“A strong butt is the key to a happy life”

“A strong butt is the key to a happy life” is a catchphrase of Dr. Jordan Metzl of New York City’s Hospital for Special Surgery. Metzl said in 2009 that “a strong butt is a happy runner.” A Reuters article, “For marathon fitness, the readiness is all” by Dorene Internicola, in November 2010 quoted Metzel:
 
“‘I preach preparing your body by cross-training,’ Metzl said. ‘Strength training, jumping, landing. I always say if you want to keep running, a strong butt is a key to a happy life.’”
 
The saying was popularized in Runner’s World a few days later in an article, “Strong Butt, Happy Life” by Mark Remy. Metzl included “a strong butt is the key to a happy life” in his books published in 2012 and 2013.
 
     
Fitness NYC
Pain, Rain Go Away!
Posted on September 28, 2009
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Dr. Jordan Metzl of Hospital for Special Surgery spoke about tapering, avoiding injury, and last-minute training advice.  Jordon is a 25 time marathon runner and an iron man!  He specialized in sports medicine and has a pretty great website.
 
He was just so awesome and answered so many questions.  I really wish I could have written down everything he said, but here are a few highlights:
 
Biggest mistakes:
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Not strength training
He highly highly advised strength training.  Squats, lunges and ply metrics in particular.  He went as far as to say, a strong butt, is a happy runner.
     
Reuters
For marathon fitness, the readiness is all
BY DORENE INTERNICOLA
NEW YORK Mon Nov 1, 2010 12:26pm EDT
(Reuters Life!) - As some 42,000 runners prepare to lap the miles of the 2010 New York City Marathon on Sunday, experts agree that there’s nothing like long distance running for cardio vascular fitness.
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Dr. Jordan D. Metzl, a sports medicine physician with the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, urges everyone to take on a marathon at some time in their life.
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“I preach preparing your body by cross-training,” Metzl said. “Strength training, jumping, landing. I always say if you want to keep running, a strong butt is a key to a happy life.”
   
Twitter
Runner’s World
‏@runnersworld
You betcha! RT @run4donuts: “A strong butt is a key to a happy life.” - @runnersworld http://ow.ly/33OfB
10:47 AM - 3 Nov 2010
 
Google Books
The Athlete’s Book of Home Remedies:
1,001 Doctor-Approved Health Fixes and Injury-Prevention Secrets for a Leaner, Fitter, More Athletic Body!

By Jordan Metzl
New York, NY: Rodale Inc.
2012
Pg. 80:
I keep saying it because it’s true: A strong butt is the key to a happy life. Weak glutes create activation problems for the muscles that come off the pelvis and allow pelvic rotation and instability, which can cause injuries. Strong butt muscles keep your pelvis level.
   
The Huffington Post
Jordan D. Metzl, M.D. Sports medicine physician, Hospital for Special Surgery, NYC
The Athlete’s Top 10 ‘Prime Directives’
Posted: 04/03/2012 8:26 am EDT Updated: 05/30/2012 5:12 am EDT
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4. A strong butt is the key to a happy life. Healthy glutes mean healthy hips, back, and hamstrings.
 
Google Books
The Exercise Cure:
A Doctor’s All-Natural, No-Pill Prescription for Better Health & Longer Life

By Jordan Metzl
New York, NY: Rodale Inc.
2013
Pg. 121:
I have a saying: “A strong butt is the key to a happy life!”
   
Runner’s World
Winning One-Liners
The best advice from the gurus of running.

By Kelly Bastone
August 29, 2014
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“A strong butt is the key to a happy life.”
–Jordan Metzl, M.D.
 
For years, Metzl ached as much as his patients: His knee (reconstructed after he tore his ACL) and hamstrings regularly complained about his running habit. “But I noticed that when I did lots of squats, they felt better,” says Metzl, an author, marathoner, and sports-medicine specialist who saw that even his strongest clients suffered from WBS (weak butt syndrome). Weak glutes not only make runners more injury-prone–they also hamper performance. “You can have great quads, but the butt is the engine,” says Metzl, who helps runners cure their WBS with IronStrength classes in New York City every other week.
 
Google Groups: Just South
Keys to a Strong Butt and a Happy Life with your Weekly Form Run - 7:30 p.m. Wed Prospect Park
max
Oct 21 2014
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Tight hip flexors are very common in runners and especially in distance runners and are also caused by weak glutes and sitting too much.
 
THIS is where the, “A strong butt is the key to a happy life” quote comes in. It’s attributed to a Dr. Metzl but an article four years ago has the same quote attributed to someone else, Dr. Henry Williford. Guess a lot of people say that BUT they’re all doctors!