While training west-side at a private gym with pro-total lifters, I was consistently chastised for that fact that “I’m a giant slow-twitch muscle”, due to my propensity to badly “hitch” after the bar cleared my knees on a max effort deadlift. On squat, I had problems going “ass back without lowering chest” and consistently failing out of the hole due to trying to switch the movement to my quads. (I get crushed by 70% of the weight I was easily getting in briefs, in other words, I’m finding out my nearly 500 squat in briefs has translated to a 320 raw squat.
While I’ve since left there and am training on my own now, I’d like to pick back up with the assessment that my glutes are pitifully weak.
I was advised to read and memorize Bret Contreas’s glute building manual.
Anyone see pretty good increases in their squat and deadlift from building up to sizeable heavy glute bridges?
Actually, the glute bridge operates on different vector than squats and deads, but it definitely helps to use the gluteal muscles in these lifts. And stronger glutes = stronger lifts. Benefits in everyday life of doing glute exercises are undeniable. However if your glutes are really weak and you can’t fire them with squats or deadlifts than you have to do something to activate them before you start doing g-bridges.
And after your g-bridges numbers are really big, switch to hip thrust - which is safe for thoracic spine, and works your glutes in full range of motion (more transfer to other lifts). Or do the hip thrust from start but first learn how to fire the glutes.
And after your g-bridges numbers are really big, switch to hip thrust - which is safe for thoracic spine, and works your glutes in full range of motion (more transfer to other lifts). Or do the hip thrust from start but first learn how to fire the glutes.
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i get little confused, whats the difference between hip thrust and glute bridge
I think glute bridge is done flat on the floor and hip thrust has you supporting shoulders on a bench and bridging from there. It’s all thrusting to me but whatever.
that’s right. And it’s all thrusting and even bridging, the names are only to distinguish one from the other. Just like chin up and pull up is all chin upward motion and pulling up, and these names don’t even touch the point - wrist position
Been working out on my home setup lately and built myself a T-handle for swings out of piping. Gotta say it’s the best thing I have done for glutes/hams without a GHR.
I won’t make something up and say whether or not it works or not because I don’t have any experience with them. But I do know wide stance sit way back box squats without any gear with a solid pause work my glutes a lot. Also, low bar wide stance goodmornings. As wide as you can go sumo deadlifts from the floor, or sumo RDL, or even sumo stiff legged DL. I find back extensions with bands tend to work my glutes more too.
[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:
I won’t make something up and say whether or not it works or not because I don’t have any experience with them. But I do know wide stance sit way back box squats without any gear with a solid pause work my glutes a lot. Also, low bar wide stance goodmornings. As wide as you can go sumo deadlifts from the floor, or sumo RDL, or even sumo stiff legged DL. I find back extensions with bands tend to work my glutes more too. [/quote]
Hmm, never thought of sumo rdl/sldl’s. Good idea. Been looking for more variety with limited equipment. Been doing those with GM’s but it just didn’t occur to me the other way.
