Ok…
if when the target muscle group in a lift or exercise is the glutes in order for it to be utilized and developed your hip adductors have to allow for the glutes/hamstrings to extend the hips
if when the target muscle group in a lift or exercise is the erector spinae/lower back in order for it to be utilized and developed your glutes/hamstrings have to allow for the erector spinae to straighten and extend the spine by extending the hips
from personal experience i have found that deep squats do more to strengthen my hip adductors allowing for gluteal hamstring development/activation then necessarily directly strengthening my glutes and hamstrings
also with deadlifts i have found that my glutes and hamstrings gained the most strength in allowing for proper erector spinae function and development
the reason i bring this up is because with the increasing use of hip thrusters and glute bridges and the traditional opinion that squats are the superior lift for developing the glutes or ‘butt’ i have gotten to the point where i am forming the opinion that unless your putting yourself through a movement where youre forced to straighten and extend your erector spinae or lower back you arent fully maximizing your glutes or hamstrings and when the load or weight is set directly on the hips, the adductors (adductor magnus, rectus femoris, rectus abdominus, etc…) are strengthened more in allowing for the glutes/hamstrings to be activated
i also have considered the potential drawback that when the load is on the lower back the hamstrings can be utilized more than glutes in allowing for hip extension like with romanian deadlifts or the opposite with cable pull throughs where the glute are targeted
i apply the same thinking to single leg exercises as well where primarily the adductors allow for the movement to be performed
obviously the adductors are also worked in traditional deadlifts as well but the subsequent hip abduction is minimal with the narrower stance as opposed to with squats or sumo deadlifts, yet in order to target the hips in those movements a wide stance is necessary
this idea would also go along with the thought that power and hang cleans as superior lifts for power and strengthening the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back for ‘athleticism’ as you are straightening and extending your spine through hip extension
ive seen different glute emg or activation charts measuring all the different exercises but what im saying is that is it crazy to think that the muscles that allow for that activation are actually experiencing similar if not greater development and ultimately should be considered alongside the primary or target muscle group in the lift/exercise’s definition…?
this an idea pieced together with some science and personal experience/opinion so any and all thoughts are welcome.
opinions…?