Don't neglect the buns.

Barefoot Gentile

Barefoot Gentile

Barefooters
Apr 5, 2010
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Fairfield, CT
#1
I had a good run this morning 4.5 bareofoot miles at a solid 8:00 pace. My goal for this spring/summer to run fast again, but not all the time. And guess what, no MAF needed. I just started doing a tempo run once a week, the results are working!

Anyways I just want to remind everyone to keep the buttocks in action, they are your friend when it comes to running, especially when increasing pace. Once I engage the glutes, my forward leg motion completely works on it's own without physically throwing my knee forward. Flexing your buns will prevent your legs from going back to far, and will work as a pulley pulling the the thigh and knee forward. If the butt is jiggling they are not working, keep them flexed.
 
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#6
Barefoot Gentile said:
I had a good run this morning 4.5 bareofoot miles at a solid 8:00 pace. My goal for this spring/summer to run fast again, but not all the time. And guess what, no MAF needed. I just started doing a tempo run once a week, the results are working!

Anyways I just want to remind everyone to keep the buttocks in action, they are your friend when it comes to running, especially when increasing pace. Once I engage the glutes, my forward leg motion completely works on it's own without physically throwing my knee forward. Flexing your buns will prevent your legs from going back to far, and will work as a pulley pulling the the thigh and knee forward. If the butt is jiggling they are not working, keep them flexed.
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You know, now that I think of it, I think I've witnessed bunless running as well as very unengaging glutes.

Butt seriously, I don't think about my backside going forward, but I am a big believer in deadlifts, squats, piriformis stretches, good mornings, hip ab-/adduction . . . all that good stuff that primes the glutes to propel me on my run.

If you could explain a bit more by what you mean by flexing and engaging, that would be helpful.
 
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#9
I'm sorry, but there is still something I don't grasp :oops: : Say you train your glutes as shown in the video and following this you are the proud owner of a nice bum :). But how do you do to use these nice glutes for running? What does it mean "engaging" them whilst running? The exercises to get them nicely shaped require other movements than those you engage in during a run and furthermore these muscles would be mainly constituted of anaerobic fibers - so how would or could they actually be used during an aerobic run?
(I plead guilty: I'm trying out the M-method! :D)
 
#10
The average runner, like me, who usually only runs as their primary means of exercise, doesn’t necessarily have glutes that fire properly while they are running. It may not seem like an overly important issue, yet your glutes, which connect your thigh bone and your hip bone, are there to keep your hips straight and in alignment while you are running. If your glutes are not firing properly, or in some cases not at all, then your alignment is off and this can lead to more serious issues, such as injuries to your knees, Achilles, plantar fascia, and ITBS.
The other issue involving your glutes is the case where your glutes are firing properly, but may not be as strong as your quadriceps and other muscle groups surrounding your core. It is in this situation that these muscles tend to overshadow your glutes and do most of the work, which leads to overuse, inefficiency, and eventual strain and injury.

Some articles.

http://www.easyvigour.net.nz/fitness/h_gluteus_maxintro.htm

http://www.higher-faster-sports.com/noglutes.html

http://www.runnersworld.com/race-training/hibernating-heinies?page=single
 
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#11
Thanks for the articles, although the comparison with the Bushman is specious. Their enlarged buttocks are for fat storage, to be used in the dry season: http://news.softpedia.com/news/What-is-Steatopygia-51231.shtml.

NickiMinaj2011BillboardMusicAwards5.jpg


It's impossible not to use your glutes while running, as they are the main muscle used in the hip extension that powers us forward. The question is if they are 'firing' properly and are in balance with the other muscles involved in running, like the quads or hammies. I think just doing the right strength-training exercises (squats, deadlifts, good mornings, hip thrusts, hip abduction, hip adduction, donkey kicks [with ankle weights preferably], and all the rest), and having good posture is enough for most people. As the second article points out, "if you create the proper posture and have the right muscle balance you won't have to use a ton of glute activation exercises because they will naturally activate."

On yesterday's run I tried to actively engage my glutes in a conversation, but they kept quiet. (I would like to know BG's tactics.) Nonetheless, I was able to run forward, at an aerobic pace even though I had no heart rate monitor. With no-thing in the way of running to think of, I was able to run thinking of other things.
 
#12
Agree. Exercises will help of course. And Nicki Minaji paid a lot of money for those handmade produced buns! There is a before and after picture of her circulating out there before she was famous, and she certainly didn't have what she has now. Engage in conversation.. haha! A good bun talk is always good on a run.
 
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#13
Barefoot Gentile said:
Agree. Exercises will help of course. And Nicki Minaji paid a lot of money for those handmade produced buns! There is a before and after picture of her circulating out there before she was famous, and she certainly didn't have what she has now. Engage in conversation.. haha! A good bun talk is always good on a run.
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Ha, had no idea. I'll have to ask my wife about it, she knows all about that stuff.

All kidding aside, I'd still be interested in knowing if there's anything specific you do while you're running to engage the glutes or make sure they're firing. One thing I've noticed is if I lower my hips just a bit (which I guess means I'm bending my knees more) my stride feels a bit more powerful and and sturdy. I wonder if this accomplishes the same thing?
 
#14
Bare Lee said:
One thing I've noticed is if I lower my hips just a bit (which I guess means I'm bending my knees more) my stride feels a bit more powerful and and sturdy. I wonder if this accomplishes the same thing?
Click to expand...

You just answered your question, I was trying to think how to put it into words and this is exactly what I notice as well. I noticed this on my run the other day, the more I bend the knees I do feel more sturdy. When the leg swings back I will flex that butt check (haha such a funny conversation), in doing that I feel the core becomes even more sturdy as well, and the forward leg motion seems more fluid. But to constantly flex on a long run would be tricky. But during a long I will do that just to keep my form honest if fatigue starts to set in. I know this going into "over-analyze" mode, but it's good to point out that the glutes play an important part in running.
 
#15
Barefoot Gentile said:
You just answered your question, I was trying to think how to put it into words and this is exactly what I notice as well. I noticed this on my run the other day, the more I bend the knees I do feel more sturdy. When the leg swings back I will flex that butt check (haha such a funny conversation), in doing that I feel the core becomes even more sturdy as well, and the forward leg motion seems more fluid. But to constantly flex on a long run would be tricky. But during a long I will do that just to keep my form honest if fatigue starts to set in. I know this going into "over-analyze" mode, but it's good to point out that the glutes play an important part in running.
Click to expand...
It's always nice to hear confirmation from a veteran runner like you. I'm gaining a bit more confidence in trusting my instincts, running by feel, listening to my body, and all that, but also enjoy these discussions and hearing other people's ideas. "Over-analyze" is relative to how much we've already thought about something, or need to work on a specific area, right? I don't know for how long runners have been thinking about their glute strength and activation, but it's fairly recent for me. I think it was a post in MGBG's now-defunct blog that first got me thinking about it, and it was only last fall that Abide convinced me of the importance of doing squats and good mornings again. I'm pretty sure these exercises, along with some of the stuff I was already doing, have helped heal my MCL sprain and are helping to keep the ITBS ogre at bay. My recently self-perceived 'smoothness' at slower paces may also have something to do with a stronger lower body.

And I agree, I find it's when I fatigue that it's most helpful to adopt the slightly lower position.
 
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