As a kid, teenager and adult I spent too much time berating myself about my butt being too big!  When I look back at photos of myself – I looked so lean and definitely not with a big butt!  Why are we so hard on ourselves!

My ‘hate my butt’ times have outweighed my ‘love my butt’ times!  But not anymore.  With age comes wisdom!  Now I’m grateful and happy to have a body that’s fully functioning and healthy!  And grateful to have a butt!

Too Big or Too Small?

Whether you feel your butt is too big or too small………..this group of muscles  needs to work!

This muscle group, comprises of –

• …your gluteus maximus
• …gluteus medius
• …and your gluteus minimus

…..and is the biggest muscle group in the body.

What’s the role of your Gluteus “Butt” muscles?

These 3 muscles work as a dream team so you can lift your leg to the front, to the side AND help rotate your thigh outwards and inwards.  They’re the “powerhouse” of your body.

You’re using them all the time.  Even when standing, they’re helping support your body and helping you have better balance.

Having strong butt muscles will make every type of exercise or activity you try, a hell of a lot easier!

How Do Your Butt (Glute) Muscles Get Lazy?

Office work and long hours of sitting on your butt, makes this glute muscle group lazy.  It’s forgotten how to work!

Mix that with driving or sitting on a bus or train to and from work.  Then sitting again at home to eat dinner and watch TV.  Your butt muscles have pretty much gone to sleep!

What Happens To Them When Laziness Settles In?

If you don’t put enough time and effort into strengthening your glutes, the other surrounding muscles and joints pay the price.

The glutes are the driving force for the way you move.  So when they’re weak, more pressure is put on other muscles and joints…….ie; your hamstrings (back of your legs).

They then get weaker or injured because they’re overloaded.  That overloading puts strain on other muscles and joints such as knees and calves…..it’s a flow-on effect!

Weak butt muscles also affect your pelvis as there’s a misbalance in the muscles supporting this area.  Leading to lower back pain.

All these issues cause a ripple effect throughout your body.  When there’s a muscle imbalance happening in your lower body it shows up in your upper body……in some shape or form.

How Can You Tell If Your Butt (Glute) Muscles Aren’t Doing Their Job?

In no particular order……

• …Decreased hip mobility
• …Lower back pain
• …Knee pain
• …Plantar fasciitis (bottom of your feet).  Any problems in your feet? Check your glutes!
• …Locked ankles or on going ankle issues
• …Tight psoas muscles (front of your groin area)
• …Hamstring  (back of your leg) pulls
• …Shoulder tightness or pain – yes even here!

So you can see – lazy butt muscles are not allowed!

Head over here to get your Flat-Butt-Fixer – FREEBIE video demo sequence …..but keep reading for some extra flat-butt-fixer tips!

What’s The Solution?

Add some more “targeted” butt (glute) muscle exercises into your workouts.  An inexpensive and easy way to do this – buy yourself some “tubing” from your local Physiotherapist or on-line.

Usually when you buy this tubing it comes with a little pamphlet of exercises.  Pick out the butt (glute) focused exercises and add these into your workouts 2-3x per week.

And get yourself in front of a mirror, so you can really focus on your form.  If there’re no instructions supplied, try the Crab Walk.   Check out the video demo here…

Constantly check your form in front of a mirror so you can see what’s happening with your knees and feet.  Good form is essential here!

Aim for about 40-50 steps.

Your Friend The Spiky Ball!

As much as you need to strengthen and work this butt (glute) muscle group, you also need it to switch off and relax when it’s not needed. 

Using the spiky ball as a pressure point release technique, does the trick.  So do yourself a favour and invest in a spiky ball!

Every day release and wake up those sleepy butt muscles by spending a few minutes on each butt cheek.

• Lie on your side on the carpet or a yoga mat.
• Come up onto your forearm and position the spiky ball under the side of your butt.  Find a tight spot and stay on it until it releases…..then move to another spot.
• Do the side of your butt and also roll the ball under the “belly” (back of your butt) as well.
• Spend about 1-2 minutes on each side.