I can’t move today. My butt has amnesia.

by marceyrader | Jun 4, 2015 | Health, Productivity

Did you know your morning spinning class or afternoon run isn’t enough to prevent glute amnesia?
Did you know that your butt has the capacity to forget how to fire?
GAP – Glute Amnesia Prevention!

If you are a professional sitter you should start giving that pancake the attention it deserves. Not the pancake you put in your mouth, but the pancake your butt has become from sitting all day, every day.

Your gluteus maximus (your biggest butt muscle) is the strongest muscle in the body, or at least it should be. It extends your hips and keeps your pelvis and spine stable. The glute maximus, medius and minimus help maintain proper leg alignment and allow you to walk on two feet instead of all fours. When you stop using these muscles they will gradually lose their ability to fire and forget their job.

Enter low back pain, hamstring compensation, ankle sprains, knee pain, hip pain, and lower-body misalignment.
When you have sitting disease, your hip flexors are contracted all day. This starts to affect the glutes through altered reciprocal inhibition, or reducing the function of your hips. If you think about your day…you sit on your commute (plane, train or car), sit at your desk, sit to eat, sit to relax, then you lay down to sleep, you may only be standing or moving 60-120 minutes a day!

What can I do to make my butt remember the good ole days?

• Get up every 45-50 minutes. If you can’t walk around, at least stand up for a few minutes. If you are on a plane, this is even more important. Yeah, you might annoy the person in the aisle seat but tell them you are concerned about their butt and they need to stand to let you out.
• Take the stairs as much as you can. We live in a 3-story townhome. My butt has good memory.
• If you’re a runner, incorporate sprinting and jumping into your exercise program. Check out a pro sprinter’s butt compared to a pro marathoner.
• Add in single-leg squats or deadlifts throughout the day. Brewing coffee? Sounds like a good time for some squats.
• Get a standing desk. Alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day. Use code MARCEYFREEMAT to receive a free mat on all bikes, under desk products and desks!
• Try to have a few walking meetings each month.
• Stretch your hip flexors and hamstrings. Foam roll your hips and glutes.
• Find a butt squeeze trigger like brushing your teeth or washing your hair. Make it a habit to squeeze your glutes whenever you are doing that action.
• It’s easy to forget the ba-donk-a-donk because we don’t see it. Soon….you’ll stop feeling it too.

What are you going to try for Glute Amnesia Prevention?