Glute max as a stabiliser in standing

[taiger111]

Problem is not you are not using glute max.
Problem is that there is a dysfunction in your glute max or your nervous system chooses not use it so other muscles synergically dominate.
Stop beating up your glute max by doing exercise.
it will not let u use more glue max than hamstrings.
Your nervous system controls which muscle to use as domain mover, and if there is something wrong in your glue max, then other muscles are recruited. Stretrching hamstrings are not gonna help you
either. your hamstrings get tight because it is overused because your nervous system choose to use as main mover.

I would recommend you do lots of Glute max and medius stretch rather than beating up those muscles and atso stretch for quads.

your hamstring maybe tight because your body try to prevent some other structure to get injured. if thats the case, stretching or treating hamstrings will put you in worse situation, Injuries
your hamsring can get tight if your quads are dysfunction and you use hamstrings for prime movement of siting and standing(squat type movement)


My conclusion is that
trying to Fire up muscles that are dysfunctional is NO NO. it is making it worse really, and most of people do that way.
we need to train reflex to fire up wanted muscles after the treatment is done if necessary
but most of cases, it is not.
your body(nervous system) knows that it is safe to use glute, then it will use it.
Sometime your body is not convinced that there is an enough treatment is done, then you do fire up training to convince your nervous systems that it is safe to use that muscle as main mover.

[dugao123]

Interesting, thanks taiger111.

Won't the nervous system typically take the path of least resistance? So maybe, historically, I have had a movement dysfunction and incorrectly used my hamstrings more than my glutes in certain movements, resulting in the glutes becoming weak. Therefore now my nervous system uses the stronger hamstrings as it is easier but if I gain strength in the undeveloped glutes then it will activate these (maybe with some conscious activating of them at the correct times). Is this possible?

Also could you explain the reasons behind stretching the gluteal muscles and quads to correct the issue?

Note: I have been told my glute medius are both work and have been given a strengthning program for these.

Thanks and I appreciate the time you have took to reply.

[taiger111]

I was writing those comments based on what i know from your post. so unless i palpate and see the functional movement of your body, t here is no way of knowing what causes what.
By the way how did people come to a conclusion of glute medius are both work and glute max and medius are weak? If muscles need exercise, when u do exercise and u will get to the point that your physioan tells you that your glute max and medius are not weak any more. I got a picture of your situation by reading this "have been working to correct this and strengthning my glutes."

I am based on my belief(assumption) that most of people who say "Weak" does not understand what it means.
Muscle can get "Weak" by having dysfunction in it, or under develop muscle(disuse)
so Weak = Strengthning formula will not work 100% time. Muscle can get "Weak" by misfiring too. so Weak has lots of meanings.
If doing exercise is not getting you what you want, then u need to do other things. Doing the same thing over and over and expect to see a change is called "Insane"

If we want to properly diagnose muscles, we need to do functional movement assessment, and ROM and palpations. Most of peopleh do not have palpation skills and misdiagnoses a lot. using orthopedic exams are nice but problems are that they are made for orthopedic conditions for orthopedic doctor.
Nervous System typically take the path of least resistance too. Again i dont know if your glute max and medius are dysfunctional so i based on that if glute max and medius are dysfunctional, NS will use other muscles such as hamstrings(depends on movements though)



If your hamstrings tightness are caused by overuse of them because your body can not use glute as primary mover, then treating glut wiles(stretch or anything that can cause a change in fascia), then you will use less hamstrings and more glute. Quads work together with hamstrings. if they are dysfunction, you will use more hamsrings and get tired upon squat movement. And if your quads are dysfunctional and you want to do squat, then you will use more hamstrings
Learning structure by itself does not give us a whole picture of what causes what. I learn those concepts from Collective Exercise Specialist program offered by National Academy of Sports Medicine, gray cook book, and TPI seminar. I once subscribe "Integrative Diagnosis" method online. its money back guaranttee. Lots of Pts and Dcs, MTs are studying those mentioned concepts as well as taking Active Release Techniques seminars (good name value)