Glute Lab: The Art and Science of Strength and Physique Training, Hardcover/Bret Contreras

Improve your physique, build lean muscle, increase strength-- Glute Lab is the all-in-one glute training system that will teach you how to do all this and more. The gluteus maximus is the largest and most versatile muscle in the human body. In addition to being aesthetically appealing and controlling a wide range of functional movements, big, strong glutes set you up to lift heavier, jump higher, sprint faster, and swing harder and can even play a role in preventing knee, hip, and lower back pain and injuries. Your glutes influence every aspect of your physical life: from the way you look and how you feel to your ability to run, jump, cut, lift, and twist. Yet few understand how to properly build and develop this all-important muscle. Enter Glute Lab . In this book, Bret "The Glute Guy" Contreras--PhD, personal trainer, and bestselling author--lays out a glute training system that will help you reach your strength, performance, and physique goals. Through descriptive narrative, step-by-step images and illustrations, and easy-to-follow training programs, the Glute Guy distills the science and art of glute training into one comprehensive manual. Whether you're a bodybuilder, physique competitor, athlete, powerlifter, CrossFitter, personal trainer, physical therapist, or simply someone who wants to improve your physique, this book contains everything you need to know about building bigger, stronger, leaner, higher-performing glutes. In this book, you will learn: The fundamentals of optimal glute training How to perform the most effective glute-building exercises How to select exercises based on your goals and body type Variations for the hip thrust, deadlift, and squat exercises The science behind how muscle develops and grows The anatomy and function of the glutes How to design a customized glute-training program Techniques and programs for sculpting rounder, stronger glutes The importance of glute training for aesthetics, health, strength, and performance How glute training can prevent knee, hip, and low back injuries and pain Strategies for targeting different areas of the glutes and lower body More than 30 glute burnout circuits and workouts About the Author: Bret Contreras , PhD, CSCS, *D is a teacher, innovator, personal trainer, bestselling author, lifter, and researcher. Best known for his glute-training methods, Bret has established himself as the world's leading expert in gluteal muscle functioning and development, strength training, and program design. In addition to developing a comprehensive glute-training system, Bret invented the barbell hip thrust, which is the most effective way to increase the strength and size of the glutes, as well as the hip thruster, a versatile piece of equipment used to perform the hip thrust. As a personal trainer with over twenty years of experience, he's worked with a variety of clients from all over the world, ranging from sedentary people to figure competitors and elite athletes. He is the author of the bestselling books Bodyweight Strength Training Anatomy (Human Kinetics, 2014) and Strong Curves (Victory Belt, 2013) and has published over 50 peer-reviewed studies on strength training. He is also a regular contributor to well-known industry publications including Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Oxygen, and Muscle & Fitness. He owns and operates the Glute Lab Gym in San Diego, California, and continues to publish articles and coach clients remotely on his website, bretcontreras.com. Glen Cordoza is one of the most published authors in the world on the topics of MMA, jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai boxing, and fitness, with twenty-six books to his credit. These works include co-authorship with MMA superstars Randy Couture, BJ Penn, Anderson Silva, Fedor Emelianenko, and Lyoto Machida and jiu-jitsu legends Eddie Bravo, Antonio Nogueira, and Marcelo Garcia. He also co-authored Power, Speed, Endurance by Brian MacKenzie, as well as the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling books Becoming a Supple Leopard and Deskbound by Kelly Starrett. In addition to Glen's accomplishments as an author, he has a 12-0 professional Thai boxing record and a 3-1 professional MMA record and holds the rank of brown belt in 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu.