The Butt Muscles

There are three main muscles in the Gluteal areas, namely the Gluteus Medius and Gluteus Minimus. There are also other minor muscles such as the piriformis, inferior gemellus, obturator internus. superior gemellus, quadratus femoris but we will not concentrate on these as these minor muscles have very little to play in the appearance of the butt and more to do with motion and strength in one’s stance.

Let’s first go into the uses and location of each of these main muscles.

Gluteus Maximus

The first and most obvious muscle in the butt is the Gluteus Maximus. The muscle is the most superficial muscle and as a result is largely responsible for how the butt is supported and also the general shape of the butt without taking into consideration the fat and skin. The Gluteus Maximus is also very important in determining the lower body strength of the person as it is the muscle that is vital for keeping a human standing upright and steady.

One unique thing about the Gluteus Maximus is that the muscle fibers are much coarser compared to other body muscles. This means that the fibers that make up these muscles are bigger compared to other muscles and thus are relatively stronger and harder to train. It takes much more strain in order for the muscles to fatigue and also takes much more training to get the same results as other muscles.

The main action of the Gluteus Maximus is to bring the thigh back in-line with the body when the thigh and femur are bent upwards. An example of this action is when you are squatting and you want to stand upright, the main muscle to bring your thigh straight in-line with your body is the Gluteus Maximus.

Glutues Medius

The Gluteus Medius is a slightly smaller muscle that is behind the Gluteus Maximus and is also extends over Gluteus Maximus and the hip to join with a tendon in front of the leg. This muscle looking from behind is the muscle at the top part of the butt that joins the butt to the lower back. It is often quite easy to see where the muscle is as the top of the muscle is seen with a slight crease which differentiates the Gluteus Maximus and the Gluteus Medius.

The main function of this muscle is to lift the thigh and femur up and is almost the same motion in reverse for the Gluteus Maximus. The only difference is that there is a slight rotating function with the action of the Gluteus Medius. This rotating is because of how the muscle is anchored and it is kept in check by the Gluteus Minimus muscles which we will get into a bit later.

Overall the Gluteus Medius also has quite a big influence on how your butt will look but certainly not as a big an influence as the Gluteus Maximus. The main way that the Gluteus Medius works towards the better aesthetics of the butt is to add definition and to give that chizelled square butt look in men and also the round tight butt look for women. The crease between where the Gluteus Medius and the Gluteus Maximus meet can be shaped to add additional definition.

Gluteus Minimus

The Gluteus Minimus is a small muscle that is immediately behind the Gluteus Medius. It is much smaller than both the Gluteus Medius and the Gluteus Maximus and situated quite deep in the butt so it doesn’t have much to do with the appearance of the butt. Even training it will not result in much change in how your butt looks.

The main function of the Gluteus Minimus is similar to the Gluteus Medius in that it helps to raise the femur and thigh up from a position that is parallel to the body. The Gluteus Minimus is angled at a different position than the Gluteus Medius thus will help keep the thigh straight when it is raised. Both the Gluteus Medius and the Gluteus Minimus also work together to maintain balance when you stand on one leg.