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A scientific exploration of big juicy butts

BUMS. HEINIES. FANNIES. DERRIERES. Few muscles in the human body carry as much cultural clout as the gluteus maximus. “Butts are a bellwether,” writes journalist Heather Radke in her 2022 book Butts: A Backstory. Radke goes on to explain that our feelings about our hindquarters often have more to do with race, gender, and sex than with the actual meat of them. Unlike with a knee or an elbow, Radke argues, when it comes to the tuchus, we’re far more likely to think about form than function—even though it features the largest muscle in the human body.

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Featured

  Butt seriously: how bottoms became a fitness obsession

With all the focus on women’s bottoms, there is a small group of health professionals hoping for a positive impact on the less visible muscles in and around our glutes: the pelvic floor. Amal Hassan, a sports and exercise medicine doctor, is one of the founding members of the Pelvic Floor Patrol, which aims to improve health services for women with pelvic floor dysfunction.

 Move of the week: how to wake up a lazy butt

The side-lying hip raise really burns, but it will do wonders for your glutes, core and shoulders

 Rear view: the big business of bottoms

“My generation are 100% more interested in the shape of our bottoms, rather than our boobs,” 24-year-old Beth Cobb told a newspaper, explaining her investment in weekly bum-lift procedures using a roller that emits microcurrents of electricity.

Articles of Interest

A Brief History of Butts in Art

News flash: Kim Kardashian didn’t invent the butt. Follow behind as we take a quick spin through the (admittedly quite Eurocentric) tale of Butts in Art History. Anne Hollander, author of Seeing Through Clothes, which rocked both academia and the art-aficionado world when it was published in 1975, thinks a lot about nudity. She observed: “Buttocks, like other projects, were assimilated into total harmony. But they were obviously also admired separately.”

Apparently There Are 5 Different Types of Butts—Which One Do You Have?

Consider this your booty encyclopedia.

Bum spots are a bummer, so here's what causes spotty botty and how to treat it

Nobody really talks about bum spots. It's the sort of thing you keep firmly in your pants. But, acne isn't something that's just reserved for our faces. On the contrary, you can develop spots wherever you have skin, pores and follicles. And, whenever you introduce, friction, warmth and a lack of ventilation, you can expect the chances of breakouts to increase.

Dormant Butt Syndrome Is a Thing—And You Might Have It

Your butt plays a vital role in how your body functions—your glutes are the biggest muscle groups in your body, and keeping them strong supports all of you. And if your butt is weak, it can mess with your hips, knees, and back, causing all sorts of pain. Now, scientists have created a name for this condition: dormant butt syndrome.

How To Get A Booty Like Beyonce

Upstart company Booty Pop thinks it has the answer for women who want curves like Beyonce and JLo: padded underwear.

Is it racist to like big butts?

The human butt has long been the object of all manner of obsessions. We worry over it: its size, its shape, whether or not it has cellulite on it, how it looks in a pair of jeans. But now, a new source of concern emerges: the alarming possibility that one’s butt — or at least, one’s relationship to butts generally — is racist.

Plenty of animals have butts, but we humans have quite the butt cheeks, too.

It’s quite natural to be curious about butts. We all have them, and many of us think about them pretty frequently. But have you ever considered why we have such sizeable butt cheeks? Sure, they’re useful for sitting on, but do they serve any other purpose?

The $5,000 quest for the perfect butt

How the Brazilian butt lift, one of the world’s most dangerous plastic surgery procedures, went mainstream.

The Best Exercises for Sculpting Your Glutes

The glutes are the largest and one of the strongest muscles in the human body. They work hard every day, allowing you to sit, stand, climb stairs, and lug heavy things around. Building stronger glute muscles (yep, there are multiple) will not only improve your speed and explosiveness but will also protect your lower back and knees from injury.

The Complete Guide to Your Butt Muscles

Here's how to ensure the largest muscle in your body isn't also the laziest. Read up on all the different butt muscles and how to effectively train them.

This is what sitting on your bum all day is doing to your health

Sitting on your bum all day has consequences, but it can be rectified!

Resources

5 Super-Effective Ways To Strengthen And Tone Your Butt Without Any Equipment

These five exercises target your butt, hips, and thighs. Bonus: You don't need any gym equipment to get the job done. The quick routine will only take a few minutes so try doing it first thing in the morning—because there's nothing quite like an #UpNOut booty burn.

6 Butt Stretches That Will Seriously Loosen Up Your Tight, Sore Tush

It’s pretty common to make it to the end of the day and realize your butt is a little sore, tight, or maybe even numb. But butt stretches can loosen up your tight tush, fast.