Do you have a Mom Bum?

Do you notice your toosh being a little less defined? Maybe a smidge flatter or dear I say…flabby?

Or maybe you find your legs going to sleep often if you sit down for long periods. I know this is a weird theory but after I had my kids, my legs would go to sleep after sitting for long periods. My theory is…with less muscle mass to “cushion” the pressure, I compress the nerves near my sits bones causing my legs to go to sleep. Anyone else have this problem?  I don’t know…the kids are an easy scapegoat. 🙂

So why are “mom butt’s” so prevalent?

 

Pure De-conditioning

If you are like me, I suffered from Hyperemesis Gravidarum, a.k.a puking your guts out the entire 9 months of pregnancy. Although I knew the benefits of exercise during pregnancy and had long been a physically active individual, HG knocked me down so hard that I ended up on bedrest and visits to the M.D. for IV’s. Needless to say, I wasn’t going out for any long jogs or short ones for that matter. As you can imagine, I lost a lot of muscle mass and became very de-conditioned during my two rough pregnancies. This added to the flabby mom toosh.

As the saying goes, “If you don’t move it, you lose it.” And while you’re pregnant and even weeks after when you are an emotional, hormonal mess and trying to figure out life status post-baby, your priority isn’t always getting back into the gym. So consequently, your muscles get weaker over time.

 

Alignment

For the one-millionth time, I am not talking about perfect posture but rather how you hold your body and move throughout the day. Several studies support that hanging out on your ligaments or jutting your hip out to one side when you stand or hold your child shuts down our core, pelvic floor, and glutes. If we are in this “relaxed” position all the time, it’s not doing our glutes any favor. It’s good to be aware of this and try to find your pelvic neutral. This position is your body’s happy medium and your pelvic floor and glutes with thank you if you spend more time in this posture.

 

Finding Your Pelvic Neutral

 

Poor Hip Mechanics

Along with alignment, if we stand in that “hanging on your ligaments” pregnant posture, our femoral head (hip joint) can shift forward in the socket leading to poor firing strategies of your glutes and pelvic floor. Also, this positioning of your hip joint can lead to hip impingement issues and possible labral tears. Getting out of the pregnant posture can help but there is a super-duper exercise to assist in centering the head of the femur back in the socket. 

 

The Super-Duper Iliacus Pull-back

Butt Clenching

You may not even notice you are clenching your toosh when you stand or bend forward. This clenching shifts the femoral head forward in the socket limiting hip range of motion. This limitation in range can lead to low back and SI joint pain, pelvic floor dysfunction, and several other problems.

Stop the Clenching! The Glutes need to be able to lengthen  as you bend forward to pick something up or brush your teeth over the sink. Think of the glutes as a window into your pelvic floor. Whatever your glutes are doing, there is a good chance your pelvic floor is doing the same. Unclench those glutes ladies…let it all go!

Rockbacks to Help Lengthen the Glutes

To Do:

• Position yourself on all fours in a quadruped position
• Bring your hips back towards your heels until you start to feel your butt tuck under
• Hold this position for a good stretch for 30 seconds

 

 

5 Great Exercises To Get Your Glutes Back

Single-Leg Hip Thrust

*If you so choose, you can do these with both legs

To Do:

• Grab a dumbbell, barbell, or kettlebell (you want a pretty heavy weight)
• Use a chair or weight bench to rest your upper torso
• Place the weight across your pelvis
• Thrust your hips up towards the sky until you are in a straight line
• Repeat 3 x 10

 

Prone Hip Abd/Ext With Band

To Do:

• You can use a theraband or theraloop for resistance (find a theraloop here)
• Place the band around your legs
• Position yourself on your stomach with forehead resting on hands
• You will extend your legs behind you putting tension on the band
• Next, abduct or spread your legs apart
• Return to resting tension on band and repeat 3 x 10

 

Side Stepping with Band

To Do:

• Place a theraloop around legs
• Keep toes pointed forward
• Keep hips level and don’t waddle with each step
• Side step 10 steps one direction and repeat 10 steps the opposite direction.
• Repeat 3 times each direction

 

Tempo Squats

To Do:

• Grab a barbell with some weight or a kettlebell for a goblet squat
• Feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart
• Lower yourself down for a count of 4 seconds
• Hold for 2 seconds at the bottom of the squat
• Rise back to starting position
• Repeat 3 x 10

 

Single Leg Lunges

To Do:

• Grab a chair or weight bench to prop your leg up on
• Get into lunge position with weight in hands
• Lower yourself down slowly
• Repeat 3 x 10 on each leg

 

 

Go get those buns of steel! Please message me with any questions!

Taryn 🙂