Firing Off Your Glutes

When doing squats, lunges, bridges, and deadlifts do you feel your glutes (large muscles of the butt) fire off? If not you might have what is referred to as DBS or dead butt syndrome. Some other common traits of DBS are tight hamstrings and tight hip flexors and the shape of your butt. As Paul Chek, of Paul Chek Institute would say, you are looking for a butt that is heart shape the right way up verses upside down.

Every movement that we do involves the glutes, if not corrected DBS could lead to your body working in unnatural ways. Muscles near by or due to a chain reaction farther away can be strained or injured. For example your lower back is forced to extend your hip and it is injured or due to improper alignment your ankles could be strained.

 
For exercises to help strengthen the glutes check out:  http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/strengthtraining/ss/Glute-Activation-.htm