untitled

Job description:Your glutes extend your hips and help you jump, climb

stairs and hills, and straighten your leg behind you. You also use your gluteus

maximus when you stand up from a sitting position.

The training payoff:Training your glutes can lift your butt, make it rounder,

and give it more shape. You also need your glutes to get off the couch so you

can go work out.

Special tips:Some glute exercises, such as the squat and the lunge (elon-

gated variations of deep knee bends), can be hard on your knees, so pay

extra attention to your form. When you bend your knees, your kneecaps

should move in the direction that your toes are facing, and they should not

shoot out past your toes.

Our favorite exercises:Squat, lunge, and leg-press machine

Hip abductors ....................................................................................

Given name:Hip abductors

Street name:Outer thighs or outer hip

Whereabouts:The meatiest part of the side of your hips (refer to Figure 12-9)

Job description:Your abductors help you slide your leg out to the side, like

when you go skating or step aside so someone can get past you. These muscles

also help your gluteus maximus (or butt) rotate your hips outward.

Gluteus

Medius

Gluteus

Maximus

Hamstring

Adductors

Quadriceps

Figure 12-9:

Your butt

and upper-

leg muscles.

186 Part IV: Lift and Curl: Building a Stronger Bod with Weights