glute activation for intermediate lifters

[tarun]

Ok so I was re-reading one of mehdi's older topics..

http://stronglifts.com/how-to-avoid-lea ... on-squats/

It says:

"Why You Lean Forward On Squats. Beginners lean forward for different reasons than intermediates & advanced athletes.
Beginners: your hips raise faster than your shoulders.
Intermediate/Advanced: you’re not using your glutes."

I'm on Madcow right now and this happened to me today (Monday workout) on the last set of squat (the heaviest one) and particulary on the last rep. I leaned forward a bit too much because afterwards, I felt my lower back tingle/hurt just a tiny bit (which usually never happens when my technique is solid). But other than just that, I know my glute use has been terrible for squats. What do you recommend?

From this article, http://stronglifts.com/how-to-optimize- ... ctivation/ I think I can do supine bridges (the first one), the quad stretch (the second one), and clams (the 4th one).

However, my question is, if I do these in my dorm room (cause i dont wanna look like an idiot in the weight room haha), and then I take like the 1 minute walk to the recreation center that is across the street, is that fine? That's not like "too much" time in between stretching and lifting right?

[paul]

not at all if it's just a minute away

[tarun]

Ok I did the Wednesday workout on Madcow and I hurt my back BAD lowering the weight. I just re-read Mehdi's article about how to lower the weight, I was not pushing my hips back till the bar hit my knee and THEN unlocking my knees. I tried to unlock my knees and sit back at the same time. Did not work. Hurt like a bitch and it hurt to even walk for about 5 minutes.

Also, as for the glute thing, I did a little better but I feel like I'm not able to... "hold" my glutes squeezed for very long. Any advice on this?

[fun meter]

Doesnt matter if you look like an idiot doing them. I do them at a commercial gym, and get all the people who do chest and biceps look at me like im an idiot, but im the one lifting 3+plates off the floor.

Progress from glute bridges to single leg glute bridges. Do them 3 times a week (2-3x12), and really focus on doing with squats and deadlifts.
Its one thing activating them, but you have to be able to use them in an exercise to get them strong.

Single Leg, Hip dominant and squatting movements work the glutes. It is vital to have them working and strong to keep injury free and progressing.

[natew]

(cause i dont wanna look like an idiot in the weight room haha)

Sorry dude but that's a goofy thing to say. Stop worrying about really stupid stuff like that. If you wanna look cool at the gym, just go do curls and never stop doing them.

[tarun]

Ok today was by far the shittiest workout I had in a while. I tore my boxers AGAIN (this is the 2nd time this week) and it seems to happen when I try and "squeeze" my glutes together.

Before I left my dorm room, I did some glute work, and after I got there, I did the quad stretch. But I STILL can't feel like I'm able to use my glutes. I've been lifting for a while and I felt like my technique was shitty as hell today. My lower back hurt when I was squatting just 180 (I maxed 290 3 weeks ago when I was on the Texas Method! i moved to madcow and im sticking to it now, i just finished week 2), and I know I DEFINITELY need to work on glute stuff. Another reason I see this is because my quads are getting all jacked and big now, but my ass has actually stayed about the same/gotten smaller. And I might play rugby here on the club team next year, and more glute power = better performance.

Do you recommend doing the glute exercises every single day (including non lifting days?)? I feel my glutes have been dormant for a while, and it makes me wonder how I even advanced so much in my squats/deadlifts, while using basically my quads the whole time.

[jakemcmillan]

Have you read this post, http://stronglifts.com/lordosis-why-it- ... to-fix-it/ , it's kind of unlikely but you might have too much curvature of your lower back. Medhi says this can make it hard to squeeze your glutes

Bad Technique. You won’t be able to squeeze your glutes during Squats & Deadlifts . This puts more stress on your lower back & hamstrings, increasing risk of injury. Lower back pain is the first sign.

[tarun]

Have you read this post, http://stronglifts.com/lordosis-why-it- ... to-fix-it/ , it's kind of unlikely but you might have too much curvature of your lower back. Medhi says this can make it hard to squeeze your glutes

Bad Technique. You won’t be able to squeeze your glutes during Squats & Deadlifts . This puts more stress on your lower back & hamstrings, increasing risk of injury. Lower back pain is the first sign.

No, like I AM able to squeeze my glutes but its just hard and I know its because I don't do it enough. Just once in a blue moon I guess.

[fun meter]

Just keep doing them, if it means every day 3x10 Glute Bridges and Hip flexor stretches, then go for it. It will help, as eventually, doing it 3 times a week will be enough. I was the same, but find 3 times a week is fine, by the end of my warmup with single leg glute bridges, my glutes are firing well.

Single leg work may help to in the long run. Really put emphasis on squeezing them in every set. Taking time off lifting heavy to do so will not ruin your progress in the long term.

[eLvarouza]

I recommend fixing your squat form, which clearly seems to be wrong. I doubt you have some issue with glute activation. Post a video of your squats.

[tarun]

My iphone cant record video otherwise i wouldve done it by now. ill try and find a friend whose phone can record video.

I think the issue I run into is that I "sit back" TOO much? i feel like my ass swoops down (and forward) when I reach the bottom (which kinda forces my lower back to round sometimes). Is this a hamstring flexibility issue?

[eLvarouza]

It's probably an issue of you not breaking the knees while you break the hips. I see this a lot. Hips and knees must break at the same time; hips go down and back in a diagonal line. Shoving the hips back first causes the knees to come forward at the bottom.

[tarun]

Hey you are actually right. Now that you mention that, that explains it to me. But I was always told that the hips need to START the motion? I just sit back and then i think youre right, my knees go forward. So then what? My hips should start but my knees should start bending like RIGHT away?

[markg]

I had the same issue with believing that you had to move the hips back first, then bend the knees to squat down. I have seen the same thing in other people's form videos too.

As elV says, break the hips and knees together. The hips move diagonally with the whole 'sitting back' thing happening as you go down and back. It also sounds like you have a butt wink issue, which, as you suggest, may be hamstring flexibility. If the hips/lower back get dragged forward at the bottom of the movement, work on hamstring flexibility. If the 'wink' happens below parallel, you can try limiting your depth to just before the wink happens, as long as you are below parallel at that point.

[eLvarouza]

My hips should start but my knees should start bending like RIGHT away?

This is correct. I think of it entirely as a movement of the hips down and back in a diagonal line without paying any attention to my knees (besides shoving them out) and things take care of themselves. You just need to remember to lead with the hips out of the bottom as well. The squat is really just a movement of the hips down and back, then a movement of the hips straight up.