The glutes consist of the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus. These are large muscles of the buttocks and are involved in hip extension, stability, and rotation.
Strong glutes are beneficial when cycling, running, or swimming since they drive the hips downwards during pedaling, pushing, or kicking. Weak or unbalanced glutes lead to conditions such as IT band syndrome, pain in the lower back, or in the knees. Endurance runners do squats, lunges, and hip thrusts to strengthen and build endurance for glutes. Good posture, efficiency, and long-distance competitions are supported by strong glutes.
