Has anyone successfully been able to get sleepy GLUTE(S) to activate & do their job??

[Inchworm]

Hi,

I do believe my right glute may be in a slight coma. After reading one of the recent threads about having uneven roundness in glutes, I did the test, since I too have one glute, my right that isn't as round and I do actually get periformis and hip pain on occasion. I decided to do a glute activation test and found in that test where you are in that bird/dog position from that thread, my right leg wasn't cooperating with me and I could barely get it off the floor when I was in that position. Today, I searched on youtube for some information and I actually foam rolled my glutes and hips and then did some of the exercises, followed by the lying band work from BBL.

So, to make a long story short, have any of you conquered the lazy glute? I suppose that would explain why my hamstrings get so tight, since they are making up for my glutes.

Thanks again,

Kelly

[Liz N]

Hi Kelly,
I can recommend pilates as a means of getting your glutes to fire - however I wouldn't learn it from a DVD - see if you can get some proper one on one help first.

However, I do like this great Aussie Youtube presentation on how to do clams.

[toaster]

Can you provide a link to the glute activation test? I'd like to try it too.

P.S.--Liz, you new avatar!

[toaster]

Okay, I found this:
http://leanbodiesconsulting.com/blog...ng-the-glutes/

I really struggled with the first test! (Admittedly, I was trying it in my office, but still. )
I was able to barely lift each leg. What surprised me is that I seemed to have more trouble with the side that I thought was firing less--i.e., that side appears less toned to me.

So, now what?

[roz]

Liz,
Is that a new picture of you?-- your hair looks super cute!

[Fitmama]

Yes. I had one side that didn't fire for years. I had all the same symptoms as you - flat lazy glute (and hamstring), periformis pain, hip pain. I also was asked alot if I was limping and my gait involved alot of upper body movement. For me the cause was a locked up SI joint on that side that caused my pelvis to be in an incorrect position. I have gotten unstuck with the help of a good chiropracter and have been maintaining correct alignment with help of Egoscue Method and Esther Gokhale's book (reccommended by someone here CarlaVeg I think, THANKS!!). She teaches correct posture which all hinges on correct pelvic position. It is amazingly simple to do and helps me so much. Now for the first time in my adult life I have a roundness forming on my hamstring and my glute is participating in everything from BBL to kettlebells to kickboxing kicks to deadlifts to Bodystrikes to pilates to walking and picking stuff up off the floor. I am not having back pain with any of this. It has been a real struggle for me but I think I have finally am functioning normally.

[rosepetals]

I rarely post due to its hard to keep up and I have health issues.

My glute, hamstring, quad, calf has the same issues. The subject has been something I have been studying ever since I read an article about muscle activation and glute atrophy. An article I read said glute atrophy is common in women over the age of 30. I don't have the energy to look up the link due to MS fatigue. For me my left glute shrunk, my hamstring, quad, but I have MS which can cause it. My goal is to rebuild the area with focused exercises. Over time I have reversed some of the atrophy, but not all of it. I believe with a healthy person it should be easier to do.

My research showed I needed to find exercises which would activate the muscles. So then I started searching for videos to activate more muscles all over the body. I found for me Ballet Body bridge on the wall and several others of her workouts were able to isolate the muscles which I needed to focus on and isolate them so you can activate them. It takes lots of work and effort to make the muscles move but it can be done.

I recently also started doing t-tapp due to it makes you activate all the muscles in your body while you are exercising. I found with the t-tapp the workouts can be easy if you don't properly activate the muscle or to extremely tough and hard if you are using proper form and activating. The stuff she says about the mind, muscles, nerves connecting is part of the answer. Its a neurokinetic connection I believe she says. The t-tapp is such an intense workout that I am still doing the instructional workouts 1 and 2. I tried to move on to a more advanced t-tapp workout but was not able to keep the muscles activated as well with the faster more advanced workouts.

One of the thing Teresa says on T-tapp is when you reach in opposite directions stretching as far as you can it helps with the nerve muscle connection. (Kind of like classical stretch.) She also has exercises that are challenging for the brain almost like rubbing your stomach and patting your head at the same time type movements (her movements are different) which help in the nerve muscle connection rebuilding.

Kettlebell swings when done like Skogg does activates the glute hamstring area very well.

It is said that yoga I think it was on paul g. dvd but I could be wrong, that holding the stretches in the yin positions for a long period help with the nerves and muscles receiving the messages. Someone posted an article here on fascia, muscle, nerve connection that was helpful in understanding things and how they work.

Doing the Balletbody and in the past physique 57 and other barre workouts was my first introduction to reversing the glute activation issues. When I realized how it helped me to walk better, with a bounce in my step up steep hills and both glutes were working I realized I was on to something. I feel like with ballet body it is more focused on specific areas of the body I need to work, where other ballet-barre type workouts are generalized. They activate my glutes but with ballet body I can put in a workout that targets the area that needs specific work.

I have decreased or reversed the muscle atrophy or shrinkage in the quad, hamstring, glute area but its not resolved. It will take a long time to reverse the effect of who knows how many years of atrophy.

I know this is rambling, my brain isn't working the best today due to the MS acting up. Its like trying to type through a thick fog, its really hard to think and get the words out. Even with the challenges I though I would post what I have found in hopes that it helps someone.

I call my workouts a Healing rotation. I use a variety of workouts that help me to work on healing my body. I include ballet body, classical stretch, yin yoga, t-tapp, NIA, Bellyfit earth, Callanetics and walking. NIA and bellyfit earth are movement therapies for me to help again with reconnection and feeling muscles or sensing along with feeling like a relaxing stretch yet cardio workout.

[Amazon]

Rosepetals, good for you for taking control of your MS.

You've obviously done a lot of research to learn what helps and what doesn't. Thank you for sharing what you've learned, because I can use it, too.

[rosepetals]

I rarely post due to its hard to keep up and I have health issues.

My glute, hamstring, quad, calf has the same issues. The subject has been something I have been studying ever since I read an article about muscle activation and glute atrophy. An article I read said glute atrophy is common in women over the age of 30. I don't have the energy to look up the link due to MS fatigue. For me my left glute shrunk, my hamstring, quad, but I have MS which can cause it. My goal is to rebuild the area with focused exercises. Over time I have reversed some of the atrophy, but not all of it. I believe with a healthy person it should be easier to do.

My research showed I needed to find exercises which would activate the muscles. So then I started searching for videos to activate more muscles all over the body. I found for me Ballet Body bridge on the wall and several others of her workouts were able to isolate the muscles which I needed to focus on and isolate them so you can activate them. It takes lots of work and effort to make the muscles move but it can be done.

I recently also started doing t-tapp due to it makes you activate all the muscles in your body while you are exercising. I found with the t-tapp the workouts can be easy if you don't properly activate the muscle or to extremely tough and hard if you are using proper form and activating. The stuff she says about the mind, muscles, nerves connecting is part of the answer. Its a neurokinetic connection I believe she says. The t-tapp is such an intense workout that I am still doing the instructional workouts 1 and 2. I tried to move on to a more advanced t-tapp workout but was not able to keep the muscles activated as well with the faster more advanced workouts.

One of the thing Teresa says on T-tapp is when you reach in opposite directions stretching as far as you can it helps with the nerve muscle connection. (Kind of like classical stretch.) She also has exercises that are challenging for the brain almost like rubbing your stomach and patting your head at the same time type movements (her movements are different) which help in the nerve muscle connection rebuilding.

Kettlebell swings when done like Skogg does activates the glute hamstring area very well.

It is said that yoga I think it was on paul g. dvd but I could be wrong, that holding the stretches in the yin positions for a long period help with the nerves and muscles receiving the messages. Someone posted an article here on fascia, muscle, nerve connection that was helpful in understanding things and how they work.

Doing the Balletbody and in the past physique 57 and other barre workouts was my first introduction to reversing the glute activation issues. When I realized how it helped me to walk better, with a bounce in my step up steep hills and both glutes were working I realized I was on to something. I feel like with ballet body it is more focused on specific areas of the body I need to work, where other ballet-barre type workouts are generalized. They activate my glutes but with ballet body I can put in a workout that targets the area that needs specific work.

I have decreased or reversed the muscle atrophy or shrinkage in the quad, hamstring, glute area but its not resolved. It will take a long time to reverse the effect of who knows how many years of atrophy.

I know this is rambling, my brain isn't working the best today due to the MS acting up. Its like trying to type through a thick fog, its really hard to think and get the words out. Even with the challenges I though I would post what I have found in hopes that it helps someone.

I call my workouts a Healing rotation. I use a variety of workouts that help me to work on healing my body. I include ballet body, classical stretch, yin yoga, t-tapp, NIA, Bellyfit earth, Callanetics and walking. NIA and bellyfit earth are movement therapies for me to help again with reconnection and feeling muscles or sensing along with feeling like a relaxing stretch yet cardio workout.

[editstein]

Kelly, I asked a couple of days ago about the glute guy, bret crontreras, you might check his website out and find something but I am not sure anyway since I didn't have the time to check yet