Talking about the booty never gets boring, especially when it’s bathing suit season. More and more today, not only are booties getting bigger, but there is also an epidemic that has emerged, called “gluteal amnesia.” Gluteal Amnesia refers to the lack of activation or firing of the gluteal muscle fibers and can lead to a multitude of issues. What that means is that derrieres are getting bigger but the muscles in them are getting smaller; not a good thing for anyone. To eradicate Gluteal Amnesia, we want to melt the fat and add muscle to eliminate numerous problems that I will explain below.
The gluteals are a powerful group of muscles that assist every movement of the hip. They are the largest muscle group in the body, so when they become inactive and weak, metabolism pays a huge price. The gluteals (or “glutes” as they are commonly called) will not only directly influence your weight but will also affect your back. Many people experiencing back pain usually have a common trait that I call “lack-a-booty-activation-ism.” With a general lack of movement and the sedentary lifestyles that most people lead these days, the booty becomes weak and stops firing properly. When this occurs, other overactive muscles take over. This leads to over-compensation with other muscles, which in turn, leads to dysfunction in movement… and dysfunction leads to pain. That pain usually ends up in the hip and the lower back. How do we ensure that we are firing the booty muscles like we should?
1) Stop sitting more than 4-5 hours in a day. Stand at a desk if you need to, but stop suffocating your booty by sitting on it all day long.
2) When you walk up the stairs push through your heel. The same goes for when you do squats or walking lunges. This forces gluteal activation!
3) Do specific gluteal exercises to eliminate back pain. We give you 4 simple exercises you can do instantly for fast relief at backpainrelief4life.com/blog
4) Do a full body exercise program that hits all planes of motion at least 3x times a week so you ensure that you are activating all the muscles in the body, especially the booty.
There you go: four simple tips to ensure gluteal activation and prevent Gluteal Amnesia.
