This weekend’s exercise is a great place to start. It helps relieve knee pain – an all-too-common problem – and prevent knee injury. Interestingly, it does this primarily by working the muscles of the buttocks, or glutes, which has a tremendous number of benefits besides improving knee joint health. I’ll explain, next.
Why:
Working the glutes is usually promoted as a way of shaping and toning the buttocks, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But the advantages go far beyond just a shapelier behind to include the following bone-smart benefits:
Improved Gait And Balance
Strong glutes help to achieve a powerful, healthy stride and well-balanced gait, all of which help to prevent falls. Also, strong glutes promote hip extension, which is required for a large number of actions, from bicycling to walking to jumping.
Posture
Good posture is not often linked to strong buttocks muscles; but the glutes really matter when it comes to holding the body upright. In fact, the glutes are uniquely human, allowing us to walk upright on two legs. So their role in balance is significant.
Improved Bone Density
Savers are well aware of the bone-building effects of regular exercise. Specifically, working the glutes builds bone in the pelvis, an area of key importance when it comes to low bone density and avoiding fracture. Breaking a hip can be devastating, so it makes sense to include plenty of hip-strengthening exercises in your repertoire.
Reduced Knee Pain And Injury Protection
As I am sure you’re aware, when one muscle or muscle group is weak and underperforming, other muscles will try to compensate by doing the weak muscle’s job…but the compensatory muscles aren’t designed to do this, so it results in muscle stress, pain, and other musculoskeletal problems.
In the case of the glutes, which also perform vital hip-stabilizing functions, underperformance means that various muscles of the lower body must step in and do their best to act like the glutes. As you might imagine, this can lead to overstressed muscles and limited motion, including compromised hip extension. Under these conditions the lumbar spine, knee and hip joints can also become compressed and the pelvis misaligned.
The entire lower body, in fact, suffers when the gluteal muscles are in poor shape. All of this sets the stage for injuries such as shin splints, sprains, ligament tears, and tendonitis of the Achilles tendon.
It’s wise, therefore, to protect your lower body from injury and promote alignment and proper function of the legs, including the knee joints, by strengthening the glutes.
As you’ll soon see, this weekend’s exercise helps you do just that.
How:
If you don’t have a carpeted floor, an exercise mat will make this move more comfortable. You’ll need to be near a wall.
- Lie on your back with your feet against the wall and your knees bent approximately 90 degrees.
- Place your right ankle just above your left knee. Your hands should be on the floor, palms down, elbows straight.
- Squeeze your buttocks and lift your bottom up off the floor, then slowly bring it back down.
- Repeat this lift eight to 10 times, and then switch legs for another set of eight to ten.
Because of your supine position while you perform this exercise, your knees are not bearing any weight, making it ideal for those who already suffer knee pain. Here are three more Weekend Challenges that also work the glutes without stressing the knees:
Because targeted exercise is so vital to rebuilding bone, many Savers already have the Densercise™ Epidensity Training System. The Weekend Challenges offer the opportunity to further tailor your exercise routine to meet your personal needs and goals. For example, there may be a “Densercise™” that works the glutes, but requires too much weight-bearing on your knees for your comfort level. You can simply replace that Densercise™ with a challenge like this weekend’s.
Take Exercising For Your Bones to the Next Level!
Learn the 52 exercise moves that jumpstart bone-building – all backed by the latest in epigenetics research.
Or, if you prefer to add variety and/or intensity to your Densercise™ routine, or add extra focus on a particular area of your body, you can incorporate relevant Weekend Challenges into your regimen.
Here’s to kicking off the New Year with strong glutes and pain-free knees!
Have a great weekend,
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How To Avoid And Eliminate Neck PainComments on this article are closed.
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Thank you very much.I am surprised that cow milk not suitable
for strength bones .I think if you only consume just a little of milk or dairy products should not harm you specially in under developed contry like ours because you only get a little source of proteins .then the milk is complete proteinand usefull for children’s. exercise is vital to strengthen bones and keep your body height level of activity.
could you please answer .how many ml of milk could be consumed in relation to body wieght .thanks again.
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A very good subject!!!
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Hello Vivian,
Many thanks for the valuable information I have followed, and enjoy from your regular ideas.
In Australia recently I have discovered sports physiologists, the one I go to has tapped in with my G.P. my doctor visited the centre, is highly recommending some of her patients to attend. These mild and gently exercise that I can do, even with 4 back fractures, help me grately. People from 5 to 90 attend to assist with injuries, and health problems. The therapist regulates the intensity and pressure that is best for each client. After being a massage therapist for over 30 years, I must say the benefits I and older friends have found have been extremely remarkable! and ongoing.
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We found you through a printed set of documents. Then I looked you up to find your site. Vivian, we are in Williston which is near Ocala and Gainesville. We have been doing the Egoscue Method, Feldenkrais Method and Somatic Movements. You have a different style of concentration on the bones which I think is pretty cool. I, Art am 63 and Cindy is 55. We eat healthily and practice caloric restriction. We eat 4-6 pounds each of food each day plus green tea and distilled water. Diet alone without programs like yours are never enough. We found Densercise in the library which led me to you. Please put us on your email. Where are you located here in Florida?
Bye for now,
Art & Cindy -
I would really like a hard copy too.
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Thank you Vivian for ( I beieve) saving both my husband’s and my life…. We were able to get your book when you first began..(I don’t remember what year_)….But we began your program, and to save words about our health then and now, We want to let you know a little bit about why we say this…We both started the program and immediately we could see a change….He just turn 80 and I am 78..We take NO MEDICINE NOW, We clime stairs, walk, work in the yards…and the doctors, nurses cannot believe that we don’t need them…We thank you so much for all your hard work….and our update very often helps up continue on….Thank you Vivian…Edna
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Wow, Edna, that was 11 years ago when Save Our Bones first began! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your loyalty and for sharing such an inspiring testimony!
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Do you sell a hard copy book of your bone building exercizes? I have osteoporosis and would like to buy a book if exercizes that is already conveniently bound. I already bought the ebook some years ago but end up never accessing it.
I live in Singapore and am happy to pay shipping too if you can supply.
Thank you and I enjoy your emails.-
Hi Claire,
I’m so glad you enjoy the e-mails!
Densercise is not available in hard copy. It is delivered digitally as a PDF file, and the videos are viewed online. 🙂
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Vivian,
Thanks to you I have been able to pass your web site on to many of my friends, both at croquet, and of course “The Motley Crew”, which is a swimming group I swim with at 6am each morning. In a salt water, tidal creek. Some swim all year round. All of our ages range from 60 to 93, one lady found she had to stop last year, and will turn 100 shortly. Such a social supportive social group, and thankfully I have been able to make some of them aware, of just how detrimental drugs can be. Thanks Dorothy.