From Core to Floor - 5 - Balancing the Buttocks

Cucuteni–Trypillia Goddess Figurine

Over the course of the fifth millennium, the neolithic Cucuteni–Trypillia culture expanded from its 'homeland' along the eastern foothills of the Carpathian Mountains into central Ukraine. Female ceramic figurines may have had ritual significance. Patterning suggests tattoo art, swaddling fabric or abstract designs, though the actual intent is shrouded in neolithic mystery, Image source: wikipedia.

From Core to Floor - 5 - Balance the Buttocks

Test Drive Your Tush

Based on “ATM 3 - Balancing the Buttocks” “Pelvic Floor: Discover, Integration and Power” as taught by Deborah Bowes, GCFT®

We will be doing a little supergirl stance to test our pelvic directionals. You might want some “headlights”: a pair of pencils, chop sticks, knitting needles. Or just your hands.

Back to the program, with this lesson from Deborah’s second series. This busy little lesson is about driving the glutei (glutes to us) through their many possible uses: holding up upright, stabilizing the pelvis, lifting a hip, turning the torso, bending the knee, which all lead to sitting, standing, walking., jumping, dancing, skiing, singing, etc. etc. We will ‘do the driving’ in all the possible orientations to gravity: standing, lying supine, lying prone, kneeling and lunging. If that sounds daunting, just perch on a chair.

The gluteus maximus is the heaviest and largest muscle in the body. The gluteus maximus is twice as heavy as the gluteus medius muscle and 27% heavier than the second heaviest muscle in the body. It attaches to the pelvis, which in the average female, accounts for 16% of the total body weight..

Those big, strong glutes suspend the pelvic floor and have a direct impact on its flexibility and strength . The gluteus muscles counterbalance the pelvic floor. If the pelvic floor muscles are weak, so are the gluteus muscles. If the glutes are overdeveloped, they can pull the sacrum too far back and create long-term pelvic floor weakening. Unbalanced glute use is another factor: gripping the glutes unevenly tightens the pelvic floor muscles unequally, setting up an imbalance that goes right to the feet.

This week, we squeeze those cheeks to feel the connection to pelvic turns, attend to the femurs rotating in the hip socket, and tuning into how the tush helps stabilize the knees. (The knee connection is a real revelation for me!)

The lesson moves through different orientations, from lying on the back to (optionally) kneeling to help build awareness of the power of the glutes and increased awareness of how a tight butt can affect things deep within.

This is a diagram of the tensegrity of the pelvis - the way the bones, fascia, muscles and tendons distribute forces for stability. Cool, huh?

Dive into the anatomy with these amazing 3D animations of the gluteal musculature:

The IT band connects the glutei to the knee and lower leg. Relaxing the IT band can release low back tension.

Set Up:

  • Prop: 2 stick-like items to use as pointers - knitting needles, pencils, chop sticks

  • Prop: Padding for knees for ‘standing on knees’ sequence OR a low stool to perch on instead of standing on knees.

  • Have a mat for lying supine, prone, kneeling, lunging

  • Sit, perch or lean on on a firm-bottom chair if kneeling, lunging not fun today

How you might feel after this lesson: Got your groove on, girl!; Pelvis and shoulders connected; Clearer sensation of pelvis rocking with the breath; tuned into your root chakra/pelvic floor; Open to the relationship between breath, pelvis, glutes and ring muscles; Aware of the subtle ring muscle coordination of the eyes, nostrils, lips, palms and soles of feet; Able to twerk, if you wanted.

If you have a Wednesday 9:30 am or 6:30 pm class registration, keep using it. If you were registered for the 12:00 pm Wednesday session, you’ll need to register. Registered, paid students receive the lesson recording link on Thursday. $40/month, $15/single lesson. PayPal: jackisue@aol.com Venmo: . Or check to Jacki Katzman, PO Box 116, Bethlehem, NH 03574

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LessonsJacki Katzmancore to floor, balancing the buttocks, glutes