This is not your run-of-the-mill, get-your-head-out-of-your-ass blog post!  Quite the opposite, today we want your mind firmly focussed on the potential of your powerful posterior.  Do I have a bug in my bonnet?  You bet!  Especially after watching thousands of butchered reps during HeroWOD Chad!

Ever hear of gluteal amnesia?  No, it’s not what your mom said about you forgetting your ass if it wasn’t attached.  It is the failure to effectively fire the gluteal muscles during movement. 

Why should you care?  Your glutes are your primary and most powerful hip extensors.  Your hips are involved in all functional movements including walking, running, jumping, etc.  If your glutes are not firing effectively, your body must recruit other assistance muscles to compensate.  These smaller weaker muscles then become overworked or strained.   

So what?  Well, over time (or sometimes quite suddenly) this can lead to postural imbalances, tight hamstrings, low back pain, sciatica and a host of other problems. 

How does your coach know you are struggling to effectively recruit your glutes?
1. You struggle to reach full extension on your squat
2. You struggle to reach full extension on your lunge
3. You struggle to reach full extension on your deadlift
4. You struggle to reach full extension on your box jump
5. You struggle to reach full extension on your box step up
6. You struggle to reach full extension on your clean
7. You struggle to reach full extension on your snatch
8. You struggle to reach full extension on your kettlebell swing

Why is my coach always harping on me to stand all the way up for every rep, even when I’m tired or in a hurry?  Contrary to popular belief it is not simply because we want you to meet some arbitrary competition movement standards.  It is because learning to correctly, effectively and fully engage your glutes is an athletic skill essential to your health and performance.  Failure to develop this brain-backside connection is setting you up for injury.  Especially if you are moving under fatigue!  Especially if you spend a good portion of your day sitting!

You may not be aware of this problem.  Particularly when you are fatigued or rushing.  Motor had to correct me a couple times during the row-box step up WOD recently.  Not because I was trying to short the movement, I simply could not feel it once I was tired.  Your coach is not trying to nag you.  S/he is trying to protect you from injury and make sure that you get the full fitness benefits of the movements.  Slow down and listen to them.    

This is how you look when you fail to achieve full gluteal engagement:

It’s not pretty but we see it all the time in the gym.

How do I benefit from slowing down and focussing on full glute engagement?  Won’t that just hurt my score on the leaderboard?  Well, besides preventing injury and improving posture which should be reason enough, it will make you more powerful.  It will also help sculpt your glute muscles.  Soft, flat, saggy bottoms are indicative of poor muscle tone.  Athletes boast badass backsides but only if they are performing reps correctly. 

Friday Make Up Day
Today’s reset will focus on developing a mind-glute connection to help you strengthen your glutes in order to correct postural imbalances and prevent hip, back and sciatic nerve pain.  It will also feature the move known as wrestler’s yoga, amazing for developing full body strength and mobility.  Please note the subtle but critical tip at the bottom of this page!

1) Empower Reset#52
1 min Belly Breathing
30/30 sec Head Nods/Rotations

2 Rounds (1 min each):
Deadbugs
Glute Raise Hold
Table Hold

2 Rounds (1 min each):
Bird Dogs
Sit Throughs
Leopard Crawl

2 Rounds:
1 min Kneeling Hip Hinge
30/30 sec Side Planks
1 min unweighted alt TGU

A 5 Barbell Hip Thrusts
B 3/3 KB TGU Sit Up
A 5 Barbell Hip Thrusts
B 3/3 KB TGU Sit Through Drill
A 5 Barbell Hip Thrusts
B 3/3 KB TGU Hinge Drill
A 5 Barbell Hip Thrusts
B 3/3 KB TGU Windshield Wiper to Stand Drill
A 5 Barbell Hip Thrusts
B 3/3 KB TGU

3/3 Unweighted Gladiator TGU
3/3 KB Gladiator Get Up

2) Back Squat
3-3-3-3-3

3) 5 rounds for time:
18/25-calorie row
25 burpees over the rower
Struggle with the TGU?  Note the correct but often overlooked knee placement: There is no side bend!