![BUM](https://www.of-courseonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/bum.jpg)
There is an epidemic of ‘lazy bum syndrome’and this is creating bigger problems than the usual of just not fitting into your jeans.
Small bums, big bums, flat bums, perky bums, no bums …which ever one you or your patient has, if it ain’t working then it ain’t supporting.
The consequencesof this muscle falling asleep is huge because it is fundamental for many daily activities i.e. getting up off of a chair, standing back up when you have bent over, walking, running, squatting and jumping. So I guess it is safe to say that you need one and in needing one I mean a good, functional one. One that can contract and when it actually does contract you can feel it working.
Unfortunately this is not the case is a very large percentage of the population. Let’s just say it is due to sitting all day, standing in a compromising posture and performing a specific sport that does not use this muscle in its best form i.e. long distance running.So what is the result of this ‘lazy bum syndrome’?
- Very weak hip stability
- Compromised sacro-iliac joints
- Weak hip disassociation
- Loss of stability for the lumbar spine
- Hip injuries
- Knee injuries
- Compromised movements in functional movements
- Glutes that generally just don’t look great
So I have been focusing on this muscle with my clients for about 10 years. This led us to perform EMG tests to see which exercises would get the glutes to work the most effectively.
THE CONCLUSION: What works for the one does not necessarily work for the other.We cannot generalize glute exercises due to the fact that each person has a different mind that responds differently to instruction, positions, familiar movements and then of course each person has different habitual movement patterns within their own hips.These patterns have caused tighter muscle groups or altered neuro-muscular patterns.
THE SCIENCE: There is a science involved in getting the ever popular bum to work and look better. It doesn’t just happen.
SCENARIOS: People with very tight hip flexors do not always respond well to open chain glute exercises.Their brain cannot think of moving freely in space and SIMULTANEOUSLY trying to contract a ‘paralyzed’ muscle.We have to bring in closed chain gluteus maximus work while the hip is still in hip flexion. With this there needs to be a strong mental concentration on the gluteus maximus (bum) to work. It helps a lot if the person thinks of the movement as a pulling action rather than a pushing action. When you bring in the closed chain element then it will be a pulling and pushing action.
For those of you who just want to get the damn thing working. Try giving it a squeeze in a sitting position. You should see your body lift a bit when you give it a squeeze (this could look very interesting for those who are in the cars next to you while you squeeze it during peak hour traffic). FEEL if the one side works better than the other side and put more mind focus on the weaker side. Do this whenever you remember. This will start opening the pathway to making it exist.
From there, you can start training the bum.
This is a process. Do Not give up! Give it 6 months. Yes…can you believe it….SIX MONTHSand it will look better and it will work better and it will stabilize better.
The size is determined by what you put into your mouth unfortunately but the tone is up to what you do with the bum on a daily basis.
If you are unsure of this process, then please look at the ‘Sleeping bum SOLVED’ course at Of-CourseOnline as well as the ‘Why behind Compensations‘ course. A comprehensive assessment of the pelvis is necessary in order to give you accurate feedback as to why the individual is struggling to feel the glutes in general movements of glute exercises.
The good news is that anything is possible and yes it is possible to make the ‘bum’ do its job and in doing so…..look amazing.
It is time to target the bum and get rid of the ‘lazy bum epidemic’ and in doing so look better, feel better and injure less.