Nope, the title isn't a typo.

Believe it or not, “dead butt syndrome,” is not a joke. More technically called “gluteal amnesia,” dead butt syndrome is an increasingly common problem that can, despite its comical name, have rather grave results. More and more, people are spending their days planted on the largest and most powerful muscle group in the body: the glutes. This high volume of sitting means reduced blood flow to the muscles, atrophy, weakness, and, worst of all, people’s glutes are essentially “forgetting” how to turn on. Think of how well you’re able to use your arm after you sleep on it funny and your arm falls asleep. Now imagine that, over the long term, applied to the largest muscle group in your body.

To make matters worse, your body is a master at compensating. You’ve sat your glutes into submission, and as a result, your body turns to the surrounding muscles to do whatever task you ask them to do. As a result, you may walk away from a movement that should be tapping into the power of the glutes, and instead you have a sore low-back and burnt out quads. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Not only does this sap performance and worsen the problem by making already over-active muscles even more active, it can lead to long term problems, too. Structural changes, back and knee problems, poor range of motion, poor joint mechanics, etc.

I, for one, am convinced that if our population strengthened and (re)learned how to use the almighty glutes, we could cut the need for orthopedic hip and back interventions in half.

If your lifestyle requires lots of sitting, you may be silently suffering from dead butt syndrome. Now is the time to do the work necessary to wake your derriere back up. Ask your coach how!

- PS

7/9/19

• Strict ring rows - 5x10

Then...

• 6 rounds for time:

• 50’ double dumbbell walking lunge (50/35)

• 30s hollow hang

• 15 double dumbbell deadlift (50/35)

• 30s hollow hang