Lazy Glutes

So apparently I have lazy glutes .. or it probably sounds better if I say my gluteus medius is not being recruited effectively. I admit I have been told this before and given my primary choice of exercise is running I kind of need them to work to a pretty high standard.

How do I know this? Because I will admit it's not something that you can see working, unless you know what you are looking for I guess. 

Well, I booked in to a seminar on Lower Back Pain Assessment and Training.  I was quite looking forward to going and I must say that with so many of my clients complaining of lower back pain, I thought it was rather informative.  The presenter was a physiotherapist with QAS and he certainly gave me more insight into lower back pain and how to assist and train clients with this complaint. 
Anyway, I'm rambling ... while I was sitting there taking all this knowledge in I started to think about how I had been starting to feel a little stiff in the hips lately.  I did put it down to my infrequent stretching routine after training.  Don't get me wrong, I do stretch .. it's usually as I walk up the steps to the shower and then a couple of obligatory stretches in the shower.  Or after I hop of the treadmill I do the usual hip flexor, glute, hamstring stretches ..
So while I was sitting there I thought that given I have this massive wealth of knowledge talking to me, why not ask him if he could help me out with a few more stretches to release my hips.  

After a quick assessment of my flexibility, watching me walk and a quick jog .. I was told I don't recruit my glutes enough and I am quad dominant.  What!? I have been doing my strength training and I really thought that I was focusing on activating my glutes and strengthening them! Clearly I have not been doing this enough *sigh* .. time to pick up my act and start doing a few extra exercises to get my butt moving .. technically my glutes.

Enter exercises .. hip / glute bridge, clam shells,
one leg supported squats.


   
And stretches .. quads, hip flexors, revisit the foam roller ( I wince as I think of this instrument of torture ). Make commitment to attend Body Balance class once a week ( check, did that this morning and already feel a bit less stiff ).

I guess I can't complain .. I did ask the question.  And I really want to set a new PB in the half in July ... oh the things we do in the name of a challenge! But I love it!!

Until I ramble again .. don't forget to recruit your glutes!

Fit Mum x