Wealden Times | WT264 | May 2024 | Love Your Home Supplement inside

Health
Perfectly peachy
Sarah Maxwell shares her expert tips for a perky posterior
istockphoto.com/Orest Lyzhechka
In the 1980s, small bottoms were all
the rage, as seen in photos and videos
of women wearing shiny thong
leotards. The song, ‘Total Eclipse of
the Heart’ gave rise to many variations,
‘Total Eclipse of the Ar*e’ being belted
out by my colleagues whenever I stood
up. Such fond memories of those days.
Then came Kim Kardashian and a full
trunk became de rigueur. The popularity
of Brazilian bum lifts, implants and
padded knickers has exploded.
Focusing on achieving a toned
and sculpted posterior goes beyond
appearance alone, however. It offers
numerous benefits that contribute
to your overall health, strength,
performance and everyday movement.
Here are a few reasons why giving special
attention to your derriere is important...
1. Improved Posture. A firm bottom
helps to stabilise your pelvis and
align your spine, promoting better
posture. Weak glutes (the muscles in
your bottom) can lead to imbalances
in the lower body, causing issues
such as knee pain, hip discomfort
and lower back strain. Toning your
bottom can alleviate back pain
and reduce the risk of injury.
2. Better Performance. A welldeveloped
bottom provides a solid
foundation for various physical
activities, such as running, jumping and
lifting. It improves your power, agility
and overall athletic performance.
3. Increased Strength and Stability.
Strong glutes contribute to overall
lower body strength. They assist in
squats, lunges and deadlifts, enabling
you to lift weights and build muscle.
4. Improved Daily Function.
Strong glutes are crucial in everyday
activities like walking, climbing
stairs and bending over.
A strengthening routine:
Glute Bridges. Lie on your back
with your knees bent and feet flat
on the floor. Lift your hips off the
ground, squeezing your glutes at the
top. Hold in this position for about
one second and then lower back
down without resting completely.
Clams – 20-30 each leg. Begin by
laying on your side on an exercise mat
while keeping your body straight and
resting your head on one arm while the
other goes on your hip. Next, bend both
knees to a 90-degree angle with your
feet aligned with your body. Lift one of
your knees while keeping your feet glued
together until your knee is perpendicular
to the floor, then bring it slowly back
down. Repeat about ten times, then
work on the other side. When you start
doing clams, you may find that you can’t
feel it on your bottom. This is often
because bottoms are notoriously lazy
and recruit other muscle friends to take
over. Concentrate on where you should
be feeling it, and you will find that with
consistent practice, you will start to feel
it after a few repetitions. Placing your
hand on the side you are working on
can help you focus and progress quickly.
Forward Leaning Lunge – 12-20. You
can engage your glutes more effectively
by leaning slightly forward with your
upper body weight over your mid-thigh.
Take a deep breath in and breathe out as
you take a big step forward with one leg
and lower your body until the knee of
your back leg almost touches the floor.
At the same time, allow your torso
to tilt forward 15 to 20 degrees.
Breathe out as you push yourself back up
and step back into the starting position.
Repeat with your opposite leg.
Step Ups – 12-20 each leg. Find
yourself a 12-inch platform
(approximately) – this can be an
aerobic step with risers added,
a step up box at the gym, or
even a tall stair or stepping
up 2 lower steps at home.
Step up onto the box
with the right leg,
bringing the left up to
meet it. Step off the box
with the right leg, the
left foot following it (this
counts as 1 repetition).
Kneeling Leg Raise
– 20-30 each leg.
With a mat underneath, get onto
your hands and knees. Tuck your left
knee to your chest and straighten it
behind you. With your knee straight,
lift your leg toward the ceiling as high
as possible, then bring it back into
your chest. Perform three sets of 10,
and then switch to the right leg.
Do a good warm up before
starting this routine. When you’ve
completed it, do some long stretches,
holding for 20-30 seconds.
Try this routine three times per week
for 6-8 weeks to see a difference (have
at least 24 hours between
each session and build
up the amount
of repetitions
gradually).
Doing this
routine regularly,
and with good
form, can help
you develop a
strong, firm
and shapely
bottom,
creating
that
perfect
peach.
Sarah
Maxwell is a multiaward
winning Lifestyle
Wellbeing and Fitness coach. You
can find her at sarahmaxwell.com.
Get in touch via email at
sarahmaxwell@mail.com
and on social
@sarahmaxlife
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