Is your Booty Sleeping or Saluting?
Want a better butt? Who doesn't!
Whether that means bigger, smaller, rounder, higher, or stronger – I hear it all the time from my clients…they want a Brand New Butt. I mean who doesn’t want Glutes that Salute!
Even if you are happy with the appearance of your booty, working the glutes regularly is very important. Your Gluteal muscles are in charge of your walking, squatting, and balance. The problem is when we spend a lot of time sitting, your lower body and back suffer. Your hip flexors retract, and your glutes not only get weaker, they forget how to fire correctly. Not only does this lead to a saggy looking booty, weak glutes can cause lower back pain and issues with your hamstrings, knees, ankles and/or heels.
The good news is – your butt can bounce back (literally ha)! Even if it has been sleeping for decades, we can wake it back up. This will also assist with lower back issues, make you stronger, and give you “Glutes that Salute”. The key is engaging the glutes and opening the hip flexors.
You can practice this and learn how to use your glutes right now and try this quick test to check the strength of your glutes.
If you are sitting in a chair while reading this try this:
With your feet flat on the floor.
Stand up by pressing your heels down firmly into the ground.
At the top of the movement, press your hips forward and squeeze your glutes = completely opening your hips.
The same technique works during squats, lunges, and hip bridges. It helps to focus on feeling the muscles in the back side of your body instead of just letting your quads (the front of your legs) take over.
If you are laying down try this:
Lay on your back with your knees bent.
Keep your heels close to your butt.
Lift your hips up towards the ceiling and squeeze your butt.
Hold for 45 seconds.
Can you feel your glutes?
If you can’t, then you are unable to properly engage them which means you are putting undo stress into your spine/lower back, or your hip flexors. If you can feel those bad boys (or girls!) then awesome, you can move to harder progressions of exercises!
Learning to engage your glutes is essential and will help you generate a powerful back side.
So how do you train the glutes?
Try these 5 exercises to wake up your Booty:
Beginner: 8 reps
Intermediate: 10 reps
Advanced: 12 reps
Glute bridge
Kettlebell (or Dumbbell) Swings
Split lunge
Curtsy lunge
Stability Ball - Booty Pump (Video below)
Repeat 1-3X (to increase intensity add dumbbells 5lbs are higher)
With any of the above exercises it is important to pay close attention to your posture and form, and make sure to squeeze your glutes when the hip is extended (such as when you are standing). If at any point you feel too much in the hip flexors (front of thigh) or lower back, then retry an easier variation of the exercise or select a different one. Eventually, you will find yourself getting stronger and able to handle the harder variations.
The good news is – your butt can bounce back!
It’s time to get moving and wake your Sleeping Booty and have your glutes salute.
Bottoms up!
Janis Saffell :-)
Feel free to share this article with your friends and comment below!
Janis Saffell, America’s #1 Fitness Expert, is founder of top branded fitness programs including the “4 Week Fat Blaster”, “Brand New Butt” and “Fitness on the Road”. She is a leading authority on fitness programming and weight loss. If you are ready for a change and want to Super Charge your workouts, receive free tips NOW at www.JanisSaffell.com.
Fat BE GONE! Give me 4 weeks to turn your body into a “calorie burning machine” and teach you the habits to get the weight off and change your life FOREVER! My 4-Week FAT Blaster Program will Maximize your Weight Loss! Change your Health & Change Your Life. Get Started HERE
