The Glutes are the largest, most powerful muscles in the body. The way we stand, sit, and walk can contribute to lower back pain and glute weakness. Prolonged sitting during the day as well as an unequal weight distribution when standing are two of the most common reasons for this muscle to get weak and imbalanced. This Five-Day Strength and Conditioning Glute Challenge Series includes progressive glute-focused workouts that are designed to introduce you to the foundational principles that make up a strong health and fitness program.

These exercises target the gluteus medius, minimus, and maximus regions of the body. This series of workouts is designed to help you build solid hip mechanics with exercises that are prescribed to help clients improve muscle activation, range of motion, increase muscle strength, improved muscle endurance, and solid pelvic stability. Instructor Lauren Eirk is a resistance training specialist, a Certified Full Body Muscle Activation Techniques RX Specialist, and Registered Yoga Therapist. She will teach you how to use the laws of biomechanics to serve your body in a way to get great fitness results.

Why is gluteal strength important? Since a major role of these muscles is to abduct your hip or lift your leg out to the side in either standing or side lying, it works to keep your pelvis level whenever you take a step. Glutes can fight the forces of gravity keep our bones strong. A sedentary lifestyle and poor diet significantly increases the rate of muscle mass loss. Changes in body mechanics, like excessive abdominal fat or prolonged periods of sitting, can lead to significant muscle weakness and spinal anatomy changes which can result in pain, tightness, and overall dysfunction.

No matter what age you are, your muscle tissue can be strengthened and even regenerated with the right lifestyle changes. As we age, we naturally lose muscle, and after age 35 we can lose approximately 8 per cent of muscle per decade and this can almost double after the age of 70. Muscle loss can be accelerated by illness and can lead to an increased risk of falls and fractures, and delay recovery from illness. Our muscles play a vital role in our health at all stages of life, placing forces on our bones, producing physical strength, assisting in organ function, and boosting our immune system.