6 Yoga Poses for Useless Butt Syndrome

The tech age has introduced with it a number of well-known maladies. I wrote about Textual content Neck and Textual content Claw manner again in 2015. However I discovered solely not too long ago about yet one more bodily byproduct of an excessive amount of desk sitting with a fairly dramatic identify: Useless Butt Syndrome.

By now, you’ve most likely heard the phrase “sitting is the brand new smoking.” Analysis has proven that sitting for lengthy hours in entrance of a pc could cause a variety of opposed well being results, and might even shorten our lives. Right here’s what the Mayo Clinic has to say:

“Analysis has linked sitting for lengthy durations of time with a lot of well being considerations. They embody weight problems and a cluster of situations — elevated blood stress, excessive blood sugar, extra physique fats across the waist and unhealthy levels of cholesterol — that make up metabolic syndrome. An excessive amount of sitting total and extended durations of sitting additionally appear to extend the chance of loss of life from heart problems and most cancers.”

Whereas the Mayo Clinic didn’t point out Useless Butt Syndrome, we are able to add that to the checklist.

What Causes Useless Butt Syndrome?

Useless Butt Syndrome, extra delicately referred to as “Gluteal Amnesia,” happens once we habitually sit for lengthy durations. Jobs that require a number of pc time, or just residing a sedentary life-style and eschewing train might be culprits.

Once we sit for lengthy durations, over time, our hip flexors shorten. This causes an anterior tilt within the pelvis that maintain the glutes from with the ability to contract absolutely. Not solely can this trigger the glutes to go dormant, however it may well additionally trigger issues within the low again and legs.

Our glutes, together with gluteus maximus, medius and minimus, work collectively to maintain us upright. They’re key in propelling us ahead once we stroll or run. The glutes stabilize the pelvis and maintain it aligned. These highly effective muscle tissues are the first hip extenders. They, together with different muscle tissues of the posterior chain, permit us to stroll, climb stairs, choose issues up off the ground (and rise again as much as standing), carry heavy objects and stand on one leg. In a phrase, sturdy glutes are important to on a regular basis functioning.

How Do You Know if Your Glutes Have Gone Dormant?

Listed here are a number of of the indications that you simply is perhaps experiencing Useless Butt Syndrome:

• Tight hip flexors could cause problem in standing upright. This might end in low again ache and poor posture usually. When you discover that your torso leans ahead a bit, this may very well be the results of tight hip flexors.
• Useless Butt Syndrome could cause poor steadiness. When our glutes can’t contract, our entire our bodies lose stability. If we’re chronically bent ahead due to inactive glutes and tight hip flexors, our skeletons can’t align correctly, which might throw our steadiness off.
• Inactive glutes may trigger you to really feel weak spot in your decrease physique throughout train reminiscent of yoga, mountain climbing, strolling, working or bicycling. You may really feel as in case your glutes don’t interact once you attempt to contract them throughout yoga or different train.
• Over time, it’s possible you’ll start to expertise knee or foot ache due to the misalignment of your skeleton.
• It’s possible you’ll be extra liable to points reminiscent of patellofemoral syndrome, iliotibial (IT) band syndrome, piriformis syndrome and herniated discs.

How Can Yoga Assist Reawaken Your Glutes?

The excellent news is that Useless Butt Syndrome doesn’t need to be our everlasting state. With focused train, we are able to reactivate our glutes, usually inside a number of months. There are many yoga poses that strengthen the glutes and/or stretch the hip flexors. Along with strengthening, stretching the glutes to facilitate blood stream can also be a good suggestion.

Whereas the poses under are usually not the one ones that may assist get up your glutes, they’re all simply accessible to yoga practitioners of all physique sorts and expertise ranges. When you’ve practiced these for some time, see if you happen to can provide you with extra poses that activate your glutes.

6 Yoga Poses for Useless Butt Syndrome

Parsva Balasana (Chicken Canine Pose with Variation)

Parsva Balasana stabilizes the core (back and front), promotes steadiness and prompts the glutes. This publish describes the fundamental model of the pose.

When you’d prefer to juice it up a bit, loop a resistance band across the insteps of each ft. Stretch your proper leg again, then return to arms and knees, conserving each arms on the ground, and conserving your torso secure. Repeat this motion 10 to fifteen occasions, then change to the left leg. You’ll wish to begin with a lightweight band and progress to the following degree of resistance band when the train begins to really feel too simple.

Anjaneyasana (Crescent Lunge Pose)

So as to have the ability to contract the glutes utterly, the hip flexors should have the ability to lengthen. Lunge poses stretch the quadriceps and hip flexors. There are different poses that may allow you to stretch your hip flexors, reminiscent of Supta Ardha Virasana (Reclining Half Hero’s Pose). However Crescent Lunge is less complicated on the knees, since your again knee will not be hyperflexed within the pose. Whilst you’re within the pose, interact the glutes of your again leg. Take 5 to 10 deep breaths on all sides.

Virabhadrasana I & II (Warrior I & II Poses)

Warrior I & II are just like Crescent Lunge in that they stretch the hip flexors. Additionally they provide the alternative to actively interact the glutes of your again leg. I discover this glute motion to be notably useful in Virabhadrasana II.

Salabhasana (Locust Pose)

Child Backbends are a number of the strongest poses for strengthening the again physique, together with the glutes. Whenever you observe Locust Pose and its variations, the muscle tissues in your again physique are the only drivers of the motion. In poses reminiscent of Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) and Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Going through Canine Pose), the help of your arms takes a number of the work out of the again. However within the Salabhasana, your again muscle tissues, together with the glutes, are doing all of the work. The variations the place you elevate your legs are essentially the most highly effective glute activators.

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)

Bridge Pose, like Locust Pose and plenty of different backbends, prompts the again physique muscle tissues. You possibly can enhance the butt-busting advantages by practising with a 10-pound Yoga Sandbag positioned throughout your hip joints. You possibly can both keep within the pose for five to 10 deep breaths, or do 10 to fifteen repetitions, shifting comparatively slowly out and in of the pose.

Supta Ardha Padmasana (Reclining Half Lotus Pose)

After practising partaking the glutes, it’s necessary to stretch them out as properly. This may assist enhance blood stream to the muscle tissues. Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose) is without doubt one of the handiest poses for stretching the hip rotators and extenders. However Cow Face Pose might be difficult for some individuals’s knees. Reclining Half Lotus Pose is a extra accessible choice. You possibly can at all times observe each poses, after all. However observe Reclining Half Lotus Pose first, to organize your hips for Gomukhasana.

Wrapping It Up

The poses above are a number of the handiest poses I do know to counteract Useless Butt Syndrome, however there are loads extra within the yoga canon. Additionally, the poses listed above don’t embody any twists or lateral bends. Make sure to sprinkle a few of these actions into your observe so that you simply deal with all of the alternative ways your backbone can transfer out of its impartial place.

Then, simply as necessary, take time to observe Savasana (Corpse Pose) after you observe. This may allow you to combine the work you’ve finished.

About Charlotte Bell

Charlotte Bell found yoga in 1982 and commenced instructing in 1986. Charlotte is the writer of Aware Yoga, Aware Life: A Information for On a regular basis Observe and Yoga for Meditators, each printed by Rodmell Press. Her third ebook is titled Hip-Wholesome Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Information to Defending the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Ache (Shambhala Publications). She writes a month-to-month column for CATALYST Journal and serves as editor for Yoga U On-line. Charlotte is a founding board member for GreenTREE Yoga, a non-profit that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, Charlotte performs oboe and English horn within the Salt Lake Symphony and people sextet Purple Rock Rondo, whose DVD received two Emmy awards in 2010.