engaging the ***

[elk]

My butt enjoys our leisurely walks up steep hills. The singing birds, the sparkling rays of sunshine, the lovely flowers, the gentle breezes...

flowers, birds, breezes....that turn into singing winds....but Knot, I thought you climbed said hills in Seattle!!

I must be sitting on my saddle right 'cause this butt is writing a letter to the editor...

e

[Dianyla]

And yes, standing and powering your way up a hill will help those muscles too.
But don't forget you WANT bigger quads anyway- they are the biggest most powerful leg muscle i think.

Not necessarily. Some of my knee pain problems are a result of overdeveloped quads, relative to my other leg muscles. I find that I have a habit of leaning too far forward, rounding my back, and tucking my tailbone under which makes me rely too much on my quads. This posture gets me in trouble in almost all situations: riding seated in the saddle, standing up out of the saddle going up a hill, walking up stairs, walking up a hill, backpacking, etc.

I have to consciously stand up a little straighter, arch my back a little, and stick my tailbone out in order to engage my butt muscles. This helps a lot with my knee issues.