Gluteus Maximus Introduction

The gluteus maximus or the glutes increase your speed and power for any number of athletic pursuits: To max out your performance, you need to develop ’em. They are probably the strongest muscle in our bodies.

The gluteal group is composed of three separate muscles: the gluteus minimus, medius and maximus. The first two are smaller, deep-seated muscles that allow for the inward rotation of the femur (the bone between the pelvis and knee) and the outward movement of the legs away from your body—both get a lot of work when you walk or run. 

Overlying these smaller muscles is the gluteus maximus, which allows your leg to extend behind you and permits outward rotation of the femur. It’s also the primary gluteal muscle employed in cycling, jumping rope, squatting, climbing stairs and running. 

Because of the restricted range of motion of your legs to the rear, it’s difficult to target your glutes without using the quads, calves and hamstrings. Add to that the tightness most people have in their hip flexors (the small muscles between the hip bones and upper thighs that draw the knees up) and you limit your range even further. In this section I will list several exercises that target the glutes best.