Years ago I had the wonderful experience of leading nature walks in the Canadian Rockies. One of the games we would teach the kids (much to their parents dismay) to help them remember the name of one of the common trees (the trembling aspen) was to ask them loudly “How’s your aspen?” to which they would shout back with the glee of knowing they were saying something their parents would disapprove of… “TREMBLIN”

One of the hottest topics of discussion in the fitness industry recently has been centered on how to optimize glute function. As we begin to recognize the massive roll that this muscle group plays in most movement, it is no wonder that it is one of the largest muscle groups in the human body. The glutes are heavily involved in movements like the golf swing, throwing and striking actions along with running, jumping and direction changes. This huge posterior power center is in many ways the key to producing smooth and powerful movement.

Before we look at how to optimize their function we must first understand how they act in normal movement if they are contributing properly. If we were to look into any anatomy text we would be sure to find the following:

Muscle Name	Origin	Insertion	Joint	Concentric Action(s)
Gluteus Maximus	Ilium (posterior crest) Sacrum (posterior) Lumbar Fascia	Femur (gluteal line) Tibia (lateral condyle)	Hip	extension external rotation abduction transverse abduction
Gluteus Medius	Ilium (external process below crest)	Femur (greater trochanter)	Hip	abduction transverse abduction internal rotation external rotation (during abduction)
Gluteus Minimus	Ilium (below gluteus medius)	Femur (greater trochanter)	Hip	abduction transverse abduction internal rotation (during abduction)

On the surface this chart seems to sum up the glutes as a group. It covers where they start and finish, what joint they cross and what they do. The reality is that this is only the beginning of the true picture and in many ways is somewhat misleading as to how the glutes actual function. While they certainly can perform all of the actions described
above, a more important piece of information is what they actually do in day to day function.

How do they do it? From which position do they move from?  Do they act in a primarily eccentric or concentric way? What actions do the glutes use to load in order to truly explode?

It is this final point that potentially has the most bearing on our approach to activate them so that they are truly firing at full capacity. One of the most important characteristics to understand about every muscle is that they have to load in all three planes of motion before they can unload maximally. The human body has evolved in such a way as to capitalize on the unwavering affect of gravity to assist it in this function. This is especially true for the glutes and we need only look as far as a simple step for proof.

While our anatomy chart provides us an excellent overview of how the glutes act concentrically and in an open kinetic chain, it fails to take into consideration that one of the primary functions of the group is to eccentrically decelerate the forces generated by gravity and ground reaction. The following is an example of how the body is designed to load the glutes in 3 planes of motion.

• As the foot strikes the ground, the impact force causes the calcaneous to roll inward into eversion setting off a chain reaction that goes all the way up the leg.
• The talus that sits on top of the calcaneous has no choice but to fall down and in.
• This causes the tibia (that sits on top of it) to internally rotate.
• This movement also drives the femur into internal rotation to an extent that even though the action of pelvis would create external rotation, the femur is rotating in the same direction faster which causes this internal rotation in the hip.
• This chain reaction of shock absorption continues up into the pelvis and through the body but we will stop for now at the hip.

The strong and fast internal rotation of the femur must be decelerated eccentrically by the function of the glute. As this is happening, the hip is also going through adduction and flexion, both of which further load the glutes, demanding them to decelerate these actions as well. At this point in gait it is safe to say that the glutes have been stretched and loaded eccentrically in all three planes of motion and should be in a very excited state and ready to fire.

So what if they don’t?
A common approach is to lie down and using a focused and cognitive isolation method, work the glutes through all of their concentric actions. While this will certainly fire the glutes it will not necessarily translate into normal function in a standing position as“everything changes when your foot hits the ground.” This means that while an exercise may be effective for increasing strength and causing a burn, it does not necessarily equate to the increased coordinative function and timing that the body uses in natural movement.

So how can we train this functionally?

Our strategy is seeded in our understanding of how the glutes load naturally and capitalizing on this natural reaction by emphasizing one or more of these elements. We know that in gait the glutes load eccentrically in 3 planes of motion.

1. Internal rotation of the hip in the transverse plane.
2. Flexion of the hip in the sagittal plane.
3. Adduction of the hip in the frontal plane.

It is important to note that all of these actions occur in a closed kinetic chain environment with the foot on the ground. So how can we accentuate these actions to increase the natural loading? By using other parts of our body to drive us further into these positions, accentuating the load and forcing the “proprioceptors to turn the muscle on”.

Let’s take the common lunge as an example. Traditionally this exercise is done with the torso in as upright a position as possible with hands either on hips, holding dumbbells at sides or holding a bar on shoulders. Regardless of the implement or the load, the torso has most always been coached to stay upright and positioned over the hips.

Our goals are simple.

1. Increase internal rotation of the hip.
2. Increase flexion of the hip.
3. Increase lateral flexion of the pelvis.

If we are trying to accentuate glute loading, we can achieve this by adapting the traditional lunge using a bilateral reach with the hands toward the ground as though we were lunging forward to pick something up that is in front of our lunging leg. This reach drives the pelvis to rotate forward and increases hip flexion. This action increases the stretch or loading of the glutes and causes them to forcefully and eccentrically decelerate the movement which also results in a more forceful explosion out of the lunge with reach position. We can increase loading further by adding resistance such as a medicine ball or light dumbbells.

Lunge with Forward Reach

We can apply the same technique using a different arm driver to accentuate the frontal plane load in the lunge. In this case we are trying to increase adduction of the hip of the stepping leg by increasing the lateral flexion of the pelvis. Take a lunge step forward with the right leg. As the foot hits the ground, reach as far to the side with the left arm as possible at hip height. This reach will cause a displacement of the center of gravity which is countered by a lateral flexion of the pelvis. This increases the adduction of the lead leg, putting the glutes under stretch, increasing the demands on them to decelerate the movement and loading them more effectively.

Lunge with Side Reach

We could achieve the same effect by using a leg driver in a crossing balance lunge that is also pictured below.

Crossing Balance Lunge

Increasing internal rotation of the hip using an arm driver can be achieved simply by rotating into the lead leg during the lunge.

Lunge with Rotational Reach

Another strategy is to use an unstable surface during a normal lunge such as an Airex pad which will increase the amplitude and challenge of the initial pronation that is described earlier. This causes an even greater chain reaction up the chain to the internal rotation of the hip above.

We can use similar techniques from a squat stance to help increase the loading of the glutes from this position.

Squat with Rotational Reach

Squat with Side Reach

Below is a simple exercise plan that lists the exercises outlined above and puts them into a basic structure. Be sure to start with a single set and light load before progressing.

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Lunge with Forward Reach	1 to 2	10 to 12
Lunge with Side Reach	1 to 2	10 to 12
Crossing Balance Lunge	1 to 2	10 to 12
Lunge with Rotational Reach	1 to 2	10 to 12
Deep Squat	1 to 2	10 to 12
Squat with Rotational Reach	1 to 2	10 to 12
Squat with Side Reach	1 to 2	10 to 12

Now that we have got the glutes firing to full capacity, our end goal is to bring this neuromuscular learning back to regular function. We can do
this by slowly approximating our drivers back until we are getting the same peak activation without the assistance of the drivers. Once we have discovered the amplitude required to fully activate our target muscle successfully, we need to gradually reduce this amplitude over time until we are able to perform the basic actions while still maintaining good glute involvement. We can look at this process of approximation using the Crossing Balance Lunge as an example. If driving the free leg as far to the other side of the ground leg in a deep lunge causing a much exaggerated lateral flexion of the pelvis is on one end of the continuum, driving the free leg straight back which results in very average pelvic lateral flexion is on the other. The key is to start at the one end of the continuum (in this case the lateral leg driver) and slowly work toward the other.

To begin with we might have to drive the foot far to the other side of the ground leg in a deep lunge to feel the kind of activation that we are looking for. As we progress we should slowly use more oblique angles until we are able to get full activation even when driving the leg straight back.

The effectiveness of this type of training is tremendous, not only in activating the target areas but also in increasing range of motion, strength and balance. One thing is certain. Integrate the program above into your training and the next time someone asks you “How’s your aspen?” You will be able to tell them and show them…  “TREMBLIN’!”

We’re using resistance training as the cornerstone of our fat loss programming. Our goal is to work every muscle group hard, frequently, and with intensity that creates a massive “metabolic disturbance” or ”afterburn,” leaving the metabolism elevated for several hours post workout. Here are a few studies to support this:

Schuenke MD, Mikat RP, McBride JM. Effect of an acute period of resistance exercise on excess post-exercise oxygen consumption: implications for body mass management.
European Journal of Applied Physiology. March 2002, Vol 86 (5): 411-7. Epub 2002 Jan 29.

This study used a circuit training protocol of 12 sets in 31 minutes. EPOC was elevated significantly for 38 hours post workout, which is a pretty significant timeframe for metabolism to be elevated. If you trained from 9 to 10 a.m. on Monday morning, you’re still burning more calories (without training) at midnight on Tuesday! Can we compound this with additional training within that 38 hours? No research has been done, but I have enough case studies to believe that you can.

Another study: Kramer, Volek et al. Influence of exercise training on physiological and performance changes with weight loss in men. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 1999, Vol. 31, No. 9: 1320-1329

Overweight subjects were assigned to three groups: Diet-only, diet plus aerobics, diet plus aerobics plus weights. The diet group lost 14.6 pounds of fat in 12 weeks. The aerobic group lost only one more pound (15.6 pounds) than the diet group (training was three times a week starting at 30 minutes and progressing to 50 minutes over the 12 weeks). Now, the weight training group lost 21.1 pounds of fat (44% and 35% more than diet- and aerobics-only groups respectively). The addition of aerobic training didn’t result in any real worldsignificant fat loss over dieting alone. Thirtysix sessions of up to 50 minutes is a lot of work for one additional pound of fat loss. However, the addition of resistance training greatly accelerated fat loss results.

One more: Bryner RW, Ullrich IH, Sauers J, Donley D, Hornsby G, Kolar M, Yeater R. Effects of resistance vs. aerobic training combined with an 800-calorie liquid diet on lean body mass and resting metabolic rate. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, April 1999, 18 (2): 115-21.

The aerobic group performed four hours of aerobics per week. The resistance training group performed 2-4 sets of 8-15 reps, 10 exercises, three times per week. VO2 max increased equally in both groups. Both groups lost weight.

1) High Intensity Resistance Training

The resistance training group lost significantly more fat and didn’t lose any lean body mass, even at only 800 calories per day. The reason the calories were so low was to really take any dietary variables completely out of the equation and compare the effects of the exercise regime on LBM and metabolism. The resistance training group actually increased metabolism compared to the aerobic group, which decreased metabolism. It seems that aerobic training is a more significant stress to the body than a starvation diet.

In my experience, full body training in a superset, tri-set, or circuit format (with non-competing exercises) in a rep range that generates lactic acid (and pushes the lactic acid threshold or LAT) seems to create the biggest metabolic demand. It makes sense; training legs, back, and chest will burn more calories and elevate metabolism more than an isolated approach training one of them. The rep range that seems to work best is the 8-12 hypertrophy range, although going higher will work just as well with a less-trained population.

2. High Intensity Anaerobic Interval Training

The second key “ingredient” in fat loss programming is high intensity interval training (HIIT). I think most readers are well aware of the benefits of interval work. It burns more calories than steady state and elevates metabolism significantly more than other forms of cardio. The only downside is that it flat-out sucks to do!  Interval training works. Too bad it isn’t more fun to perform!

The landmark study in interval training was from Tremblay: Tremblay A, Simoneau JA, Bouchard C. Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism. Metabolism, July 1994, 43 (7): 814-8

This study pitted 20 weeks of endurance training against 15 weeks of interval training:

• Energy cost of endurance training = 28,661 calories.
• Energy cost of interval training = 13,614 calories (less than half)

The interval training group showed a nine times greater loss in subcutaneous fat than the endurance group (when corrected for energy cost). Read that again. Calorie for calorie, the interval training group lost nine times more fat overall. Why? Maybe it’s EPOC, an up-regulation of fat burning enzyme activity, or straight up G-Flux. I don’t care. I’m a real world guy. If the interval training group had lost the same amount of fat as the endurance group, we’d get the same results in less time. That means interval training is a better tool in your fat loss arsenal.

3. High Intensity Aerobic Interval Training

The next tool we’ll pull out is essentially a lower intensity interval method where we use aerobic intervals. Here’s the study we’ll be referring to: Talanian, Galloway et al. Two weeks of High-Intensity Aerobic Interval Training increases the capacity for fat oxidation during exercise in women. Journal of Applied Physiology, April 2007, 102 (4):1439-47. Epub 2006 Dec 14.

This study looked at high-intensity aerobic interval training and its influence on fat oxidation. In summary, seven sessions of HIIT over two weeks induced marked increases in whole body and skeletal muscle capacity for fatty acid oxidation during exercise in moderately active women. In layman’s terms, the interval work appeared to “up-regulate” fat burning enzymes. This means we can burn more fat in other activities as a result of this inclusion. In other words, we get a bit more bang for our buck.

A quick disclaimer, though: My colleague Alan Aragon once said, “Caring about how much fat is burned during exercise is equivalent to worrying about how much muscle is built during exercise.” In other words, substrate utilization during exercise isn’t really an important variable in the big picture of fat loss. Total calories burned overall is.

4. Steady State High Intensity Aerobic Training

Tool number four is just hard cardio work. This time we’re burning calories. We aren’t working hard enough to increase EPOC significantly or to do anything beyond the session itself. But calories do count. Burning another 300 or so calories per day will add up.

5. Steady State Low Intensity Aerobic Training

This is just random activity, such as going for a walk in the park. It won’t burn a lot of calories or increase muscle or EPOC. There isn’t very much research showing that low intensity aerobic training actually results in very much additional fat loss, but you’re gonna have to really work to convince me that moving more is going to hurt you when you’re in fat attack mode.

Alwyn Cosgrove is one of the most in-demand and exciting coaches, writers and speakers in the fitness industry today. He currently spends his time lecturing, teaching, training and writing and as the owner of Results Fitness in Santa Clarita, California. In addition to being a featured in several national magazines, Alwyn is a columnist for Men’s Health  magazine and has authored two books: “The New Rules of Lifting” and “The New Rules of Lifting for Women,” a sequel to the best-selling original “New Rules of Lifting.”