Today I’m sharing with you one of the absolute best glute workouts I use with my clients and athletes to improve the form & function of their glutes!
But, before I do, I wanted to let you know that if you book your room on the 1st Annual STRENGTH CRUISE before Nov 19th, you’ll be guaranteed to sit down and have dinner with the presenters each night. AND, I’ll also give you a 30min private conference call with me to discuss anything you’d like. Go here to book your room now, before this Sat Nov 19th. After that date you can still book your room, but you won’t get the 30min private conference call with me and you won’t be guaranteed a spot at dinner to sit with the presenters. Go here or click on the STRENGTH CRUISE banner at the top of the page now to book your room!
One of the BEST Glute workouts I use for Men & Women!
Let’s face it, everyone likes to check out a nice, athletic looking butt! And, having strong/ functional glutes helps you put more force int the ground, which helps you run faster and jump higher. Plus, as famous physical therapist Carl Derossa says “strong glutes can work with your lats to squeeze on the lumbar spine and sacrum to increase lumbar stability.”
If you’re looking to build a set of better looking, high-performance glutes – Look no further because my Single Leg Deadlift Triple Threat protocol is just what the glute doctor ordered.
Check out the video of Pro Figure Competitor Kate Grevey Blankenship using this glutes workout protocol as part of her training for a figure show!
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Coaching Tips on the The Single Leg Deadlift Triple Threat Protocol:
– It’s no secret that Deadlifts and single leg deadlifts are great glute builders. The SDL Triple Threat protocol use the same deadlift action, but simply changes the force vectors, which changes the point of maximal loading on the glutes to provide a more well-rounded, full spectrum glute workout.
– Quick bio-mechanics lesson: Anytime you’re doing RDLs, the point of maximal loading (when the weight is the heaviest because the lever arm is at it’s longest) is when you torso is at 90 degrees from where the resistance is coming from. Keep this in mind when reading on:
– The first stage of the Single Leg RDL Triple Threat protocol is performed using either a Barbell, Dumbbells or Kettlebells. Since all of these “bells” are just enhanced gravity, the point of maximal loading on your glutes is when your torso become roughly parallel to the floor, which is close to perpendicular with the pull of gravity. So your glutes are working the hardest at the bottom of the action and doing almost nothing at the top of the motion when you’re standing vertically.
– The second stage of the Single Leg RDL Triple Threat protocol is performed using a low cable pulley or a rubber resistance band placed in a low position (below your knees). Since bands and cable aren’t gravity loaded, they can be used to load your body diagonally and horizontally, unless there’s momentum invloved. By placing the cable/pulley low, the point of maximal loading on your glutes is now when your hips are flexed at roughly 45 degrees, which puts your torso at a 90 degree angle to the cable. So your glutes are now working hardest at the mid-range of the RDL motion. And, they’re doing almost nothing at the bottom of the motion and doing some work (more than with “bells”) at the top of the motion.
– The third and final stage of the Single Leg RDL Triple Threat protocol is also performed using a cable pulley or a rubber resistance band. But, the cable/band position is now elevated and placed between your belly button and you shoulders. Doing this changes the point of maximal loading on the glutes to the top of the RDL action, when you’re standing upright because the cable/pulley is now roughly 90 degrees to your torso when you’re standing tall. The further you bend into the RDL action, the less load your glutes get because the lever arm keeps getting shorter and evnetualy becomes zero when your torso reaches parallel with the load vector (the cable).
Basically, I designed the Single Leg Deadlift Triple Threat Protocol to load the glutes at each point in the RDL range of motion to create Full Spectrum Glute Strength.
To summarize what I said above if you’re still confused:
– The first stage of the RDL Triple Threat loads the glutes most in the bottom ranges of the exercise.
– The second stage of the RDL Triple Threat loads the glutes most in the middle ranges of the exercise.
– The third stage of the RDL Triple Threat loads the glutes most in the top ranges of the exercise.
Fun with Force Vectors and the “SAID” Principle!
I’ve always dictated most of what I do in Strength & conditioning training by the “SAID” principle, which means “Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands.” Yes, I put the SAID principle before what anyone else says, regardless of who you are and it hasn’t steered me wrong since 🙂
To me SAID is just good common sense! It’s simple: we become great at what you do most often and become less able to do what you don’t do that often. They way I see it, if I limit myself to using only the load vectors provided by “bells” in the weight room, I may be not be getting optimal “adaptions” because I’m not “imposing all the demands” I can, in order to create a more well-rounded body that’s ready for anything life and sports throw at me because they all involve speed, momentum and rotary forces that aren’t just vertical, gravity loaded forces. I’m also into run on sentences as you see 🙂
Remember in this post I told you about the research done (that I still can’t find the journal for) comparing the glute strength of elite cyclists to elite sprinters. The research found that the cyclists had stronger glutes when thier hips where more flexed (when the glutes were lengthened), which is the range cyclists most often use thier glutes. And, shocker… the sprinters had stronger glutes in hip extension (when their glutes were closer to being shortened) since that’s when sprinters use their glutes most often.
Neither athlete (cyclists, nor sprinters) had “weak” glutes, but rather superior strength in different ranges of hip extension. That my friends is why the SAID principle rules!
I want my clients and athletes to have glutes that are strong in ALL positions! And, the way to ensure that is to manipulate force vectors as I’ve shown you above!
By the way, you can apply the principle you’ve learned above to any area (muscle or groups of muscles) you like! So, don;t be afraid to let my post today inspire you to use your own common sense and knowledge be creative with manipulating force vectors to take change the stimulus of the exercises you’re already using to get even better results form your training!
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