USE THOSE GLUTES!
Several years ago, I attended a weekend workshop in Springdale, UT (Ann Rutz' community of Anusara yogis), for which Desiree Rumbaugh was our guide. In fact, I think her theme for the weekend had something to do with GPS; tho, this morning, I can't remember the exact title (it was a good one, however).
Springdale is a unique community in Southern Utah (almost down I-15 to St. George); off the beaten path and at the entrance to Zions National Park. If you know anything of Utah and the terrain of this park, you have an idea of Springdale's beauty. Small town, geography making it difficult for the population to get out-of-control. I've traveled down there for several workshops and have learned the people are passionate about their community, their politics and having fun! I even participated in a "Green Jello Eating Contest" one year when a workshop fell on the weekend of St Patrick's day celebrations (I lost).
Enough with the memory lane journey, and back to Desiree's workshop.
As we practiced that weekend, I think her main emphasis was kidney loop. She did, however, take us on a brief journey to the glutes and that, my friends, has changed my yoga life.
Paraphrasing here: "In neutral table, extend your right leg hip height, straight and strong, heel reaching to wall behind you. Hold this, 5 minutes." What? 5 (as in FIVE) minutes?!?!?!? Yes, 5 (as in FIVE).
Once that 5 minutes was done, my right glutes were quivering, screaming, painfully making their presence known. Well, once that FIVE minutes was finished, we released, took a breath and lifted the left leg. For another 5 (as in FIVE) minutes.
This, she explained, was going to do wonders for our hamstrings. Strengthening and then using the glutes in our yoga poses would alleviate the need for our hamstrings to do all the work.
It's hard work, and it's something I'd never thought of before -- glutes working? Don't they just kind of hang out back there? No, they need to work. Look at this image:
Notice that the gluteus maximus (gm) covers the upper hamstring muscle connections. When the muscles of the backside are healthily strong, I am able to activate them, I imagine the gm (and it's associated muscles) caressing those connections and assisting in all the forward folding, lengthening, hamstring-activating poses I can think of. Ahhh, be still my heart.
Life, with this added knowledge, has never been the same. I literally very rarely (if at all) experience those twinges of pain at the top of the hamstrings that used to plague my practice.
Why do I think of this today? Yesterday, in class, a student asked for some help with painful upper hamstring 'stuff'. What did we do? Not 5 (as in FIVE) minutes, but at least 10 breaths on each side to wake them up. (Remember, I am trying to grow class populations here, not decimate them!) Then we stood with balls of feet on a roll, heels on floor, and moved slowly through several uttanasanas, and then to parsvottonasana on each side. Then slowly through several simple surya's, All the while I'm reminding students 'engage your glutes', 'don't let go, keep them active through the entire movement', like that. Broken record stuff.
So, that's the story of 'use those glutes'. If you haven't heard it or tried it, do so. Marvelous, underused muscles on the backside, just waiting for their opportunity to shine!
Hope your Wednesday is a good one (getting my hair cut; after all, Wanderlust is just around the corner)!