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Quarantine life means many people are sitting more, which is not good news for your lower body muscles. If working out to get a stronger lower body is on your to-do list while in quarantine, I have some bad news. The exact thing you’re doing the most (sitting) is probably sabotaging your goals. But, don’t give up just yet. “For most of us, our lifestyles involve so much sitting, where the glutes are numbed by the pressure placed on them throughout the day. In addition, the hip flexors are in a tightened position. This shortening of the hip flexors sends a signal to the glutes to essentially shut off — a process called reciprocal inhibition. Over time, the neurological connection to the glutes gets weaker and weaker,” says Adam Swartz, Chief Fitness Officer Purpose And Benefits Of Doing Boot Camp Yoga personal trainer at The DB Method. Read more: The best home exercise equipment in 2020 So how can you better train and access the glute muscles (other than avoid sitting for too long)? Swartz says there are a few ways you can “wake up” your glutes properly before working out to make sure they are activating and optimally firing when you do butt exercises. “We are very much forward-oriented creatures — we are far more connected to the front of our bodies rather than the back. Therefore when it’s time to train we really need to spend time waking up and reconnecting to the glutes before we expect them to work optimally,” Swartz says. Keep reading to find out Swartz’s best exercises for targeting your lower half, including your butt and thighs, and the benefits of strong glutes.
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