Strengthening the Side Butt: Ten Years Later
Ten years after my first side butt post, I figured it was time for an update with some other exercises.
I firmly believe the stronger your tush is, the longer your life can be. Here is why: The side butt (gluteus medius) is responsible for:
Stabilizing your hips
Bringing your leg out to the side, away from your body
Rotating your hip internally and externally
If your side butt is weak it can affect your:
Hip complex
Knees
Ankles
Low back
Shoulders
If you’ve sprained your ankles a lot, have knee pain when you run or do any activity, have low back pain after long walks, have uneven shoulders, etc: It could all stem from a weak side butt!
When it comes to the body, EVERYTHING is connected.
One place to start working on the almighty side butt is right here in one of my very first blog posts ever (hey, it still stands up!).
The second place: Right in this blog post! Here are three more of my favorite exercises that target the side butt (and other fabulous places).
Bowler Lunges
Channel your inner pro bowler.
Take the same side arm and leg; Sweep the leg behind you and to the side as your arm sweeps in front of you.
Push the floor away with your standing foot as you come back to standing.
Get tall in your hips (meaning, do not sit into the standing hip, cocking your hip to the side).
Side Plank Clamshells
Get in a side plank position by laying on your side with your elbow right under your shoulder, and your shoulders, hips and knees stacked one on top of the other.
Press yourself up into a side plank by pressing the floor away with your bottom knee and elbow.
Tips:
I like pointing my palm up to the ceiling, arm rotated out a bit so that the muscle around my ribcage can work and not my upper trap and neck
Don’t arch your back at the top of this movement; keep your riblets in your pockets (meaning the front of your lower rib cage should be pointed down toward your belly button)
Single Leg Deadlifts
Stand on one leg with a weight in your opposite hand.
Squeezing oranges in your armpits and your chest up, hinge at your hips while only standing on the left leg.
Keep a straight line from your head to your floating foot.
Make sure your hips and shoulders remain square and level.
Don’t let the offset weight tip you over to one side.
This exercise is particularly challenging and if you’re finding that balance is a big challenge, check out these alternatives from Tony Gentilcore.
Friends, it might sound like I’m obsessed with the booty. It would be more appropriate to say I’m obsessed with helping clients find their strongest, most physically stable self so they can enjoy their non-exercise life to the fullest!
