Shaping the gluteus maximus is not as easy as most women would hope for or men for that matter. Plastic surgeons are trying to provide a scary shortcut, but exercise can increase the size, contour the shape or decrease the size of the buttock muscles without spending going under the knife at the hospital. The results will be dependent on your body type. Men will face the same challenges women do when it comes to altering the buttock shape.
For example, a lean tall body in a male will often feature a flatter gluteus maximus. The same can be said for a tall woman; although for women the height and weight does not necessarily predict a flat behind since women use their bodies differently. Many short women who tend toward the plumper or thicker body type find they do not have any shape to their glutes at all.
Unfortunately exercise can tighten our muscles causing the muscle to flatten rather than grow or the reverse. And for some body types, any workout causes all muscles to grow. There are a few exercises that can help both men and women beat their body type. If you need to build the buttock muscles, sprinting, clenching and quick contractions will help.
When most of us exercise, we go for the long haul and never think about quick reps. Quick reps are the answer to increasing size for the gluteus maximus. If your goal is to contour the buttocks, then try yoga, dance or intense stretching workouts. Elongating the muscles will assist their elasticity giving them form and defined shape.
If the aim is to increase the size of the buttock muscles, then slowly strengthening through weight training and steady aerobic activity is the key. Try sprints and runs concentrating on pushing forward; this will work the upper portion of the buttocks, the gluteus medius, creating the appearance of a larger butt under the clothes.
If your goal is to strengthen the gluteus maximus for better performance during recreational skiing, swimming or playing tennis, a variety of aerobics and strength training is a great choice. Tire stepping, stair climbs and criss-cross exercises will work the entire gluteus maximus in every direction.
On the other hand, a focus on weight training exercises will create power and strength in the gluteus maximus appropriate for slower competitive sports like wrestling, lifting and cross country skiing.
No matter what your sport focus is, swimming is the equalizer and strength trainer for all muscle groups but especially the gluteus maximus. Every stroke, kick, glide and scissor move is clenching the glutes. Swimming laps without using the arms and kicking only is the best strengthening the buttock muscles could ask for. The resistance of the water creates more force against the swimmers efforts resulting in deeper results than weight training. Swimming will also elongate the body even when the arms are not being used; this will stretch and loosen the tissue as you work it.
Walking in the water is not just for the water aerobic group you see in the morning. The resistance and effort required to walk through the deep end digs deep into the glutes causing the medius and the minimus to work harder. For gluteus maximus strength training, swimming, walking and water aerobics are superb butt busting exercise options.
Massage chairs are acceptable as long as they do not push or protrude into the body to much. If you are feeling discomfort during the use of the massage chair or the next day, it is a good idea to rethink its benefits.
Self massage is possible if you do not have the time or live in an area limited in physical therapists. For any limb or joint you can reach including the gluteus maximus, self massage is an approach that can provide relief to the muscle injured or not.
Since the gluteus maximus is the center or base of our frame, it is a pleasure center too. Much like our belly or back responds to a light touch, so will the gluteus maximus. The buttocks will quickly trigger a pleasure response when massaged lightly and in long firm strokes following the length of the muscle. This muscle can also be ticklish so it is important to confer with the client to be sure the pressure of the stroke is not too light or too strong. Use of oils, creams or gels during a pleasure massage will increase sensitivity and are likely to stimulate this pleasure center even more.
The use of stones in massage is an unexpected pleasure sensation. Cold or hot, the massage stones are either rested on the pressure points of the body or using oils, rubbed against the skin. The texture of stones offers a very different experience than your typical massage with the hands or lower arms.
Massage for physical therapy and healing muscle is often associated with Rolfing techniques in the many massage schools and clinics. Rolfing or deep tissue work is an old European technique and not frequently used in American physical therapy units. A physical therapist will focus on gentle simple massage strokes to help relax muscle tissue while a deep tissue process will target specific underlying connective tissues or adhesions.
Deep tissue massage usually goes against the grain of the muscle fiber in attempt to create heat and stimulate a deeper reaction than normal. Sometimes the masseur will put pressure on the area they think needs repair. This will be a long steady often painful push into that one spot of that muscle.
For example, sciatica can take the form of a burning hole in the center of the gluteus maximus; a deep tissue masseur will use their thumbs or knuckles directly on that spot pushing into the body for a sustained period of time usually one minute. Most patients will walk away with discomfort that lasts for a day or two.
Communication with your massage therapist about the level of discomfort during or after your sessions a good approach to be sure this massage technique is right for you. A healthy injury free gluteus maximus will respond well to a professional touch provided by a licensed physical therapist or masseuse, but an injured gluteus maximus may require extra dialogue to achieve the desired results.
With thorough training, a professional should be able to create happier, relaxed glutes stressed from daily training or other strenuous activity. A maintenance routine can help the professional athlete avoid injury during performance. In turn, a daily professional massage will also help anyone repair tired or stressed muscles in the buttocks, back or legs.
