Trouble with glutes

Yuri

New member
Hi,

I hope I explain myself correctly :) ...
Last night we were trying out squeezing just one glute at a time and I could not do it properly. This morning I have a wee niggle in my right side about that area (not sure if this is because I'm doing it wrong or because it's the first time it's had a workout!)

I know it's the good ol' practice-practice-practice, but would anyone have any tips to help. I tried some this morning and it keeps feeling like both are squeezing and I can't get one to go on it's own :think:
 

Mosaic

Super Moderator
Try sitting down then squeezing one, then the other, you will feel if you are squeezing one or both and once you get the hang of squeezing one at a time, it should be easier to do standing up.
~Mosaic
 

Daimona

Moderator
Sitting down upright but relaxed. Try squeezing one at the time, start small and slowly.

Tip: Try this every time you sit in a car. Squeeze right, whenever you pass a streetlamp/lamp post at the right side of the street and left when you pass one at the left side of the street. After a while you'll get buns of steel! :D
 

Nath

New member
What I have found helpful is this:

Stand with knees slight bent (soft), hands reaching behind to be placed on gluts (to help feel one side vs the other vs both).

Take one step forward, not a large step, with one foot and hold that position. Weight will be more on the forward foot. Forward foot should be flat on the ground, back foot rolled up onto the ball of the foot/toes.

Now try squeezing just the glut on the back leg. I do this slowly and build up a little speed as I go, then change sides.

I find sometimes I get that whole back leg involved in a squeeze and release, but at least it's helping me identify what to isolate.

I hope this helps you.
 

Amanda (was Aziyade)

Well-known member
Squeeze both together, but then release JUST the left side.
Squeeze together again, then release JUST the right side.

Sometimes it's easier to release independently than it is to squeeze.

Check out Suhaila's Bellydance Fitness Fusion: Buns dvd for practice and a good butt workout. :)
 

~Diana~

AFK Moderator
WHen I was learning this I actually had to put my hands on my But to actually feel if I was squeezing both at the same time. Also Aziyade advice is also what I combined with this too.
 

Kashmir

New member
Be worth checking you are squeezing your glutes. Recently in a self assessment workshop an experienced dancer said something about her glutes but I noticed she didn't engage them while moving her leg. When I asked her explicitly to fire one side, lots of muscles came into play - but not her glutes! So, hand on butt - and squeeze.

If you are having trouble isolating them, you may need a pencil poke mid butt to teach your brain what it needs to fire.
 

Kamra

New member
sitting to standing problems

I had this same trouble. Now I can squeeze each glute independently, but only when I sit!! I can't do it standing up! Or if I do, my hips go nowhere, even if my knees are soft. Is there something that helps with this? And I do have Suhaila's DVD, but she leaves me in the dust once we stand up.
 

Yuri

New member
Thanks for the tips :)

I've been trying some while I'm sitting at work (when I remember) and I think I'm now getting something. I'll also have a look for that DVD from Suhaila.
 
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