Five Steps To Building A Better Bottom

Having a good bottom, whilst being aesthetically pleasing, is also a must for any person dreaming of optimum health and performance. The perfect posterior whilst pleasing to the eye is also very important for function of the core musculature which is fundamental for prevention of back pain.

Try this five step approach to achieving better bottom...

Start Rolling...
It is very common for people who have a sedentary job or women who have had babies (so most people reading this blog then...) to suffer with glute amnesia. During the later stages of pregnancy or if sat on for a long periods of time, the muscles in your bottom ‘switch off’ and forget how to work. The gluteal muscles are the powerhouse of the body and when they don’t function efficiently can cause back pain. If they are overly tight they can also contribute to knee pain. The first step to getting ‘buns of steel’ is to loosen up any tight or knotty adhesions within that muscle. This will also serve a dual purpose and activate the sleeping giant (so to speak..).

The best way I have seen for you to do this to yourself is by using self-myofascial release. You can do this with a foam roller or tennis/hockey ball. Place the ball in the belly of the muscle and sit on it propping yourself up with your hands and feet. Move or roll it around until you find a tender point and pause. The muscle will release under the pressure allowing you to put it to work in the remainder of your workout.



Stretch the hip flexors...
One of the main reason many peoples bottom musculature switch off is due to the tightness through the hip flexors. When the hip flexors become tight they alter the way the muscles in your bottom work. By stretching and inhibiting the hip flexors you allow for the muscles in your butt to begin working again.

The best way and simplest way I have found to stretch your hip flexors is by using a Warrior Stretch. To perform the warrior stretch place one knee on a mat and take a big step forward. Clasp and extend your hand above your head and drive your hips forward. You should feel this through the front of your thigh. Hold this for between 30 and 60 seconds on each leg for best results.



Do the spiderman...
Now, the muscle on the front of your leg are more than likely very tight and so will need a bit more than just one stretch. A great exercise I have found to develop mobility through the front of your leg (and consequently allow the muscles in the bottom to work) is a spiderman. An exercise that forces you to open up the hip flexors in the front of the leg, the spidie (as it is affectionally known at bootcamp) is performed in press up position doing what for all intense and purposes is a lunge. Check out this video for how it is done. http://www.youtube.com/user/SteveKeyPT#p/u/19/3lmqDfSADKQ

Get your bridge on...
One of the simplest most effective ways to create the ‘two eggs in a hanky’ effect is to get your bridge on. The prime mover in your bottom - the glute max - is primarily a hip extensor. By lying on your back with your feet underneath your knees, tensing your bottom and pressing your hips to the sky you will have a very effective bridge exercise.



Do some proper exercise...
The steps up until now have been rather gentle. Whilst incredibly effective to really change the shape of your bottom I would suggest exercise that extend the hips such as squats and lunges. To sculpt and tone adding an element of power or intensity to them by adding a jump too. Squat jumps or split jumps are incredibly tough and incredibly effective. One of my other favorite ways of targeting this area of the body is by sprinting. Different to running, sprinting involves a huge amount of hip extension and can really get you the kind of bottom that is pleasing to the eye.

So there you have it, five steps to building a better bottom! Remember, have a better bottom is not all about looking good, it is an important remedy for back and knee pain, is essential for improving core function and can lead to a great performance in sport.