We’ve shared before how sitting for prolonged periods of time can make the muscles on the fronts of your hips become short and tight. What’s more, your glutes — or butt muscles — actually forget how to contract. (Think about it: With so much chair time, they’re not being used for much of anything except padding for your hipbones.) Now, the combination of tight muscles on the front of your hips and weak muscles on your backside causes your pelvis to tilt forward. This pushes your lower abdomen outward, making your belly pooch out — even if you don’t have an ounce of fat. Worse, it also puts stress on your lumbar spine, which can lead to low-back pain.But this passive-lock single-leg hip raise can help. It strengthens your glutes and teaches them how to contract again — which helps move your pelvis back into its natural alignment. Do 5 to 6 reps for each leg, holding the top position of the exercise for 3 to 5 seconds. If doing single-leg hip raises is too difficult, leave both heels on the ground, being sure to lift hips with a glute squeeze and not low back squeeze. Make this exercise a daily habit! Wake up those glutes and see how much better you feel! 🙂
  • Lay on your back, toes pointed up.
  • Bring one knee gently toward your chest and hold. This helps the pelvis ‘roll back’, flattening the low back and keeping it from taking over during the lift.
  • Squeeze both glutes while still touching the ground. This activates them and tells them to ‘get ready’.
  • Release and now focus on squeezing the glute of the non-pulled-back leg. Your hips should raise in the air, the harder the squeeze, the higher the lift. Hold for 3-5 seconds.
  • Be sure low back is relaxed and not doing the lifting.
  • Relax the glute and tap the ground.
  • Repeat 5-6 times each leg (consider doing more on the side that seems weaker)

•••

Contact: [email protected] / (616) 990-5797 to set up a Strategy Session and take the next step to look, feel, and move more awesome. 

“I enjoy my body much better now because it serves me so much better. I am very thankful for Valeo for the way it has radically and sustainably changed my entire concept of health and fitness.” – Rachael

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