Waking up your glutes!
The reasons that people suffer from underactive glutes is due to lifestyle, inactivity and imbalances. It is important to stabilise the hips and increase power, which in turn helps to improve posture and alleviate lower back, hip and knee pain. Even when people train hard every day, if they spend the majority of the remainder of the day sitting down, then they are simply not using their glutes. And remember the old saying – if you don’t use it, you lose it. Unfortunately, this is just what happens with your glutes.
Another common reason glutes aren’t working properly is due to injury. Often an injury happens that changes the mechanics and motor programming of a person’s body. This can lead to some muscle groups becoming overactive, while others become underactive (think: compensation). This can alter things for a long time without the person even knowing it.
Four simple glute activation exercises are – bridge, clam, side lying abduction and hip extension. Using a mini band to assist and align is a great tool to improve function as you progress. Remember to squeeze your glutes to activate.
By Claire Hunter
aclassaboveclinicblog 