The buttock muscle
Gluteus maximus · musculus gluteus maximus
The largest muscle in your body, which straightens your hip to power climbing, running and standing up.
What it does
The gluteus maximus forms most of the buttock. It runs from the back of the pelvis and sacrum to the femur and the band down the side of the thigh. It straightens the hip with great force, so it works hardest when you climb stairs, sprint, jump or rise from a squat.
Surprising fact
It is the heaviest muscle in the body, and its large size is one of the things that sets humans apart from apes, because it helps keep the trunk upright when we run.
Why it matters
Long periods of sitting leave it switched off and weak, which can shift work onto the lower back. Squats, lunges and step-ups keep it strong.
Nearby
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.