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 means again in 2015. However I came upon solely lately about one more bodily byproduct of an excessive amount of desk sitting with a slightly dramatic title: 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 antagonistic well being results, and may even shorten our lives. Right here’s what the Mayo Clinic has to say:

“Analysis has linked sitting for lengthy intervals of time with a lot of well being considerations. They embody weight problems and a cluster of situations — elevated blood strain, 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 intervals of sitting additionally appear to extend the chance of demise from heart problems and most cancers.”

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

What Causes Useless Butt Syndrome?

Useless Butt Syndrome, extra delicately known as “Gluteal Amnesia,” happens once we habitually sit for lengthy intervals. Jobs that require numerous pc time, or just dwelling a sedentary life-style and eschewing train might be culprits.

Once we sit for lengthy intervals, over time, our hip flexors shorten. This causes an anterior tilt within the pelvis that maintain the glutes from having the ability to contract totally. Not solely can this trigger the glutes to go dormant, however it may 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 mass are the first hip extenders. They, together with different muscle mass of the posterior chain, enable us to stroll, climb stairs, decide issues up off the ground (and rise again as much as standing), carry heavy objects and stand on one leg. In a phrase, robust glutes are very important to on a regular basis functioning.

How Do You Know if Your Glutes Have Gone Dormant?

Listed here are a couple of of the indications that you simply is likely to be experiencing Useless Butt Syndrome:

• Tight hip flexors could cause problem in standing upright. This might end in low again ache and poor posture normally. In the event you discover that your torso leans ahead a bit, this might be the results of tight hip flexors.
• Useless Butt Syndrome could cause poor stability. When our glutes can’t contract, our complete 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 may throw our stability off.
• Inactive glutes would possibly trigger you to really feel weak point in your decrease physique throughout train comparable to yoga, mountaineering, strolling, working or bicycling. You would possibly really feel as in case your glutes don’t interact once you attempt to contract them throughout yoga or different train.
• Over time, you might start to expertise knee or foot ache due to the misalignment of your skeleton.
• Chances are you’ll be extra susceptible to points comparable to 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 should be our everlasting state. With focused train, we will reactivate our glutes, typically inside a couple 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 circulation can be a good suggestion.

Whereas the poses beneath aren’t 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 should you 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 stability and prompts the glutes. This submit describes the essential model of the pose.

In the event 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 palms and knees, preserving each palms on the ground, and preserving your torso secure. Repeat this motion 10 to fifteen occasions, then change to the left leg. You’ll need to begin with a light-weight band and progress to the subsequent stage of resistance band when the train begins to really feel too straightforward.

Anjaneyasana (Crescent Lunge Pose)

So as to have the ability to contract the glutes fully, the hip flexors should be capable of lengthen. Lunge poses stretch the quadriceps and hip flexors. There are different poses that may aid you stretch your hip flexors, comparable to Supta Ardha Virasana (Reclining Half Hero’s Pose). However Crescent Lunge is simpler on the knees, since your again knee is just not 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 few of the strongest poses for strengthening the again physique, together with the glutes. Whenever you apply Locust Pose and its variations, the muscle mass in your again physique are the only drivers of the motion. In poses comparable to Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) and Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Dealing with Canine Pose), the help of your arms takes a few of the work out of the again. However within the Salabhasana, your again muscle mass, 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 lots of different backbends, prompts the again physique muscle mass. You may improve the butt-busting advantages by training with a 10-pound Yoga Sandbag positioned throughout your hip joints. You may 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 training partaking the glutes, it’s vital to stretch them out as properly. This can assist improve blood circulation to the muscle mass. Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose) is among the best poses for stretching the hip rotators and extenders. However Cow Face Pose might be tough for some folks’s knees. Reclining Half Lotus Pose is a extra accessible choice. You may all the time apply each poses, after all. However apply Reclining Half Lotus Pose first, to arrange your hips for Gomukhasana.

Wrapping It Up

The poses above are a few of the best 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. You should definitely sprinkle a few of these actions into your apply so that you simply deal with all of the other ways your backbone can transfer out of its impartial place.

Then, simply as vital, take time to apply Savasana (Corpse Pose) after you apply. This can aid you combine the work you’ve performed.

About Charlotte Bell

Charlotte Bell found yoga in 1982 and started educating in 1986. Charlotte is the writer of Aware Yoga, Aware Life: A Information for On a regular basis Follow and Yoga for Meditators, each printed by Rodmell Press. Her third e-book 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 folks sextet Pink Rock Rondo, whose DVD gained two Emmy awards in 2010.