What is the most important skeletal muscle in the human body?
I remember how desperately we trained our chests and biceps when we were young. As we got older, we added thighs, triceps, shoulders, back, calves...
But nobody thought about the glutes. Judging by Instagram, women seem to care about them aesthetically, but why would men?
That’s what many think until their lower back suddenly seizes up. Office work, snowboarding, lifting, or grappling: the trigger is secondary. What matters is that you instantly feel helpless, like a beetle pinned to the wall.
You become a frequent visitor to the orthopedist, trade your sport for rehab, and start reading books by “back guru” Dr. Stuart M. McGill.
And then you suddenly discover that, for a man, there may be no muscle more important than the glutes. They are practically strategic infrastructure for the functionality of the entire body.
Stabilization of the “vertical,” holding the pelvis in motion, standing up, stairs, running, jumping, lifting weights from the ground, pulling — in short, everything.
What’s more, experts in deadlifts and squats emphasize: “Consciously engage your glutes. This creates a solid frame and helps protect your spine from injury.”
Moving horizontally on four legs, the animal was absorbed in the flow of existence. Man stood upright, rose above his life, looked around, and wondered: “What for?”
A different perspective, a wider field of vision, free hands, gestures, intense exchange of looks, gestures, and sounds with others. Walking upright set off a cascade of changes in human life.
Ironically, one of the most important muscles for a man turned out to be the “feminine” gluteals. It reminds one of the black drop of Yin in the snow-white Yang. And the role of the Anima for vitality in a man’s psyche.
It seems to be yet another reminder of one of my favorite rules:
We will find what is most valuable where we least want to look.
Sincerely yours,
-Alexander
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