Hey there Cheeky Cheeksters! Finally getting my feet back under me and getting the blogs rolling again. Thought I would start with something near and dear. Not only have these exercises been crucial in my life, I see them make a difference every day in my big kid job. Hope you give them a chance and start noticing a difference in your life.
We are talking about BUTTS baby! Also affectionately referred to as your bottom, behind, hiney, booty, rear, bum, peach, derriere or professionally, your glutes. These muscles are for more than for checking out. Donât get me wrong, a nicely formed rump is nice to have or look at. But these powerhouse muscles offer us pelvic stability. Without strong glutes a multitude of issues can arise. Low back pain, hip pain, and knee pain are all just the tip of the iceberg.
Your glutes are like the trusty foundation of a house. When theyâre strong and solid, everything stays in place and runs smoothly. But if the foundation starts to weaken, suddenly your whole âhouseâ feels wobbly, and issues start popping up everywhere. A creaky knee here, a cranky lower back thereâitâs like your bodyâs trying to call in an emergency repair team.
So, letâs get those glutes doing their best work! Hereâs a mini-series of hip-stabilizing moves to turn that booty into a boss. Grab a mat, clear some space, and letâs get to work and feel the burn baby!
90/90 Lifts
Lying on your side, your legs create a 90 degree angle. Be sure to keep your hips and knees stacked. Slowly lift the top leg evenly. Imagine you have a tray of drinks balanced on your top leg and you donât want to spill them. No crying over spilt milk.. or volka or tequila or bourbon or whatever drink you are balancing on that tray. Next you will llower your leg with control. Repeat. Keep your core engaged to keep your hips from moving. You should start feeling things beginning to warm up.
*Note in this picture how my hips and knees are stacked on top. Don’t let your hips roll back. Also, ignore my wonky foot. This was a self photoshoot. Remember The Cheeky Peony is perfectly imperfect.
*Here you can see how I lift that top leg keeping my cocktails nice and even and nothing is spilling. đ
Elevated Clamshell
Staying on your side and keeping your hips and knees stacked evenly, lift both of your feet as high as you comfortably can. Keeping your feet here, lift your top knee. Be sure to keep your feet glued together. Repeat, lifting and lowering your knee.
*Get those feet nice and high, keep ’em there and keep those feet together.
*Now lift that top knee and then with control lower down.
Foot Hinge
You should definitely be feeling those cheeks heating up. For the next one, stay sidelying. You are going to lift the top leg like you did in the first exercise. This time you will keep it raised. You will then lower just your foot. This will be a âhingingâ motion. Be sure to keep your knee in the same place. If your knee is unruly, place your hand there for feedback. Let it know you are serious and you are the boss. Continue this motion, lowering and raising your foot. We are cooking with fire now.
*For this one, I want you to think of just balancing 1 glass on top of your knee, we would totally spill a whole tray with this one.
*You can use your hand as a gentle reminder to keep that knee in place and not let it move. BUT don’t use it to HOLD your knee up. That’s cheating.
Bridge with a squeeze
Lie on your back, knees bent, feet planted. Place the ball (or pillow or yoga block) between your knees. Squeeze and keep pressure. Now, lift those hips toward the ceiling like youâre trying to crack a walnut between your cheeks (youâre welcome for that mental image). Pause at the top, and lower back down.
These exercises may feel a bit silly, but trust meâyour body will thank you. Start with 8 reps working your way up to 15. Doing 3 sets on each side. Give these a whirl 3-5 times a week, and before you know it, you will be feeling a difference.
Oh and here’s the disclaimer: Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new workout routine. The information provided here is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Exercise at your own risk.
