Our glutes are one of the things that helps us be uniquely human. The way the muscle is designed is the reason we can walk on 2 feet which sets us apart from most other mammals.
Today, most of us hardly use our glutes, really only engaging them when we’re running or walking up stairs. Glutes have become just our cushion for sitting all day!
Watch this week’s 2 minute tip where Dr. Rob show you how you can get those glutes active again!
https://youtu.be/-VFHJdhZObo
Dr. Rob mentioned that we sit for an average of 13 hours a day! That’s crazy! No wonder our hips are tight and our glutes are inactive!
When your hips are shortened and flexed all day while you sit they end up staying that way because your body gets better at whatever you ask it to do!
So how does this affect your glutes? If the hip flexors are tight and pulling your pelvis forward out of ‘neutral’ our brain thinks “we’re flexing the hip, we better turn of the muscles that extend the hip!” which is mostly our glute muscles.
When this happens chronically we call it ‘lower cross syndrome’ and our glutes are almost never on even when they should be! Over time, this can lead to overusing other muscles that aren’t meant to do all the work for your glutes!
Some common signs that your glutes may not be active are:
1. Knee pain
2. Low Back Pain
3. Quadriceps tightness
4. Hip flexor tightness
5. Leg muscles that tire easily
So how can you fix this problem so many of us have??
Simple: Stretch what’s tight and strengthen what’s weak!
In the video this week Dr. Rob shows you a hip flexor stretch and a glute bridge. It is important to stretch out your hip flexors before you try the glute bridge or the exercise won’t be as effective. Without stretching first your brain still thinks you’re trying to flex your hip and will keep your glutes off!
HOW TO GET STARTED:
Hip Stretch:
- Start in a lunge position with a mat or a towel under your bottom knee (You can use a wall or a chair for support)
- Keep your back straight and your tailbone tucked in and slowly lean into your front leg until you feel a stretch in your opposite hip/thigh
- To get an even better stretch try raising the arm on the side you’re stretching above your head
- Hold this for 1 minute then switch sides!
Glute Bridge:
- Lie with your back on the floor, knees bent at 90 degrees, and feet flat on the floor
- Your feet should be hip-width apart and close to your butt.
- Squeeze your glutes as you lift your hips up off the floor, hold at the top for a moment, and then lower back to the floor slowly.
- Don’t rush your bridges, take the time to pause at the top and feel your glutes kick in!.
Mastering the glute bridge can be tricky but is such an important exercise everyone should be doing. Ask your therapist at your next appointment to help you nail this exercise!