Kathleen's Monarchs with Muscles

The Glutes

The lower body is made up of a variety of muscles: the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus. The gluteus maximus is the largest muscle while the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus are smaller and located underneath the gluteus maximus. Together, these three muscles are known as the “glutes”. According to the American Council on Exercise, the number one exercise that generates the most muscle activation is the Quadruped Hip Extension, (also known as the “donkey kick”), followed by lunges, step-ups and squats. The “donkey kick” allows us to isolate and contract the glute muscles. The glutes are involved in almost every movement: standing, walking, running, squatting, and even dancing. When working our glutes we build strength and lean-muscle tissue, which allows us to burn extra calories. Most importantly, having strong glutes provide us the opportunity to move through our daily activities with efficiency while preventing common injury.

Donkey Kick with Bent Leg

1. With arms lengthened on a ball, chair or high bench pull your shoulder blades pulled down.
2. Engage your lower abs and lengthen your spine to a neutral position.
3. Extend your right leg behind and bend it to a 90 degree angle, with foot flexed. Standing on your left leg slightly bend your knee.
4. Slow and with control lift your right heel toward the sky and lower only a three to four inches, keeping the right leg at a 90 degree angle at all times.

Donkey Kick with Strait Leg

1. With arms lengthened on a ball, chair or high bench pull your shoulder blades pulled down.
2. Engage your lower abs and lengthen your spine to a neutral position.
3. Extend your right leg behind you, with foot flexed. Standing on your left leg slightly bend your knee. Your body is at a perpendicular angle.
4. Slow and with control lift your right heel toward the sky.
5. Lower to hip level, but not below hip level so you glutes remain engaged.

Lunge

1. With the right leg in front, bend your knee to a 90 degree angle and step your left leg back, with heal off the ground and knee slightly bent.
2. Lengthen the upper body tall, pull the shoulder blades down and back and take your gaze to eye level.
3. Slowly and with control bend the right leg so the quadriceps is parallel to the ground. The ankle and knee are in alignment and you should be able to see your toes. (Do not let your heal come off the ground or your knees reach over your toes.)
4. When lunging the knee in front should be in alignment with the same hip as the knee often wants to cave in.
5. Bend and extend the right leg, but never locking the right knee.

Squat

1. Widen your stance so your feet are at least six inches apart, preferably hip distance and take your gaze to eye level.
2. With hands behind head or at hips, pull the lower abs in and shoulder blades down.
3. Bend legs as if your sitting in a chair, keeping your upper body lifted and back and both feet entirely on the ground (the heels like to come off the ground).
4. Come to a standing position with knees soft, never locking the knees.

Step Up

1. With entire right foot on bench your leg should be bent to no greater than a 90 degree angle.
2. With a tall and upright posture draw abs in and press through the whole foot, standing tall on the bench with right leg straight and left leg on the bench to meet the right or lift the left leg to 90 degrees.
3. With steady ease and control, lower the left leg first with the right leg following or remaining on bench.

Glute Stretch

Sitting on a chair or bench, bend the right leg and cross the left foot over the right knee. Gently press the left knee down. If lying on the ground, bend the right leg and cross the left foot over the knee. Reach behind the right leg and give a slight tug for a great glute stretch.