Expanded glute #moveit

Hi Swans! Here is a series that puts together more full body movements to get your #gloriousglutes going. If you have missed this series, look back to brush up on your gluteal anatomy, check out some #articlesofinterest and read a thing or two Travis had to say. We also suggest thinking about your #hammies and #gloriousglutes at the same time, feeling how they work together to fire up the back chain of your legs!

bridging with pulses - Remember the bridge party from the hamstring series? We can kick the bridge up a notch. Pulse it! Think of staying long through your back (as it often likes to over-work) and stay VERY even through your hips. While pulsing can you open more space in the front of your hips? Even more challenge? Try marching side to side (floating one leg to table top and then the other). Stand on one leg and take tiny pulses on one leg! Switch sides. 

swimming legs with circles- Set yourself up like you did for swimming in the hamstring series. After swimming side to side a few times, hold your right leg up and externally rotate the leg. Maintaining this rotation, make small circles of your whole LONG leg in one direction, then the other direction. Repeat on both sides. Think of moving from the very top of your hamstrings and bottom of your Glutes!

squats - Standing with your feet about shoulder width and in comfortable rotation, bend your knees, sending your hips behind you. Your back stays long and you may either reach your arms forward or hold them behind your head. Stand up and make sure to bring your hips right above your feet. Always make sure your knees align over the centers of your feet, use your core to support your spine and BREATHE!

split stance squats - Stand with one leg forward and the other leg back, back heel against the wall. Be as square and upright through your torso as you can. Bend both knees and focus on creasing in your front hip. To stand up, put your attention on the glutes of your front leg to power the movement. Both legs will be working but try to focus more on the front leg. Repeat on both sides. Practice stellar support through your torso and alignment of your legs. 

step ups/going up front - Place one foot on a step, the curb, or a box of an appropriate height. Stand all of the way up on this leg and take a moment to feel balanced and engaged through your standing leg. Step back. Repeat on this side 6-10 times and then switch sides.

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Keeping it high and tight! (Or How to get your Butt to work for you!)

Guest post by Swan Instructor Travis Steele Sisk

Since the release of Sir Mix-a-lot's "Baby Got Back" in 1992 we have all desired a better derriere. At least I know I have. Whether your reasoning is simply aesthetics or actually gaining strength to perform Olympic dead lifts with ease and without injury, an understanding of how well your Glutes are firing (or not) is required to get the most out of your butt workout.

In my journey through physical fitness, actually feeling my Gluteus Maximus firing in any exercise has always been a challenge for me. My quadriceps and hamstrings always seemed to take the grunt of the work whenever I tried to do squats or bridging. My work as a Pilates instructor has lead me to see similar muscle firing patterns in my clients. After doing some research on myself physically and by reading various articles in sport medicine journals, I have finally found what works for me in getting my Gluteus Maximus firing so that I'm actually sore the next day from performing squats. This information has allowed me to help my clients find the same burn when trying to get that butt working!

Through this series of exercises you should be able to reach a point where you feel your Gluteus Maximus firing during a deep well aligned squat (and if not during the exercise hopefully the next day)!

The first step is self myofascial release of the I.T. Band, Calves, and Glutes.

Start off sitting on the foam roller with one leg extended and the opposite ankle crossed over the knee of the extended leg. Bend the knee of the extended leg and proceed to roll the butt cheek of the crossed leg side to side on the foam roller for 30 seconds, then repeat on the opposite side. Next is the I.T. Band! You do this by turning onto your side on top of the foam roller, bending the knee of the top leg and planting that foot on the ground in front of the leg extended on the foam roller (see image below). Proceed to roll from just below Greater Trochanter (boney region on the side of your hip) to right above the knee. NEVER over the knee joint!

Last bit of foam roller work is your Soleus (or calves). Have a seat on the ground with your legs extended in front of you, place the foam roller under one calf and cross the opposite leg over at the ankles. Lift your body weight off the ground with your hands. Proceed to roll from right below the knee joint to above the ankle. Repeat on other leg.

Now that your fascial structure is loosened up. It's time to do some work.

I suggest starting with single leg circles.

Laying on your back, raise one leg up in the air keeping it as straight as you can while reaching for the ceiling. Keep the other leg extended down on the floor while you draw basket ball sized circles in the air with the big toe of the leg extended towards the ceiling, making sure the circle crosses the mid-line of your body. Draw 8 circles in one direction and then reverse with 8 circles in the opposite direction. Use your breathe and make sure to engage your abdominals as you exhale. Repeat with the other leg, 8 circles in each direction.

Next you want to get the Gluteus Medius firing, as this will help keep your knees tractioning over your toes when your move through your squat.

The best way I have found to accomplish this is through the Side Leg series.

A great starting point is Side Laying Leg Lifts (which was outlined previously here). Instead of switching from one side to the other immediately, stay on the first side and add on Clam after your Leg Lifts. To execute Clam, bend your knees slightly from their extended position and lift both feet off the floor. Be careful as you do this to not collapse or rest your low ribs to the floor. You are trying to mimic standing throughout this series and ideally you wouldn't be standing with your ribs shifted to one side but rather with them floating in alignment over your pelvis. Now with the feet lifted and the femur of your bottom leg resting on the floor proceed to open your top leg, knee leading towards the ceiling, stopping at your range of motion. Close and repeat for 10-12 reps. Following Clam, bend both legs into a 90º angle where your shins are parallel with the front edge of your mat. Lift the top leg hip height, keeping the space between your low ribs and the floor, internally rotate the femur so that the knees touch each other then externally rotate the femur so the heels touch each other and repeat for 10 reps.

Lastly, stay laying on your side with your legs in table top position and your top leg lifted hip height, extend your top leg out and away from you so that your knee crosses the shin of the bent leg that is resting on the floor. Allow the inside of the knee of your extended top leg to lower and touch the shin of your resting leg. Then immediately lift it to hip height and repeat for 10 reps. Flip over and repeat those 3 exercises laying on the other side.

Now it's time to get the Gluteus Maximus firing.

One of the best exercises to awaken the Glute Max was described in this #moveit. Once completed move into quadruped (all-fours) for some more extensive Glute Max work. Once in quadruped make sure that you engage the abdominals inward towards the spine with every exhale (without rounding the back). Extend the right leg out behind you keeping it parallel to the ground and extend through the heel. Pulse the extended leg toward the ceiling. With every pulse make sure you exhale and engage the abdominals. You only need to bring the leg high enough to feel the Glute Max fire. Do 10-12 reps with each leg.

The second exercise while on all fours is meant to get the Glute Max firing in multiple directions. Start by exhaling while bringing your right knee toward your right elbow, letting the knee tough the elbow, if flexibility allows, while keeping straight arms. Inhale while you send the right knee to cross over the calf of the left leg, touching the floor outside of the left leg. Then repeat exhaling the knee toward the right elbow and perform this for 10 reps each leg. So now your whole hip and Glute complex should be warmed up and prepped for Squatting, one of the most functional movements we as humans were created to perform. If you look at small children they have no problem squatting with their hips flexed below their knees. This is something we should also be able to do with ease while maintaining a well-aligned squat with keep your knees, hips, and lower back mobile and ready for action.

The mechanics of your squat go as follows:

-Make sure your feet are slightly wider than hip distance apart and placed in your natural turned out position (somewhere between parallel and a "Pilates first" position).
-Interlace your fingers behind your head and keep your elbows wide.
-As you start to descend lead with your tailbone as though you are going to have a seat on an imaginary chair behind you, and most importantly make sure your knees are tractioning over your toes at all times.
-Bring your pelvis parallel or below your knees (this may take a few reps before you are able to get so low) while keeping your head and back in a neutral position.
-On the way back up make sure your weight is in your heels and you are driving through them with most of your force.
-Lastly once upright give a squeeze of the butt to finish a strong firing of the Glutes
-Repeat 10-12 reps, 3 times through.

As always at the end of any workout, STRETCH! End with a figure four stretch, hamstring stretch and piegon (a stretch taken from yoga). Good luck on your journey for a better, more toned butt!

And as a side note, "Baby's got Back" makes an excellent soundtrack for keeping a good tempo while doing your squats. Sir Mix-a-Lot was onto something there... trust me.
 

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link love to good reads on Glutes!

Here are some good reads and links on Glutes!

Check out this read from the Vertical Workshop to help you reconsider the ever popular, not so functional, butt squeeze. Here's another one about booty clenching (and much more) from Breaking Muscle. 

Dive into this interview with Katy Bowman on Mama Sweat discussing the role glutes play in pelvic floor function. 

Here's a video from Dooley Noted (at Brooklyn Bridge Park!) for your lateral hip activation. Fall fully in and explore the links she suggests as well!

This post from The Gait Guys discusses crossover gait in distance runners vs sprinters and how that relates to balance between your quads and your glutes. ( To nerd out full force, be sure to check out the link to their you tube channel. They are great to follow on Facebook BTW). 

Use all of these articles as food for thought, not diagnosis or being your own internet doctor. It's great to get a broad perspective on the many things our bodies do to keep our wonderment and investigation of our own unique structures alive!

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Getting to Know Your Gluteus Medius! #moveit

For our #gloriousglutes #moveit series we are really breaking it down so that you understand the action of each glute muscle. Towards the end of the series, guest blogger and Swan Instructor Travis Sisk will offer a full glute home program. Take your time and use these exercises (as well as this one that targets your glute max) to gain a deeper understanding of the actions of each gluteus muscle on the joints they articulate. Better understanding leads to smarter movement!

Side lying leg lifts

This exercise is a Pilates classic within the side lying leg series. As we learned in Shorty's post about Gluteus Medius this muscle moves your thigh away from your center line in abduction. 

Lie down on one side with your head, ribs and pelvis all in one long line. Bend both knees into table top. Place a block or half roller under your head to keep your neck in alignment. Place your top hand in front of your waist for stability or on your top hip, or sacrum, to monitor what your pelvis is doing. Extend your top leg out long and bring it back in line with your top hip. Lower it to the mat and then lift it 1-2 inches higher than hip height. Lower it down to the mat keeping it  long under your hip. Repeat 12 times. Flip over and set up for the other side.  

Variation: Set up with your back against a wall. As you lower and lift your leg keep your heel in contact with the wall. This is great if you have quads that like to dominate. 

Wall balance with physio ball.

Stand with your physio ball between your greater trochanter and the wall.  Look down and get both feet truly under your hips. You will feel like the ball is shoving you away from the wall a bit. Square your ribs and hips off to the wall in front of you. Reaching tall through your torso, gently bend the knee of your leg that is touching the ball to lift that foot off the ground keeping your pelvis level. Balance here for 15-30 seconds. Repeat on the second side. Do three sets. Try this one with your shoes on or off! 

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Getting to Know Your Gluteus Maximus! #moveit

Here is a simple exercise that should teach you to feel your GLUTE MAX.

Lie face down and take time to connect into the length of your torso, and the support of your abdominals, while you breath into your back. Bend your right knee so that your heel reaches up to the ceiling. Turn your leg out slightly - the knee will open slightly away from center and the heel moves slightly towards center. Keeping a long spine, even hips and maintaining the rotation of your leg, lift your knee off of the ground. You should feel your GLUTE MAX engage to make this movement happen! Try both sides - you may have one side that likes to work more efficiently than the other!

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Gluteus Minimus

Gluteus Minimus is the smallest and deepest of your glutes. If we work our way superficial to deep you have Gluteus Maxiumus, Gluteus Medius and now Gluteus Minimus. 

Where is it?

Glute min originates on the posterior ilium  and inserts on the anterior (towards the front of the body) portion of your greater trochanter. 

Image from wiki images. 

What does it do?

Glute min is an assister. Minimus helps medius abduct the leg (move it away from the mid-line of the body), and when the hip is extended min helps internally rotate it too! Minimus also aids in flexion of the hip joint.

Stay tuned for some excellent exercises to help you identify and utilize all those #gloriousglutes muscles!

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Gluteus Medius

Our #gloriousglutes series continues with a #Shortyswan lesson on the Gluteus Medius. Stay tuned for at-home exercises and articles to continue your glute education!

WHERE IS IT?

The Gluteus Medius muscle originates from the outer surface of your ilium and inserts on your greater trochanter. It is sometimes called the deltoid of the hip, as it resembled the deltoid in your shoulder. Like the deltoid, glute med holds the outside of the joint from the top to the side, kind of like a shoulder pad, or a hand holding the outside of the joint.

WHAT DOES IT DO?

The main function of the glute med is to abduct the leg (move it away from center) and to assist slightly in medial (internal) rotation. When lying on your side, the Glute Med should be the main mover in your side leg lift. It is also a key stabilizer when standing on one leg and walking. In the picture above you see a stabilized pelvis on the left and on the right, a pelvis that is not properly stabilized by the glutes. The glute med helps to keep the top of your femur from sliding laterally (to the side) and thus helps secure the head of the femur more soundly in the hip socket -- it helps make space in your hip socket and helps the weight of your torso transfer through your legs in a healthy way.  

WHY DO I CARE?

A healthy, strong set of Gluteus Medius muscles helps protect your back, your knees, your feet and ankles. It is a massively important muscle used to control alignment through your legs, ankles and feet. Maintaining strong glute meds can help conditions such as piriformis syndrome, runners knee, ankle instability and more. Stay tuned for ways to strengthen these puppies!

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Gluteus Maximus

It's time to talk those #gloriousglutes! We all know what those are, right?! Glutes get talked about all the time through a variety of lenses. Let's begin our anatomical break down from the outside in, or superficial to deep. Today we will focus only on Gluteus Maximus and later this month we will look at Gluteus Medius and Gluteus Minimus as well as how they all three work together!

Where is it?

Your Glute Max has some interesting attachments. This large muscle originates along multiple surfaces -- just behind the posterior gluteal line of the ilium which is a land mark along the back of your iliac crest, your lumbodorsal fascia, the lower back side of your sacrum, the side of your coccyx , and the sacrotuberous ligament !! Whew!

Your glorious Glute Max's insertions are just as interesting. Roughly the upper 2/3 of it's fibers (those closest to your waist band) pass over the greater trochantor and insert into the iliotibial band. The lower 1/3 of the glute max are a bit deeper in and insert to the gluteal tuberosity, a raised portion on the lateral edge of your femur bone.

What does it do?

This most superficial Glute does great things! 

Hip Extension

When our thigh or femur is held still, it brings our pelvis forward and on top of our femur. Think going up stairs or going up front on the chair in the studio! In daily life this happens every time you bend over and lift something off the floor. And SQUATS!

When our pelvis is still, the glute max brings the femur in line with the body. Think swimming legs on the mat or the barrel, holding your legs up in swan on the chair or single leg elephant! 

For both of these actions the gluteus maximus is assisted by the hamstrings to create hip extension. A tight psoas or illiacus can make hip extension hard. 

**This is a great time to mention while I often explain muscles individually they hardly ever work alone to move your body. I like to give the information to you this way to make it easy to digest. Our muscles are a connected, happy family that need each other to move us through space. This is why balanced strength and mobility are so important among all your groups of muscles!**

Lateral or External Rotation of the Femur

The lower fibers of the Glute Max assist in laterally rotating your leg- aka turning it out. Working with them are your deep six rotators and your quadratus femurs. This happens during clam shells and side lying leg press. 

Adduction of the Femur

Adduction is moving your leg towards your midline. Again the lower fibers act on the femur here, drawing it in towards the mid-line of your body and drawing the femur in toward the hip socket. This happens in your back leg as you step forward or lift your leg in swimming legs. 

Abduction of the Femur

This talented muscle also moves your femur in the opposite direction. Abduction is moving the femur away from your mid line. The top fibers of the glute max work with the Gluteus Medius and Gluteus Minimus to move your leg out to the side. Think of side lying leg lifts! 

Now that you know the many movements the Gluteus Maximus helps create go back and look again at the origin and insertion- sometimes knowing the two together helps you more clearly understand the muscle and how it pulls on your bones! 

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