Everyone wants a great ass, every single female client I have ever worked with has requested this in their consultation. For the purpose of this article I’m going to focus on working the ass and I’m going to use squats and lunges as examples of how not to get a great ass. In part 2 we will review some solutions.
I believe a training program must adapt on a session by session basis, what works one day may not work the next, and to go one step further what works in one set may not work the next. In relation to squats and lunges we need to constantly tweak how our bodies and feet are positioned, we need to feel the movement. Gym Machines have been criticised for many years for not being functional enough, because they don’t allow our bodies to move how they should, I would argue the same point for exercises.
Knees Over The Toes Argument
A classic example is the knees over the toes argument when squatting or lunging. This originated from a study in 1978 from the Duke University. The study, in short, found that maintaining a vertical lower leg as much as possible reduced excessive forces on the knees during a squat. Further studies have shown that leaning forward too much is more likely what is truly causing the problem or injury. So i guess the first thing you should consider here is do you want to be following research from 1978?
In 2003, University of Memphis research confirmed that knee stress increased by 28% when the knees were allowed to move past the toes while performing a squat. However, hip stress increased nearly 1,000% when forward movement of the knee was restricted. There are millions are articles on this so I won’t drag this out, but I will also say that whilst the science of the article in 2003 maybe correct it’s still not specific enough.
Considerations For Male And Female Clients
Going after a better ass in a exercise program for a female client is much harder and more specialised than for a male client and this is for one reason, WOMEN WANT LONG LEAN LEGS.
Don’t Exercise, Move
This may seem like semantics but it’s crucial if you want a great ass, and a great workout so bear with me. In my recent blog “Functional Fitness – Nick Compten Case Study “ I talked about the importance of functional fitness.
An exercise is a movement that has been designed to work certain muscles. We are told that if we perform a perfect squat or lunge one of the muscle groups we will work is our Glutial muscles or better know as your ass.
We all move differently and we all have muscle imbalances. If you work in an office and you sit down all day your body will start to develop dysfunction.
With this in mind do you think you could hit the muscles you want to hit by performing an exercise that has been prescribed on the assumption that your body is perfectly conditioned and moves exactly how it needs to in order to perform that exercise?
Be Aware Of Your Body
You must think outside the box when you are “exercising” you need to be aware of your body, how it feels and think about the muscles you want to work and ask yourself when you are doing an exercise, are you working that muscle or muscle group. If you are doing a lunge or a squat specifically to work you bum is it working your bum?
This is where I have an issue with the term exercise, its created a culture that if we perform an exercise it will give everyone the same result, and this is simply not the case, we need to move specifically for our own bodies and an exercise, is simply too prescriptive.
In part 2 I will review some solutions and include some video demonstrations.
