More Walking, Less Pain
Attention Walkers: Your Glutes Need to be Stronger!
If your body starts to ache during a walk, you’re definitely not alone.
Most women that LOVE to stay active by walking everyday also complain about nagging joint pains…
…whether it’s painful during their walk or later in the day, after they return home.
The biggest reason for these walking woes - like back or knee pain - is having weak lower body muscles.
Specifically weak glutes. (This video explains why this happens.)
Don’t worry, there’s a simple fix!
JUST ONE THING
Pain free walks start with strong glutes!
Your JUST ONE THING to Ease Walking Pain
Strengthen Your Glute Muscles
Having stronger glute muscles means:
✔️ More stability through your entire leg with every step
✔️ Better posture and balance on uneven terrain
✔️ More power and strength to climb up and down hills
✔️ Less ankle, knee, hip and back pain, even if you have osteoarthritisNot only will strengthening your glutes make your walks feel better,
But it will also help boost your overall metabolism (glute muscles are the largest in your body, so more muscle mass here has a direct impact on your metabolic rate!)…
…And it will increase the bone density in your pelvis and femur.You can’t go wrong with stronger glutes!
Here are two simple, equipment-free exercises that train your glutes in different, yet functional ways.
Glute Muscle-Building Exercises
- Staggered Squats: Position feet slightly wider than hip width, but with one foot slightly more forward than the other. Lower into a squat without letting your knees collapse inward. Lift your back heel slightly if needed. Do 6–8 reps on each side.
- Glute Bridges: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat. Press your heels into the ground and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips. Keep your hips level. Do 10–15 reps.
Extra Tip: Do 1-2 sets of these exercises prior to heading out on your walk to activate and “turn on” the correct muscle groups while you’re walking. You can also do this 10-minute glute building program to help get your glutes to fire more.
Did You Know...
- Do bridges give you back pain? It’s probably because you’re either lifting too high with your hips or arching your back, using your back muscles instead of your glutes to lift. This video shows you how to fix it.
- As your glutes get stronger, your hips will also be less likely to tip from side to side with each step - another common source of low back and hip pain.
- Walking on a treadmill? Try a slight incline—it can ease back pain by forcing you to use your glutes more and even reduce pressure on your pelvic floor.
Until next week... Be strong💪
