Exercise & Pregnancy: Why it’s beneficial and what you can do

Exercising during pregnancy can be beneficial in many ways, not only by keeping certain pregnancy conditions at bay but also by making you feel better about yourself. Here are some reasons why you shouldn’t put away the gym sneakers just yet.

• Energy Booster- Pregnancy can wipe you out, consuming most of your daily energy to complete tasks. Even small bouts of exercise can make you feel energized. With muscles that are strong and toned, you need less effort to engage in any activity, whether that means grocery shopping or sitting through meetings at the office.  According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), you can safely take part in 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise every day, as long as you don't have a medical condition or complication that your doctor or midwife has told you rules out exercise or limits your activity level.

• Better Sleep- When you're carrying an extra 15 pounds (or more!) in front of you, finding a comfortable sleeping position can be a real challenge. But exercise will help you work off any excess energy and tire you enough to lull you into a more restful sleep.

• Reduce Discomfort- Stretching and strengthening can better help the body adjust to the normal aches and pains of pregnancy. For example: Stretches ease back pain, walking improves your circulation, and swimming can strengthen your abdominal muscles.

• Preparation for childbirth- The better shape you’re in, the better off you’ll be when you go in to labor. The birthing process takes strength, stamina and determination.  Exercising while pregnant can ease and shorten the length of delivery.

• Reduces stress- Having a child is a life changing event that brings about so many emotions, experiencing highs and lows. It’s been found that exercise boosts levels of serotonin, a brain chemical linked to mood, putting you in better spirits.

• Improving self-image- Staying active helps you feel better about yourself and improves your odds of gaining a healthy amount of weight.

• Your body after childbirth-When you've maintained your strength and muscle tone all through your pregnancy, your body will have an easier time bouncing back after you give birth. You’ll also gain less surplus weight if you exercise during your pregnancy.

Some of the best exercises to start or stick with are walking, low impact aerobics, swimming, prenatal yoga and stretching, whether you’re a beginner to the exercise world or have been active all along.

If you exercised regularly before getting pregnant and your pregnancy is uncomplicated, you can most likely continue working out as before. In some cases it's not okay to exercise during pregnancy, though, so talk to your doctor or midwife about your fitness routine to make sure your activities don't put you or your baby at risk.

Blog post by Farran Jalbert.

Fighting Falls

Falls are a huge public health problem.  1 out of 3 older adults (age 65 or older) fall every year.  Over 95% of hip fractures are caused by falls.  The good news is most falls can be prevented.  Follow these guidelines.

Exercise:

• Activities such as walking, water workouts and yoga can improve strength, balance, coordination and flexibility.
• Wear proper footwear: properly fitted shoes with non skid soles.
• Know your surroundings:  Wet leaves, black ice and uneven surfaces such as cobblestone walkways can be a fall hazard.  (BE AWARE!)

What can you do at home to prevent falls?

• Remove electrical cords and phone cords from walk ways.
• Secure loose rugs with double sided tape.
• Install non slip mats in the shower.
• Turn on lights before going up or down stairways.
• Install a grab bar at the bathtub entrance.
• Do not go up or down stairs in stocking feet.

BASIC EXERCISES: For improved balance and posture the following exercises can be done using a folding chair. Stand behind the chair holding on with both hands.  Start with a goal of performing 10 repetitions.  Stop the exercise and see a physician if you feel any pain or discomfort.

Squats

Stand with legs shoulder width apart.  Bend knees as if you are sitting in a chair until knees line up with toes and return to start position.

Knee Raises

Stand up straight and alternately bring one knee up to a 90 degree angle.  Return to start position and repeat with opposite leg.

Heel Raises

Stand flat footed and raise up on toes.  Return to start position.

Hip Abduction

Begin standing on both legs and slowly raise one leg out to side.

Leg Swings

Stand on one leg.  Swing other leg forward and backward.  Repeat with other leg.

In addition light weight training using dumbbells can help improve overall body strength which can help you maintain a correct posture. Overhead press, chest fly, bicep curls, triceps extensions are some of the effective exercises.

In the recent Fighting Falls class offered by Mashpee Fitness all four of the participants that took the Berg Balance test before and after the program showed improvement in basic balance in the areas of: stand from a sitting position, leaning forward on toes, picking items up from the floor, standing with feet together, standing on one leg and stepping up a simulated flight of stairs.  Balance can be improved.  Are you ready to start fighting falls?

Blog post by Alan Harrison.

Foam Rolling

Improving flexibility and joint function is a common goal for many fitness programs. Flexibility is defined as the mobility within a joint or groups of joints, directly reflecting the ability of muscle-tendon structures to elongate. Two ways to improve flexibility are 1) by restoring length to the tissues surrounding muscles and bones and 2) by releasing fibrous adhesions that lead to range of motion restriction and restoring health to tissues. With the improved understanding of human anatomy and physiology we have come to realize the benefits of self-myofascial release.

There are many modes used to perform self-myofascial release including deep tissue massage, massage sticks, lacrosse balls, and the mode I will be addressing the foam roll. Foam rolling has become increasingly popular in the fitness realm, appealing to clients/patients of all ages and ability. This piece of equipment is a cylindrical piece of hard-cell foam best used on a flat surface. By applying pressure to these fibrous adhesions (web-like connective tissue surrounding human anatomy in response to trauma) we are able to reduce the level of restriction by restoring muscle length and taking pressure off of pain sensitive structures (i.e.- nerves, pain receptors). This in turn allows for a wider range of motion and therefore improved flexibility.

Foam rolling is a particularly attractive option because all you need is the roller itself. By altering your position on the roller you are able to adjust the pressure throughout the targeted musculature. The general instructions for foam rolling are to try and hit all the large muscle groups. This includes the quadriceps, hamstrings, back muscles, calves, and glutes. It is advised that you experiment with foam rollers of different densities to find one that is comfortable for you. A softer foam roll is recommended for beginners and those with nerve issues or a low tolerance to pressure. As your body begins to adapt to this process you should increase the density of the roller.

Foam rolling can be utilized as part of a warm-up because of the isometric positions you must hold while performing. These isometrics, similar to a plank position, improve blood flow to musculature and improves neuromuscular facilitation better preparing you for your workout.

Start by rolling along the entire muscle finding tender spots. Roll each desired area 5 times per minute (slow and steady pace) and switch to the next position. As always remember to work within a comfortable range and ask questions if needed!

For examples of foam rolling view:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5otLXM-6r4

Blog post by Evan Healy.

Why do you exercise?

Last month we asked our members, trainers, physical therapists, and office staff “Why do you exercise?”  We received numerous responses.  Everyone has a different reason and motivation to work out.  Some of us love it.  Some of us hate it.  We know we have to do it.

Below is an essay Anna Cavanaugh, a Cape Cod Rehab Physical Therapy Aide, shared with us about regarding the topic…

Transforming society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience

“Physicist Sir Isaac Newton's First Law of Motion states: An object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion, unless acted upon by an external force. When this law of motion was first introduced in the 1600s, Newton used it to explain how mass behaves in a system free of external forces such as friction or gravity. As a recent graduate interested in physical therapy, I view this law not only applicable to physical objects and systems, but also to the work of physical therapists in rehabilitating, managing and preventing of injuries for people in our society.

As an athlete, I fully appreciate the need to stay active, flexible, and strong for muscle and joint health. I am committed to improving the human body and how it moves and stays mobile at any age in order to empower individuals to be able to lead independent and dynamic lives, especially with the sedentary lifestyle of many today. As a future physical therapist my goal is to embody this philosophy through education, commitment and innovation.

Education is the foundation to a successful recovery and enhancing a patient’s wellbeing. I want to help people heal, but first, I want them to understand how they became injured. Making this a more active process, I want us to work together to restore their health and prevent future injuries and complications through proper demonstration and practice of exercise techniques. To establish this plan of action, I plan to treat the people I work with as "students" interested in learning about their body and injury prevention, as opposed to "patients", where they might think of it as a one-way experience.  In doing this, I hope to create a different level of engagement and involvement, which allows them to continue independently long after their treatment is complete. It is critical to empower a patient with knowledge and confidence in order to encourage them to take charge of their own therapy.    

Among many goals that people have in their lives, the ultimate goal is to live a pain-free life, and I am committed to making that happen for people as the second step in my vision as a physical therapist. As a competitive swimmer, I learned the best way to stay pain and injury free is through self-discipline in developing good technique. I want to help my "students" live their lives without restrictions or pain. Knowing effective techniques of any exercise is vital in order to be able to practice and perform effectively.  My approach to this is to be positive and encouraging to make therapy and exercise enjoyable without pain so they do not avoid workouts.

A third component of my philosophy is to incorporate innovation into my practice. The body is fascinating with its ability to perform complex and connected moves as one through whatever motions we desire. When the body is not able to perform the motions that were so effortless in our youth, problem solving is key to finding the route of the issue and figuring out ways to strengthen and rehabilitate the individual back good health. An important consideration for this is that we live in a society where advancements in science and medicine are constantly changing.  It becomes our responsibility to stay abreast of this new information and to incorporate it into new treatments, techniques, and exercises. By incorporating more innovative and individualizing techniques, I will help my patients move toward better functional lives. 

In Newton's third law, he stated: “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” Concluding with another fundamental physics law, it is important to help the patients become aware of the fact that the more work that one puts into his or her own recovery the greater the results he or she will see over a lifetime. While not everyone is, or aspires to be an athlete, a few minutes of exercise daily is a step on the road to higher mobility. In today’s lifestyle, where food is readily available and a high level of activity is not required to stay alive, many may atrophy into weaker versions of their intended selves, which is detrimental to their bone mass and musculature. In wanting to transform the health of society, one patient at a time, I hope to challenge and motivate individuals to lead more active lives and encourage people to invest in their own health and future. I wish good health and wellbeing for those I treat through our work together, and envision that I can make becoming strong and fit contagious.”

Think about it.  Why do you exercise?

Blog post by Jen Skiba.

5 Burdenko Strength Exercises for Runners

All athletes need to strength train but it’s an element to your training that is often missed.  Strength training will make you a stronger, faster, and more efficient runner and most importantly—strength training will help keep you injury free.  Below you will find 5 Burdenko exercises that Eric Chandler, a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and Certified Burdenko Method Instructor, chose to target muscle groups important for runners. 

Begin with 10 repetitions of each exercise.  After a few sessions, try 2 sets of 10 repetitions and start adding speeds.  Do not perform any exercise that causes or increases pain.

Earth to Sky

Lunge to the side and “sweep the floor” with your opposite hand and continue to complete big circle overhead. Continue for 10 repetitions and repeat to the other side.

1/2 Roll Lunge Step

Stand on one leg with your foot in the middle of the half roll.  Use the other leg to step forward into a lunge and then step back into a lunge.  Repeat back and forth for 10 repetitions and repeat on the other side.  For a challenge, reach opposite hand to the front foot while lunging.

1/2 Roll Leg Swings

Stand on one leg while swinging the other leg forward and back. Swing the arms so opposite hand and foot are in front. Make sure to keep your body straight and swing the leg high back and forth. Continue for 10 repetitions and repeat on the other side.

Scooters

Lay on your side with legs straight together. Support your head with your lower arm and position your top arm in front with fingers pointing towards the body for stabilization. Bend top knee towards the top arms. Extend leg straight at elbow level. Swing leg back to starting position. Continue for 10 repetitions and repeat on the other side. Progress to full leg extension behind the body, bend knee and bring forward to elbow again.

Rotate and Kick

Lay on your side with legs straight together. Support your head with your lower arm and position your top arm in front with fingers pointing towards the body for stabilization. Lift top leg straight up and bend your knee down bringing your heel to your buttocks. Turn knee up and extend your leg straight up. Return to start position. Continue for 10 repetitions and repeat on the other side.

Blog post by Jen Skiba.

5 Burdenko Warm Up Exercises for Runners

A good warm up is important for preventing injuries and preparing your body to perform.  Next time you head out the door for a run, try these 5 Burdenko warm up exercises that Eric Chandler, a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and Certified Burdenko Method Instructor, picked out with runners specifically in mind. 

Warm up by walking for 3-5 minutes.  Perform 10 repetitions of each exercise.  Gradually move through greater range of motion.  Do not perform any exercise that causes or increases pain.

Wake Up Call

Take a small step forward white extending your arms overhead. Clap! Return to start position and repeat with the other leg. Gradually take bigger steps forward until you are lunging.

Weight Shift Catch

Shift weight to one leg and simultaneously catch and lift the knee with both arms and pull the knee to chest, hold the balance.  Return to start position and repeat with the other leg.

Squat Hurdles

Squat with arms straight forward at shoulder level. As you stand, mimic hurdle motion: one leg kicks out straight, touching the foot with your opposite hand. Other arm extends back. Squat and repeat with the opposite hand and foot. Get the motion in rhythm, kicking knee is straight, weight bearing leg is on the ball of the foot.

High Knees/High Heels

Perform 3 high knees with alternating arm swings then 3 butt kicks, lifting the heel towards the buttocks, continuing with the arm swing.

Power Stride

Start with one foot in front of the other.  Drive up with the back leg to a high knee with opposite arm in the air.  You can take it one step forward and go all the way up to your toes on the stable leg.  Continue for 10 repetitions and repeat to the other side.

Blog post by Jen Skiba.

Beating Back the Risk of Diabetes

From an article in the NY Times

Nearly 29.1 million Americans have diabetes. This year alone, almost 2 million American adults and more than 5,000 children and adolescents will learn they also have type 2 diabetes. This largely preventable disease claims nearly 200,000 lives a year. The fatality rate among affected adults is 50% higher than among similar people without diabetes.

Recent studies have linked diabetes to an increased risk in other diseases such as Alzheimer’s and have also shown an increased risk of dementia. The same is true for those who do not yet have diabetes but have above average blood glucose levels.

Excess weight, the primary risk factor, can run in families. There are ways to combat this disease with proper nutrition, weight loss and activity. Though the numbers are daunting and it can be difficult to lose weight, it is not impossible. It is however, easier and more effective to avoid the risks of getting type 2 diabetes in the first place. 

Here are some tips on diet and exercise to keep you healthy, active and living a longer more productive life:

• Avoid drastic measures. Making gradual changes to your diet in what and how you eat allows your body time to adjust. One study showed that people with pre-diabetes who had moderate weight loss (avg, of 12 lbs), reduced their odds of progressing to diabetes by nearly 50 percent.

• Concentrate on food choices and gradually reduce portion sizes. You don’t have to count calories but it can be helpful to keep a food journal for each day.

• Carbohydrates- breads, grains, cereals, sugary drinks, and sweets. Carbs are metabolized to glucose, which raises the body’s demand for insulin. Try consuming less of them in general and choose whole grain when possible.

• Fruit juice vs. Soda- Fruit juice is not necessarily safer than soda. All drinks with fructose (table sugar, high fructose corn syrup, honey or agave) may increase body weight, insulin resistance and belly fat.

• More Coffee- two or three cups of coffee a day have been consistently linked to a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes. Take your coffee black or artificially sweetened. Be cautious with specialty coffee drinks- they can be loaded with sugar and calories.

Blog post by Farran Jalbert.

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Looking for a full body, cardiovascular workout?  Try indoor rowing.

Rowing has become more and more popular over the past few years.  It’s a fairly simple cardiovascular activity using the entire body.  It's easy to learn and entirely up to you to control the time, distance, and intensity.  Rowing is great for burning calories, increasing your stamina (through heart rate training!), and strengthening your muscles.  It’s also a low impact activity with much less pressure on the joints than walking, running or jumping.  Joints move through a wide range of motion and when I say the entire body is working, I mean the entire entire body.  With every stroke you are using your calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, core, pecs, biceps, triceps, deltoids, lats, and so on.

Technique is important.

Before you hop on a rowing machine and start rowing, make sure you learn proper form.  Technique is important to keep you injury free and more efficient so you can row better and faster.  Some of my clients are worried about straining the lower back during rowing exercises but if done correctly, power comes from the legs putting minimal stress on the lower back.

The Rowing Sequence

There are two phases in the rowing stroke: the recovery phase and the drive phase.  These two phases can be broken up into 4 positions: Recovery, Catch, Drive, and Finish.

During the recovery phase, your triceps work to extend your arms out in front of you and your upper body (abdominals flexed with back muscles relaxed) is leaning forward at about a 30 degree angle.  Start to bend your knees allowing the seat to slide forward.  The catch position is when your shins are vertical and the balls of the feet are in full contact with the footplate.  To protect your knees, you never want to compress your legs past that.  Your arms are still straight with shoulders level.

 

The drive phase begins with arms straight and upper body still leaning forward at 30 degrees while beginning to push off the footplates with your legs.  During rowing, power is generated in the drive phase with the muscles of your legs.  Your shoulder muscles are also contracting during this time.  As you straighten your legs, lean your upper body back at 30 degrees, using your core to support your lower back.  Use your biceps to bring your hands back in a straight line toward your lower ribs.  Your glutes and hamstrings are also contracting to extend the hips.  This brings us to the finish position with legs extended, arms at the lower ribs, flat wrists, upper body engaged and still at 30 degrees, head neutral with neck and shoulders relaxed.

Adjust the damper setting

The most common misconception about the Concept 2 Rower is the damper setting.  I’ll admit that I even had this all wrong.  On the Concept 2 Rower, the lever is 1-10 on the flywheel.  The damper setting does not control the level or resistance.  Let me repeat.  The damper setting does not control the level or resistance.

The damper setting controls how much air flows into the flywheel cage.  High settings will allow more air in which takes more work to spin the flywheel.  This doesn’t necessarily mean you will go faster or farther, it just means you will work harder and your muscles will fatigue quicker.  Lower settings allow less air flow making it easier to row.

How do you change the resistance?  You pull harder!  It depends on the leg strength and power behind your push off and how hard you pull using your arms and back muscles.

Start with a setting or 3-5 and experiment with different settings.  Typically 3-5 is ideal for aerobic exercise and building endurance.  Higher settings turn your aerobic exercise into more of a strength workout.

Warm up & start out slow

Before you begin a rowing workout, warm up for 3-5 minutes.  Start out slow and gradually increase your time, distance, and intensity.  Getting too ambitious your first few sessions on the rowing machine will set you up for injury!

Focus on your breathing

Breathing is often overlooked when exercising.  With each inhale, you are filling your lungs with fresh oxygen and supplying muscles with nutrient rich blood whereas each exhale you are flushing out the bad carbon dioxide and waste.  Holding your breath, breathing too fast or too shallow will have an effect on your workout.  Our goal during rowing is deep and relaxed breathing and creating a breathing rhythm related to the rhythm of each stroke.

Most rowers either take one breaths per stroke: inhale during recover, exhale during the drive.  Rowers rowing at high intensities may sneak in a quick second breath per stroke.

See what works best for you and continue the same breathing pattern throughout your workout.  This will keep your muscles happy with continuous and regular oxygen supply.

Last but not least—have fun!

Blog post by Jen Skiba.

Race Week Taper Mode

Whether you’re running the beautiful and prestigious 7-mile Falmouth Road Race course in Falmouth, Massachusetts next Sunday or preparing for your goal race of the year, race week is a very important week.

Let me start out by saying – nothing you do in the week (actually two weeks) before the race will benefit you in terms of aerobic fitness levels, speed, or strength.  Your last long run should be 2 weeks out.  One of the hardest things about taper can be learning to trust your training.  However, cramming in an extra long run or logging mega miles will only lead to tired and heavy legs or even worse… over training and injuries!  You have done all the hard work (hopefully!), now is the time to let your body rest up and prepare for the big day.

I am a big believer in training plans.  There are a million to choose from but the right training plan, if followed, can set you up for a great race.  Sure there are things that we cannot control—like the weather—but doing all the little things that we CAN control make all the difference in the world.

If the race is on Sunday, run like your normally would Monday-Thursday with a day or two off.  Nothing crazy fast or out of the ordinary.  Try 4-6 strides at the end of your run to work on turnover.  Take Friday completely off as a rest day and use Saturday as a “shake out run” or an easy, easy 20-30 minutes max before you tear it up on Sunday.

If the race is early, practice running early.  Set your alarm to get out the door before work.  Your body’s energy levels fluctuate throughout the day depending on your sleep, stress, and nutrition.  If you always run in the morning and you’ve signed up for a night race, make sure to get in a few night runs to see how your body reacts and give it time to adjust.

Eat smart and stick to your regular diet.  Don’t try anything new—especially race morning and the night before the race.  Avoid spicy foods, seafood or anything with heavy cream that may upset your stomach.  During your training, you should have been practicing race nutrition.  The week of the race isn’t the time to experiment with new gels or different pre-run meals.  If you’re running a destination race, call the hotel ahead of time to see what they offer for breakfast.  If not, bring your own meals or stop by the local grocery store when you get to your destination.

Get some sleep!!  And I’m not just talking about the night before.  Try to get to bed a little earlier every night the week of the race.  Your body will thank you.

Drive the course.  Some runners like to drive the course beforehand, others do not.  Knowing the route can be beneficial if you are in new running territory and are nervous about the event.  You can scope out the finish line and all the hills to mentally prepare yourself for what’s to come.

Develop your race day strategy.  Have a plan for how you will tackle the run.  Do you have a goal time in mind?  Do you usually go out too fast?  Are you too conservative so you always feel like you could have done better?  Almost as important as having a strategy is being able to adapt.  What if something goes wrong?  How will you recoup and finish the race?  Maybe you’re having a bad day but never give up.  Take a look around at all the runners, volunteers, and race supporters.  Everyone out there on the course has their own story to tell about their training and struggles.  Appreciate the run and learn from your experiences.  There is always another race to redeem yourself.

Lay everything out the night before.  Pick out (and try on) your race day outfit.  Even better–wear your race day outfit for a run.  Don’t wear new sneakers the day of the race.  Make a checklist of everything you will need: bib number, pins, socks, sneakers, watch, Gu, Body Glide, etc.  Plan your breakfast.  Set your alarm early enough that you aren’t rushed.  Expect traffic.  Add in extra time because you know you will want to wait in a porta potty line and a dynamic warm up before the start.

Try all these race week taper tips and you’ll be arriving at the start line with fresh legs ready to rock a personal best!  Good luck!

Blog post by Jen Skiba.

Mind Gym: An Athlete’s Guide To Inner Excellence

Mind Gym: An Athlete’s Guide To Inner Excellence

By Gary Mack and David Casstevens

Most athletes focus simply on the physical aspect of a sport. Of course, one should do everything they can in order to be in top condition; the secret to reaching a goal has more to do than just the body. Our minds have more power than expected, with more and more athletes realizing that it can make or break a performance.

Strengthening and training the mind will require a little extra time, but the results have proven to be outstanding. Many athletes already have a strong mentality to keep them motivated, but they are doing a few things wrong that ‘Mind Gym’ explains. For example, in one chapter Mack and Casstevens reveal the effect of positive repetition to oneself. Say that you can AND will do something in order to get the desired result instead of focusing on something that you should not do. Say to yourself “Do not hit this golf ball in the water” and your chances of that ball landing in the water have massively increased. We may be on the track to doing a few things correctly, but there are tricks to the madness that must be learned and practiced.

Throughout the book there are techniques and lessons on learning how to master the mind in sports. One instrumental practice said to be a huge help is meditation before competing. Meditate about your greatest moments, and picture yourself doing everything right once again in an upcoming event. “If you take twenty athletes of equal ability and give ten mental training they will outperform the ten who received no mental training every time. This is what we call the head edge.” There is no arguing the facts. It’s time to get ahead of the game by preparing mentally.

For the full understanding, ‘Mind Gym’ relates a myriad of experiences that prove just how successful a person with a robust mind can be. There are probably thousands of tremendously useful quotes throughout the book, including “A positive mental attitude is essential to becoming the hero that is within you” and “Fear of failure makes failure more likely.”

There exists TWO answers to improving a performance and it is time that people start focusing more on the incredible power of the mind and not just the body.

-Keep this book in mind for either your present or future self, a family or friend. Give them the advice they have been looking for.-

Blog post by 2014 Summer Intern Geena Franciosi.

4 Ways to Ease Sore Hamstrings

1

Massage your hamstrings.

Use a foam roll or massage stick to loosen knots in your muscles.

2

Mix up your routine.

Try cross training in the pool. A little variation gives your body a break from always doing the same thing and putting stress on the same areas.

3

Adjust your training volume every third week. 

If you’re a runner, cut your mileage by a third to a half to give your body time to recover. You can still train just as hard.

4

Strengthen your glutes! 

If your glutes are weak, your hamstrings will have to work overtime to pick up the slack. One idea: Include mini band walks in your workout to strengthen your glutes. Just make sure you’re feeling it in your glutes and not your hamstrings.

Blog post by Farran Jalbert.