GLUTES!!.... HOW TO STRENGTHEN THEM!!

The last article on this blog discussed the problems and issues that can arise from having weak gluteal muscles (there are a lot!). This new entry shows examples of the key exercises I include with my athletes to help prevent/correct these problems. ...Enjoy!

There are various tests that can be performed to identify whether an athlete has underactive glute muscles. Personally, as so many athletes I come across show signs of under-activity, and also because it is essential to activate these muscles before exercise anyway, I always include gluteal exercises in the warm up of any programme I design. If an athlete is suffering from an injury that is a consequence of under-active glutes then the exercise perscription will be of a higher volume and will include additional movements, however, as a general rule there are three main exercises I would recommend that all sports-participants perform prior to lifting:

1) GLUTEAL BRIDGE

Description: Lay flat on your back with knees bent. Squeese your pelvis up into the air as high as possible (as shown here) and hold for a few seconds before returning to the start and repeating. (Place a hand against the side of your buttock to check if your gluteal muscles are working).

2) HIP ABDUCTION

Description: Lay on one side with one leg resting on the other. Keeping your hips pushed forward, raise one leg up (as shown), hold for 2 seconds and then return before repeating the movement.

 

Hip Abduction using a Theraband

Description: Attach a theraband around your ankles. Perform sideways shuffles, lifting and planting each foot slowly and one at a time (as shown). The movement can also be variated by moving forwards or backwards in a zig zag pattern keeping a wide, solid stance similar to the one demonstrated.



3) KETTLEBELL SWINGS

 Most Gyms have Kettlebells, and while they're a handy piece of equipment I often find they're difficult to justify in a programme. The technicality of using them for olympic movements (cleans/snatches etc..), in addition to the restriction in weight means that they are not suitable for strength/power development (why not use a barbell and lift more?) Having been on KettleBell workshops I can see their use in a resistance circuit/metabolic session if you're looking to perform high repetitions and get a sweat on, however the main reason I include them with my athletes is for this exercise.

Description: Stand tall with the KB in both hands. Keeping your shoulders back and back hollowed out, swing the KB between your thighs (as high as you dare!), dropping your shoulders forward as you do and hinging at the hips (not your lower back!). As the KB comes back through, squeese your glutes and snap your hips forward (as shown), using the momentum to allow the weight to move out ahead of you. Don't use your arms to lift the KB, just let the momentum come to a stop and then bring the weight back down so that you can continue straight into the same movement again. (If you find yourself being dragged forward, try and emphasise the forward movement in your hips to maintain balance).

NB. Many people turn this exercise into a type of squat; to be effective it is important that the movement is hinged at the hips with the knees keeping a soft bend.



GLUTES!! ...WHAT ARE THEY AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?!

The gluteal muscle group comprises of three separate muscles: Gluteus Maximus (GMax), Medius (GMed) and Minimus (GMin). All three of these muscles have a separate function, but collectively they are essential for maintaining correct posture and preventing both acute and progressive, postural-related injuries when regularly participating in sport. GMax is the most obvious and well-known of the three as it forms a plate-like appearance on the rear of the pelvis. It originates from the lower end of the spine and sacrum, comes around at an angle to the rear of the femur and is responsible mostly for pelvic stability (between the sacrum and the hips), as well as extension and lateral rotation of the leg. GMed/GMin are positioned deeper into the pelvis below GMax. They both also have a role of hip stabilisation, and in addition are responsible for internal rotation of the leg and also abduction (bringing the leg directly out to the side).

Note: the sacrum is the triangular bone in the centre that is essentially the connection between the spine and the hips. It is not a fused joint, and is actually held in place via the saco-iliac ligaments and surrounding muscles.

What is pelvic stability?

Muscles involved in pelvic stability are responsible for keeping the pelvis in the correct horizontal position during movement. Considering that 2-4x a person’s bodyweight is transferred through each leg every time they land when running it is obvious that having weak stabilising muscles is going to transfer considerable forces through to areas of the body that are not designed to cope with such stress. The role of bringing your leg out to the side for example, (i.e. the job of GMed/GMin) may not sound terribly important, however it is resistance of this movement when landing on the one leg that prevents the pelvis from tipping down to the opposite side. Weakness of these muscles will place additional stress on the lower back/hip joint, and also cause other core stabilisers to have to work harder which can often result in an over-use injury.

(I know this isn't the best picture in the world but I thought it provided a great example! ...GMed, shown here, is underactive in image B and is allowing the pelvis to collapse to the left as the person lands on their right foot. This will cause the core stabilisers that elevate the left side of the pelvis to have to work twice as hard to prevent this tipping, known as a trelemberg gait, and often can result in this musculature becoming strained, resulting in what will feel like a back injury).


A common problem when it comes to the gluteal muscles is that, despite the fact that they are a comparatively large muscle group, a surprisingly high proportion of people suffer from weak activation. This can be attributed to our development as a species from previously walking on all fours etc. and also from changes in our behaviour such as the fact that many of us now spend much of our time sitting, which positions the muscles in an elongated, relaxed state and encourages muscle wastage. Weak activation does not necessarily mean that the muscles are ‘weak’ (GMax is the largest muscle in the human body), and it is worth noting that even regular gym-goers can suffer from this problem. Weak activation really implies that the body has taught itself to move without using these muscles, and is instead relying on the other surrounding musculature to take over and perform the task (a process known as overcompensation).

Weakness in the gluteal muscles can be the underlying cause of a whole array of injuries that can present themselves all over the body. Somebody with a weak GMax, for example, is going to be more susceptible to hamstring strains and acute ankle and knee injuries due to the absence of strength and stability/support that the gluteals bring. There is also (rather interestingly!) a direct correlation between those with weak glutes and those who suffer shoulder injuries, particularly in sprinting sports, due to a poor link in whats known as the 'posterior chain', which can be described through the following process... As one leg is brought back behind you during the sprinting motion, the opposite arm is brought back to maintain stability. If the glutes supporting the leg are under-firing, the main shoulder extensor (Latissimus Dorsi) is required to work harder to transfer the energy through the body and maintain core stability. This over-reliance of the upper musculature can cause tightness, limit shoulder mobility and can also result in a change in shoulder positioning, resulting in what looks like a simple shoulder injury (somebody suffering from this particular problem is likely to be easily identified through the fact that they will drop each shoulder alternately as they sprint). These are just a selection of problems that weak glutes can provoke; In addition to this they can also be a cause of over-use injuries in several other areas of the body, particularly the spine extensors / lateral flexors and deep hip flexors.



PART 2:  HOW TO STRENGTHEN YOUR GLUTES... (Not included now as I have forgotten my camera!)

Huddersfield Giants Academy Q&A Part 2

Part 2 of a Q&A session at Huddersfield Giants Academy. This second part takes a look at Protein Supplements and Creatine...Enjoy!

Should I be consuming protein shakes?

This is a fairly common question and is one that I have been asked by parents who have children participating in various sports. The simple answer is that protein shakes do provide an edge over regular eating for those wanting to develop muscle size/strength. From a physiological standpoint there is no reason why a junior athlete should not be consuming protein supplements as they do not contain any foreign substances that you would not find in regular meals anyway. The major issue when it comes to protein, I believe, is an ethical one, and as such I feel my position is to simply highlight the facts and let you as parents make up your own mind.

Protein is advantageous over regular meal consumption as it provides the correct proteins/amino acids and carbohydrates that the body requires at the right time, quickly. Exercised muscles develop very small ‘micro-tears’ in their structure, and the liquid content of a protein supplement results in a very fast absorption into the blood which allows these muscles to be healed/developed at a faster rate. The overall effect of consuming a supplement is going to depend (aside from factors such as training variation and volume) a lot on the user’s body type and metabolism, and it is important to closely monitor your intake (which includes regular meals too) to match your training goals. Those wanting an increase in muscle size, which will typically be most teenagers, should regularly consume protein shakes after training sessions and should ensure they have a high intake of protein throughout the day. This will ensure that the body has ample reserves for muscle development once the protein needed for more-essential means has been used up.

Are there any alternatives to protein shakes?

While protein shakes are typically the best option for muscle development, there are many other (often cheaper!) alternatives out there. The main point to get across is that if you overload on any type of protein (ideally small amounts regularly throughout the day) you are going to have similar benefits and will reap the rewards. Because of this, regular consumption of protein-rich foods can still be very beneficial, with my personal favourites being eggs, chicken and canned tuna (Morrisons’ own brand is roughly 60p and provides 25g of protein... the optimal amount for consumption directly after a training session). Another great option I have come across is the use of powdered milk. This is full of whey protein, and if you dump 2-3 table spoons into a glass and fill it with milk/water, when you drink it you are going to be creating 80-90% the effect of consuming a £45 protein supplement.

What are your thoughts on creatine?

Like protein, creatine is a product that many keen sportspeople I work with have asked me about. Also like protein, I feel it is important to point out that when you consume creatine you are not taking on anything that your body does not develop anyway.

When humans (like any living organism) require a source of energy, be it for cell development, the digestion of food or to contract a muscle, they call upon a molecule called adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP). ATP is broken down so one of the three phosphate molecules separates, resulting in adenosine di-phosphate, a separate phosphate molecule, and energy. ATP is stored throughout the body, and there is understandably a large amount of it stored in our muscles. Typically, when somebody is performing a hard exercise, they can use this reaction of breaking down ATP for 8-10 seconds before their ATP stores are all used up. Once this happens the body then calls upon a molecule, creatine (aka creatine kinase/ phospho-creatine kinase), to re-attach the loose phosphate back on to re-form the ATP and give us more available energy. As we all have creatine in our body anyway, this process all works very well... up until the point where our creatine resources run out (typically after 25-30 seconds). It is at this point where our body now has to call upon a second energy system (the lactic acid energy system) which, in very simple terms, still provides our ATP but does so using a process with also produces lactic acid that goes on to result in muscle fatigue. The simple benefit of consuming creatine is that we are able to re-form our ATP and get energy for longer without having to produce performance-reducing lactic acid.

People typically have varied amounts of natural creatine in their body anyway, so consuming a creatine supplement is going to have a larger effect for some rather than others. It comes in both a power and tablet form, and there is often talk about a ‘loading phase’ to ensure that your muscles are totally full of creatine. This is an option, but my own personal view is that it is just as helpful to take creatine about 1 hour before exercise (for performance increase) and/or 1 hour afterwards (for recovery). Again there is an ethical issue when providing junior athletes with this substance, especially as ‘creatine’ sounds less natural than the consumption of a protein supplement. The reality is that physiologically there is no evidence to suggest that taking creatine is detrimental to health, and in a high-intensity stop-start sport such as rugby league, it is definitely going to provide the athlete with an advantage.

Huddersfield Giants Academy Q&A Part 1

I recenty undertook a Q&A session with players/parents who are a part of the Hudderfield Giants academy regarding the ins and outs of training to be a professional athlete. There was a large attendance and some really useful questions were asked from both the boys and parents alike, and while there were way too many questions for them all to be included, here is a summary of the discussion.

Part 2 to follow shortly!

WHAT STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING SHOULD A 15 YEAR OLD BE DOING? IS IT SAFE TO BE WEIGHT TRAINING OR SHOULD I BE STICKING TO BODY-WEIGHT EXERCISES?

There is a fairly common belief I hear thrown around that strength training should be avoided by teenagers; that it stunts growth and can be detrimental to bone development etc. While I fully understand a parents’ apprehension to condone their child’s involvement in something that, from an outside perspective may appear dangerous, it is an argument that I totally 100% disagree with. My first argument for this point is that the aim of strength training is to replicate movements that these youths will perform whilst playing the sport. The old adage: ‘don’t train muscles, train movements’ is precisely right when looking purely at conditioning. Secondly, if you look into the mechanics of a press up / hop / bound, and also take into account the collisions these boys will be encountering on the field, then you will realise that forces involved in these actions are way more advanced than any that will be experienced in the controlled environment of a gym. Not only will lifting weights help develop correct movement mechanics (and so help prevent injury) but it is also going to help with force development and performance and will also create the foundations of strength that can be built on into adulthood. A development of this argument can be seen when examining even younger age-groups; when you consider that landing after a 1-legged hop applies roughly 2-4x their bodyweight being transferred through the weight-bearing leg, a youngster playing hop-scotch is encountering more forces than they would ever be exposed to in a gym environment.
The counter-side to advocating weight training however is that... it must be the correct strength training that is being performed. Guidance on form and progressive development is key and is not something that can be generalised to everybody, especially teenagers. As a very general rule, unless you are with a skilled coach then I would keep the repetitions high and would always focus on form before weight. I would also avoid the split sessions of chest/back/arms etc that a proportion of inexperienced gym-goers are likely to adopt. A full-body session of pushes, pulls and leg-orientated exercises is about as detailed as you can go as a general recommendation.

What if I don’t have access to a gym?

Although the gym is an ideal environment for development, it is by no means the only option out there to youths wanting to increase their functional strength/capabilities. Several types of home equipment (some better than others!) are a useful tool and I especially am keen on the use of chinning bars, medicine balls, therabands and home weights. In addition, the individual’s body weight can be utilised through various exercises to encourage suitable resistance. Again, thinking in terms of pushes, pulls and legs (with core being implemented individually or within the other movements), A simple session could include press up variations, pull up variations, squats whilst holding a moderate weight (a bag of sand etc) or single leg squats off a table and a plank circuit to finish. In addition it is important not to forget cardiovascular fitness, especially in a stop-start high intensity sports such as rugby league. There are a whole heap of suitable exercises out there, but generally the work-to-rest ratio should be kept to 1:1. One of my personal favourites is to alternate between jogging and sprinting up and down a pitch, with a rest time matching the time it takes to complete 1 full run. Done to the desired intensity (near max!) 8 of these runs should be sufficient to induce high levels of fatigue.

What should I be eating before and after a game?

There’s no revelation in this answer, the simple fact is that a player (like any healthy adult) should be eating plenty of protein, veg, and complex carbs. The carbohydrates (wholemeal breads, brown pastas, high-fibre cereal, basmati rice etc..) are going to be the main source of energy and should be taken intelligently to match when they will be needed (i.e. before a match/training session to increase energy reserves, after a match/training session to replenish energy reserves). If you’re having a meal before you have a period of down time or before you go to sleep, try and limit the amount of carbohydrates you consume. Protein is the main source of fuel for muscle development. If you want to develop bigger/stronger muscles then you have to overload on this food so that you have an excess amount leftover once you have taken what you need to keep your body ticking over. Generally protein should be consumed regularly throughout the day, however I would suggest taking more prior/after training sessions and games and also when you go to bed as these are the times when it will be needed by the muscles for work/recovery.

How important is sleep for a player?

Leading on from the last point, sleep is incredibly important for all athletes. It’s the main time when your body is recovering and fuelling the muscles that you use when training. You need sufficient rest after a tough session so that you are able to recover sufficiently so that your body can adapt to undertaking the stresses that you are placing on it. Without proper recovery you will begin to train whilst still slightly fatigued and that can lead in a downwards spiral to a loss in performance. In addition, sleep is also an important factor when thinking of your mental capability. In sports such as rugby league there is no question that a player needs to be mentally alert in order to execute moves and react to the game around them. Without gaining sufficient sleep you’re putting yourself at an unnecessary disadvantage.

How important is breakfast?

Being the first meal you’re taking in after essentially being ‘shut down’ for 8 hours, breakfast is an important part of waking the body up. Talking in simple terms, the food kick starts your body into becoming more active through increasing what’s known as your metabolic rate (in other words it increases your metabolism, which is the rate at which your body burns energy to simply stay active and keep all of your cells alive and ticking over). Breakfast is also important as it provides your body with the energy that it constantly needs to perform effectively when training or recovering from a hard session.