How to Harness Glute Power When You Are Over 50
Let’s talk about your butt.
Those big muscles that you sit on are more than just cushioning, they hold great power when it comes to movement. However, the body is a master compensator, and doesn’t always use the muscles that give the most power. Often, it goes through the path of least resistance.
When I was almost 40, I started getting lower back pain. When I was assessed by a PT, she said my glutes were weak. I couldn’t believe it, I was so active with yoga, swimming, and walking. But sure enough, during my next yoga class I realized I didn’t use my glutes. Not once. I was compensating with other muscles and it was taking its toll on my back.
What are the Glutes?
The Glutes (Gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus) are a group of muscles that give the buttocks their rounded shape. As you age, if you aren’t using and strengthening them, they lose their shape and become flat. Anyone with a “flat butt” is probably compensating when they walk, go up stairs, or lift objects from the ground, and is also probably having some lower back or hip pain.
The 3 main jobs of the Glutes is Hip Extension (moving the thigh backward), Abduction (moving the thigh away from the midline), and Rotation (turning the thigh in and out). When the glutes aren’t firing properly, the hamstrings take over which causes strain and tightness. Many people’s tight hamstrings are because they aren’t using their glutes when they should. Sitting and/or driving for long periods are other common causes of tight hamstrings.
What do they do?
Pushing off is the most common use for the glutes in daily life. Walking, running, going upstairs, and standing up from sitting are the most common times to use them. Anytime that you are moving through space or propelling yourself forward, you want to engage the glutes.
Common walking injuries are lower back, knee, or hip (flexor) pain. If you don’t use your glutes when you walk, it’s common to over use the hip flexors, and they hurt. This can then affect the knee and/or lower back. By engaging the glutes, you are using the most efficient muscles to move forward.
Walk this way
Although most of us learn to walk as babies, by the time you are 50, bad habits abound. People walk with all sorts of odd postures that are either due to or will lead to pain. To avoid pain and to walk with the most efficiency, you want to push off your back foot, rather than reach forward with your front foot.
Keep your shoulders over your hips and propel yourself forward from your pelvis, using your glutes. When you lead with your upper body, you can’t access your glutes and your hamstrings take over. When your hips lead, you cause collapse in your lower back. Ideally you want to feel Mountain pose/Tadasana in your body as you move.
I love walking and hiking, but I was getting hip pain when I walked more than a couple of miles. When I started walking using my glutes, my hip pain went away. Small adjustments to your gait can make a huge difference in how you feel, and how you move. See the video below.
Changing your gait takes time. Initially you may need to walk slowly to feel the movement in your body and commit it to muscle memory. When you practice a few times it becomes easier. Same applies to any other movement that you do. Start bringing some awareness to your glutes in your daily activities and notice how it feels to use them. You might need to put your hands on your buttocks to feel them working, but over time, activation becomes more natural.
More support!
Click here to watch a free video about strengthening and stretching your Glutes!
If you are having lower back pain or discomfort, click here to get your free Lower Back Health After 50 Bundle! This bundle contains 3 videos that strengthen your core and stretch tight muscles that commonly lead to lower back pain. Plus the eBook “Lower Back Health After 50” to explore 3 yoga poses that support and stabilize your core and lower back.
Join the 10×10 Core Challenge coming in January! Click this link to do 10 minutes of core strengthening (including your glutes) every day for 10 days! Start the year off with a strong core! Challenge runs free on Facebook from Jan 3-12, 2024.
Take daily yoga classes for active adults over 50 online! Classes for beginners to experienced students, with classes ranging from 30-60 minutes. You can take classes live online or on demand!
