Project Build-a-butt: Level 3 - Functional

Congratulations!!

You have successfully worked through:

Level One - Activation

Level Two - Strengthening

You have come so far!

Now you might be thinking, "I've done all this hard work, but I still get pain when I am running/playing sport"

I'm sure you've heard it all before but unfortunately training is specific - this means that we only get good at what we specifically do.

For example if you hit the gym and pump iron, you will get fit and strong, but you won't be fit for a triathlon. Likewise, if you spend all your time lying on your side lifting your leg to get your glutes to burn- then you will get good at this. BUT this doesn't represent how we should use our butts in real life!!

So, with that being said, now is the time to turn all that training into something useful that is going to ensure you move with good bio-mechanics while doing the things you love.

Most of these exercises use the same position as in level two but with less support and more changes in direction.

1) 5-Point Star:

Set Up:

• Start standing in the same position as you did for scooters, but without holding on to anything

• Keep your hip and knee aligned

• While maintaining your stance posture, reach your other leg out to five points of a “star” (more like a ½ star)-> as per the diagram below

5point star

• Start small and as you work around the star try and reach further & further out without putting your foot down work your way around the "star" x3

2) Golfers Pickup:

Set Up: 

• Start standing in the same position as scooters and the 5point star

• Hold a heavy weight (8-15kg) in the SAME arm to the leg you are balancing on

• The goal is to keep a straight line from your heel to your head

• Pivoting around your hip and lean forwards reaching the weight down to the ground

--> as you lean forwards, reach your leg back behind you to maintain the nice straight line from your heel to head

3) Speed Skaters:

Set Up:

• Start standing in the same position as above

• Bend you knee

• Get your balance

• Jump as far as you can to the side

• Land on the other leg in the start position, as soon as you have your balance jump the other way

• As you get better at stabilising your landing try and speed up the intervals between jumps

• Repeat for 60 seconds

4) Triple Hop:

This one is nice and easy...

Set Up:

• Start in our favourite position

• Hop fowards as far as you can making sure you stick the landing before you take off again

• x 10 each leg

5) Marching and Skipping:

Marching and skipping- but not as you know it!!

NOTE: These can be quite technically demanding and require a lot of concentration and focus. Unless you have been through them with me (Sam) and are really interested in running I wouldn't recommend them

The idea is to practice bringing your foot to the ground, focusing on hip extension and foot placement.

Now what??

You may have heard the term mind-muscle connection - which basically means exactly that - THINK about the muscles that should be activating as you exercise/work them.
This stays true no matter how advanced you get, and is the only way to ensure you will always be getting the most out of an exercise i.e. MAXIMUM GAINS!

Let's face it, most likely, the very reason you got into a situation where your glutes weren't firing is because your body forgot about them!

Our bodies love to cheat, so staying on top of them is paramount - make sure you continue to activate those glutes before a heavy gym work-out, think about them as you walk up a hill & keep a solid base with both feet evenly on the ground when possible.

A few extra words from Lisa:

As someone who has gone through this process myself, I can honestly say that getting to this point in my training has been like finding a whole new body part. I am stronger than I've ever been, and my body looks balanced and feels healthy. Having stronger glutes that actually support me has not only eliminated my hip & lower back pain, but it has also improved my work-outs, made my pants more difficult to get on (yus!!), and generally just given me a stronger sense of being.

Remember - your body is with you for life, make sure you make time to look after it!