largest of the gluteal group. Its origin is the posterior line of the upper ilium, the posterior surface of the lower sacrum, and the side of the coccyx.

Its insertion is two-fold: First, the lower and larger portion of the gluteus maximus end with a thick tendon that passes through the greater trochanter (hip) into the iliotibial band. And there is also the gluteal tuberosity between the vastus lateralis (a quadriceps muscle) and adductor magnus. The function of the gluteus maximus (G-max) is primarily upper leg (thigh) extension, such as moving the upper leg backward as in rising from a squat position. The same with bent-leg deadlifting, the rear-leg drive in sprinting, and simply extending the thigh backward in any hip extension exercise (i.e., glute press). Gluteus Medius The gluteus medius (G-med, pictured right) originates on the outer surface of the ilium above and in front of the anterior gluteal line. It also originates at the gluteal aponeurosis. The insertion of the G-med converges on a tendon that attaches to the lateral surface of the greater trochanter (your hip joint). Ultimately, the G-med tendon inserts into an oblique ridge that runs down and to the front of the lateral surface of the greater trochanter.

Gluteus Minimus The gluteus minimus (G-min) originates in front from the outer surface of the ilium between the anterior and inferior gluteal lines. In back, it originates from the margin of the greater sciatic notch. It inserts on the deep surface of a radiated aponeurosis via a tendon that attaches to the anterior border of the greater trochanter. The G-med and G-min perform similar functions, depending on the position of the knee and hip joints. With the knee extended, they abduct the thigh (out to the side away from the opposite leg). When running, they stabilize the leg during the single-support phase. With the hips flexed, they internally rotate the thigh. With the hips extended, they externally rotate the thigh. Four Points to Ponder About Your Backside 1. “Barbell Squats Will Make My Butt Bigger” "Barbell squats will give you a huge butt." I hear that often. Where it came from, I have no idea. Think about it - you work your gluteals with extreme effort when you perform lunges, certain leg presses, deadlifts, glute presses, one-leg squats, and machine squats.

Are you unable to stimulate your butt with those exercises? Add barbell squatting to your program and BAM! your ass grows to epic proportions. Barbell squats are an effective gluteal developer provided you can squat properly, but a huge butt developed solely from their use is pure nonsense. If your butt has the potential to get larger, any gluteal-targeting exercise will work if you work it with effort. 2. Butt Implants? No, Thanks, But(t) Genetics Are a Factor Let's talk about butt implants. Yes, many are artificially augmenting the size of their butt through implants. Why? The genetic factor. They may have tried every exercise and workout in the gym but didn’t see the results they expected. You can only do so much with your butt development. If you possess a naturally large amount of muscle mass on your backside - or for that matter an exceptionally small amount (flat-ass syndrome) - it's probably due to your heredity. On one end of the continuum is the flat, no-curves-whatsoever butt and on the other the "you can set a full tray of drinks on my ass" butt. Either way, you can still attempt to care for it and develop it. 3.

Hip to Butt Ratio Do you have wide hips or narrow hips? Is your waist wide or narrow? This is another hereditary-contingent factor that affects the aesthetic of your butt. Your hip width is dependent on the width of your ilium, the largest and uppermost bone of your pelvis. Naturally, a wider Ilium gives you a wider butt and a narrower Ilium offers the potential for a narrower butt. A narrow waist coupled with wide hips gives you a larger-looking butt. A wider waist and narrow hips gives you smaller-looking butt. Again, genetics rule, so good luck in your battle. 4. Muscle to Fat Ratio What about your ratio of muscle mass to fat tissue in your buttocks area? If you have a fat ass, literally, then shed the fat and expose your shapely musculature. If your body fat is minimal, attempt to grow some meat back there, especially if you have the flat-ass syndrome. You cannot shape fat. Working the glute muscles will give you the best chance of “shaping” them . Over-consuming calories, performing zero exercise, and, ironically, sitting on your ass too much will give you a larger but fatter ass. Workin' It - Let's Train!

So, how do you optimally work your butt? I'd bet your already doing it, but maybe you need to tweak your lower body routines and calorie intake. Low pulley thigh abduction The reality of internal and external thigh rotation is that those movements are subtle. Provided you perform the aforementioned thigh extension and abduction exercises, you will be targeting these muscles. There are no special exercises to address these muscles aside from the above. Get In Touch With Your Butt: One Exercise to Go From Dead Butt to Active Arse That is a pretty good list of butt exercises. I’m sure you’re doing at least a few of them. The question is, are you performing them properly (form and intensity) and using a variety of those movements within your lower body routines? Doing so will give your butt the greatest chance of becoming epic within the confines of your genetic endowment. And don’t forget your calorie intake. Gaining excess body fat can result in a larger but softer rear-end. For that rock-hard butt, pay attention to minimizing fat storage by refining your calorie intake. In a nutshell, to optimally care for and develop your butt work hard on a variety of thigh extending, abducting, and rotating exercises and watch your calorie intake.

At the same time, hope you have been blessed with good genetics in that part of your anatomy. Exercises That Lift the Buttocks - Woman Exercises That Lift the Buttocks by Lisa Mercer Add an incline for a butt-lifting experience. Butts that seem to defy gravity usually result from genetics, a healthy diet, a vigorous daily workout schedule or all of the above. While even the best butt exercise may not be able to undo the effects of a sedentary job paired with a sedentary lifestyle, a well designed gluteus workout maximizes muscle tone and helps create the appearance of an uplifted lower half. It's all done with muscles. Muscles in the Buttocks Whether you call it your glutes, your butt, your buttocks or your booty, your gluteal region is composed of three major muscles. Your gluteus maximus is the largest of the three and the one closest to the surface. As a result, it gives your butt its shape and definition. The gluteus maximus is the primary muscle involved in hip-extension exercises, so these exercises, which involve pulling your knees down or backward, help shape your buttocks.

The gluteus maximus also plays a role during external rotation, or what dancers call turnout. If you wonder why dancers have such tight glutes, watch those plies in the turned-out position. Your gluteus medius and gluteus minimus assist the maximus, but also support abduction, or moving your leg away from your body's center. Incline Training A Harvard University study published in The Journal of Experimental Biology focused on the role butt muscles play in running. That research indicates running on a hill or some other incline more fully engages your glutes. Incline elliptical training has a similar effect, as does backward pedaling. If you add this type of training to your workout, increase the incline gradually, and add backpedaling segments. Other exercises, such as walking lunges performed on an incline, add to your butt-lifting routine. Research-Based Buttwork When mom and grandma knelt in front of the TV and performed the quadruped exercise, they knew what they were doing, according to the American Council on Exercise. The organization commissioned a research team from the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, to determine the best butt exercises. To its surprise, the quadruped landed at the top.

The exercise starts with your hands and knees on the ground and involves lifting your leg directly behind you. To engage the glute medius and minimus, lift the leg up, then bring it out to the side. Grandma called this the fire hydrant. These researchers also found benefits from one-legged step-ups on the bench, and standing hip extensions, which involve positioning a weight or resistance behind your knee and lifting that leg behind your body. On the Ball Use of an exercise ball can be useful in buttocks exercises. If your knees don't permit kneeling, lie prone over the ball for the quadruped exercise. For postural alignment during squats and lunges, place the ball against the wall, position it behind your shoulder blades, and perform the exercise. Ball bridges, performed with your calves draped over the ball, help correct an imbalance called reciprocal inhibition, which results from excessive sitting. Sitting tightens your hip flexors, and when hip flexors do all the work, your butt muscles are not engaged. During the glute bridge, your hip flexors stretch, or relax, as you lift your spine into the bridge position. Without the hip flexor's help, your glutes must do all the work. Challenge yourself.

Perform the exercise with one leg, or incorporate a resistance band and lift against the resistance to increase the benefits References Piriformis Syndrome Piriformis Syndrome Written by Timothy J. Maggs, D.C.; Reviewed by Edward C. Benzel, MD Peer Reviewed Print If you’ve ever felt pain in the hip, pain in the center of the butt, or pain down the back of the leg, you are likely suffering, at least partially, with piriformis syndrome. The piriformis is a muscle which runs from your sacrum (mid-line base of spine) to the outer hip bone (trochanter). This muscle truly works overtime on anyone who runs at all. The muscles in and around the gluteal region help with three areas 1.rotation of the hip and leg; 2.balance while one foot is off the ground; and 3.stability for the pelvic region. Needless to say, all of these characteristics are highly needed by runners (and everyone else, when you come to think of it). Conclusion--the piriformis muscle is pretty important for all of us. If you've been diagnosed with piriformis syndrome, check out our video series on pirifomis syndrome exercises .

Injuries to the Piriformis This muscle is a prime candidate for repetitive motion injury (RMI). RMI occurs when a muscle is asked to perform beyond it’s level of capability, not given enough time to recover, and asked to perform again. The typical response from a muscle in this situation is to tighten, which is a defensive response of the muscle. This tightness, however, manifests itself in several ways to a runner. The first symptom suggesting piriformis syndrome would be pain in and around the outer hip bone. The tightness of the muscle produces increased tension between the tendon and the bone which produces either direct discomfort and pain or an increased tension in the joint producing a bursitis. Again, a bursitis is an inflammation of the fluid filled sac in a joint caused by an elevation of stress and tension within that joint. The second symptom suggesting piriformis syndrome would be pain directly in the center of the buttocks. Although this is not as common as the other two symtpoms, this pain can be elicited with direct compression over the belly of the buttocks area. A tight muscle is a sore muscle upon compression due to a reduced blood flow to that muscle.

The third symptom suggesting piriformis syndrome would be a sciatic neuralgia, or pain from the buttocks down the back of the leg and sometimes into different portions of the lower leg. We have an article that can teach you more about how piriformis syndrome and sciatica are related. The sciatic nerve runs right through the belly of the piriformis muscle and if the piriformis muscle contracts from being overused, the sciatic nerve now becomes strangled, producing pain, tingling and numbness. To learn more about the sciatic nerve and sciatica, visit SpineUniverse's Sciatica Slideshow . Simple Physiology Any muscle repetitively used needs to have an opportunity to recover. This recovery can either be on Nature’s clock, or can be facilitated and sped up with proper knowledge and treatment. Since the muscle is tightening due to overuse, continued use will only make it worse. This injured muscle needs to relax and have increased blood flow encouraged to it for more rapid healing. This tightness that exists also reduces the normal blood flow going to the muscle reducing the speed with which the muscle can recover. To encourage fresh, oxygen-rich blood to the muscle is the most powerful means of getting the muscle to begin to relax and function normally.

Multiple massages per day to this area is greatly encouraged. The next step in this "recovery" process is to use a tennis ball under the butt and hip area. While sitting down on the floor, roll away from the side of involvement and place a tennis ball just inside the outer hip bone under the butt area. As you begin to allow your weight onto the tennis ball, note areas of increased pain and soreness. Trigger points will tend to accumulate in a repetitively used muscle, and until these toxins are manually broken up and eliminated, the muscle will have an artificial ceiling with regard to flexibility potential and recovery potential. So, if it’s sore and hurts while your sitting on it, you’re doing a good job. Let the ball work under each spot for 15-20 seconds before moving it to another area. Once you’ve been on the ball for 4-5 minutes, now put the ankle of the involved leg over the knee of the non-involved leg (crossing your legs). Now place the tennis ball just inside the outer hip bone again and work the tendon of the piriformis muscle. While this pain is typically excruciating and takes some time to effectively reduce, the benefits here are huge.

Be patient, be consistent and good things will happen. Additional Treatments Due to the fact that the sciatic neuralgia and the hip bursitis or tendonitis are both inflammatory in nature, ice, or cryotherapy, over the involved area 15-20 minutes at a time will be beneficial. This should be done multiple times per day. Stretching of the hip muscles should not be done until the acute pain is gone. At that point in time, begin with gentle stretching, such as the cross-legged stretch while pulling up on the knee. The muscle should have increased flexibility before an active return to running. Finally, I’m always discouraging the use of pharmaceutical anti-inflammatories. Not only do they greatly aggravate the intestines, but they also suggest an artificial wellness that can lead to bigger problems. Proteolytic enzymes, such as bromelain, are both natural and extremely beneficial with no side effects. For more information, visit your health food store or check out Rehab Plus on our website. Until next time, remember, they can’t throw dirt on you if you’re moving, so keep on running. Updated on: 09/11/15 What Are the Exercises for Each of the Three Butt Muscles?

| Healthy Living - azcentral.com What Are the Exercises for Each of the Three Butt Muscles? by Catherine Field Share on Facebook The butt consists of three gluteal muscles: the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. The gluteus maximus, atop the gluteus medius, serves as the main buttock muscle and the largest muscle of the body. When you work the butt muscles, this is the main muscle you build for shape. The gluteus medius and minimus muscles help you keep your balance. Exercises that focus on the butt do so by isolating these three muscles. Gluteal Curl A gluteal curl targets the gluteus maximus muscle. You will need a 1-pound dumbbell to place behind your knee, and an exercise mat or towel. With your head resting on folded arms and your body on a flat surface, place the dumbbell behind the right knee. Your lower back and pelvis need to be pressed into the floor. Carefully lift your right leg a couple inches from the floor, then lower it back down. Repeat this 20 times, then switch legs.

Hip Rotation Assuming a pushup position, exhale and flex your left knee forward until it meets the mat. It should be directly under your stomach. Keep your hips and back straight, and your right stretched leg back, while supporting your weight with your arms. Rotate your hip inward until it meets your right armpit, then move it outward toward your left side. Rotate the hip until you feel movement in your back, then stop. Repeat with the opposite leg. This exercise will strengthen the gluteus medius and minimus muscles. Body Weight Squat An easy beginner exercise targeting the gluteus maximus muscle, the body weight squat requires no special equipment to build a firm backside. Tighten your abdominal muscles and straighten your back. Place your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart, with your arms at your side. While inhaling, begin squatting by lowering your bottom. Be careful that your knees do not extend past your toes. While keeping your abdominals tight, exhale as you raise your body. Remember to keep your back and head straight throughout the exercise.

Side Lying Hip Abduction The side lying hip abduction exercise works the gluteus medius and minimus muscles and, because it requires no special equipment, this exercise is both economical and convenient. Lie on your side with your feet on top of each other. Place one arm under your head and the other on your hip, tighten your abdominal muscles and inhale. Keep your foot and knee straight and exhale while lifting your leg. Lower your leg once you feel resistance in your lower back or obliques. Switch sides and repeat this exercise. References

Question: What is the largest of the three paired muscles in the buttocks?
Answer: Gluteus Maximus