What's Tight & What's Weak? Glutes & Hamstring Edition

In past issues, we worked out our aching neck and shoulders, we flexed our core knowledge of back pain. Now, we’re on to the bottom bits: our glutes (aka bum) and thighs.

A quick rundown:

As you know, keeping our muscles strong through the full range of motion available to them is key. When we sit at a desk all day, we significantly limit the amount of movement of any given body part. When it comes to our lower half, here’s what’s up:

• The glutes are in a lengthened position;
• The hamstrings (the back of the thigh) are lengthened where they connect to the pelvis but shortened where they connect to the knee;
• The quads (the top of the thigh) are similarly lengthened at their knee connection and shortened at the hip.

That's a lot to visualize, but don’t sweat. The takeaway is the same as all the other body parts we’ve covered: it’s not as simple as shortened muscles are tight and lengthened muscles are weak; we need to work on strength and mobility throughout.

So let’s dive in to simple moves you can do to repair what sedentary days have wrought on your incredible body!

The Glutes

Strengthen: Glute bridges

Pretty much every glute exercise out there will also work your hamstrings or your quads, so you get a double (or I guess a triple) whammy with this one! For a glute bridge, simply lie on your back with your feet about a foot from your bum. Firm your core so it supports you as you lift, then drive through your heels to raise your seat up off the floor. Squeeze your glutes at the top, then lower slowly. To make it harder, do one leg at a time, with the other knee raised and bent 90 degrees. You can also add a dumbbell to your hips, but if you’re at that point, I’d suggest progressing to a glute drive/hip thrust version.

Stretch and Mobilize: Knee hug or reclined figure 4

Lie on your back and draw one knee in toward your chest. Your other leg can stay straight or bent with the foot on the floor. Hug the knee in for a couple counts, then lengthen. Repeat. Add more hip mobility by using your hand to bring the knee out to the side and around to your chest again in a big circle.

Another wonderful option for the stretch part: pigeon pose!

The Hamstrings

Strengthen: Yoga ball rollouts

Place your heels (and your calves for more support) on a yoga ball with your legs fully extended. Lift your hips up off the mat and bend your knees, rolling the ball toward you and away again. This one is hard. No ball? Put your heels on a paper plate (if you’re on carpet) or a dishtowel (if you’re on linoleum) and slide them in and out, trying to keep your hips up.

Stretch and Mobilize: Heel sweeps and holds

Ignite your inner jogger, whether you own a pair of running shoes or not. Rest one heel on the floor in front of your back leg. Straighten that knee and bend the other. Keeping the front leg straight, reach down toward the toes, then out as you come up. Repeat 5-8 times, then hold the last one down. Think of keeping the spine long throughout (rather than curving over).

The Quadriceps

Strengthen: Step ups

This is a great one for home or gym, since most of us have something stable we can stand on. Choose a height that challenges you and make sure a wall or counter is nearby for a balance assist. Put one foot on the riser and step up. That’s it, but make sure you’re only using your raised foot. Don’t jump or bounce off your back foot, and don’t flop down when you return. Keep both movements slow, controlled, and isolated on the raised leg.

A similar option without the step: a forward lunge or split squat!

Stretch and Mobilize: Kneeling lunge and lying quad stretch

Kneel on the mat with one knee down and one knee up. Keep the planted leg foot under the knee (not further out). Move your hips forward so your knee passes over the toe and you feel a stretch through the top of your back leg. Move back and forth. Switch sides.

Then, lie down on one side. Reach behind you to take the top foot in the top hand (use a strap if needed, or bend the knee in toward your chest to grab hold). Pull your foot toward your bum and point the knee toward the bottom of the mat. Hold for a few counts. Switch sides.

And just like that, you’ve got some exercises to add to your workout or a quick workday movement snack.

Feeling particularly tight in a specific area or noticing a significant weakness? Drop me a line (by simply hitting reply to this newsletter), and I’ll hook you up with some moves that might help.