Gluteal (butt) and low back exercises that you can do at home

I often get asked about exercises to strengthen the gluteal/backside/butt muscles and also for the low back that can be done at home without the need for expensive and space-hogging equipment.

My favourite is the glute butterfly which is demonstrated in the following video:

Key Points in addition to those made in the video:

More information here

•  Breathe!  Breathe in as the legs go up - out as the legs go down.
• No jerking!  Slow and steady.  Quality!
• If you do not have a suitable exercise bench or chair, try leaning over the kitchen bench with a folded towel for cushioning under the hips.  Or how about dangling the lower legs over the side of the bed?  Or the end of the couch?
• You can try it in a more restricted form on the ground with a few pillows under the hips.
• If you get pain in the low back, is this from "muscle burn" rather than "disc pain"?  If it is weak muscles protesting, then keep going.  If it appears to be coming from the central spine, try not lifting the legs quite so high and see if that makes a difference (it should),
• Get a copy of my book on back pain for additional information, including safe exercises for the hips and low back.
• Consult me if you have any difficulties.

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About this website

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation.  Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.

Basketball player with sacroiliac joint dysfunction pain

My name is Laz and I am a basketball player playing college basketball in United States. I saw your video about glucosamine and chondroitin on Youtube, and I need your advice.

Around begining of September 2008 I started experiencing pain in my lower back. After seeing a spine specialist, I found out that I had an SI(sacroiliac) joint disfunction. I'm sure that you are familiar with it but just in case - a joint between my hips and the base of the spine (sacrum). Doctor told me that it was overused and was lacking some liquid for fluent motion, and that was the reason why the range of motion in that joint decreased. I tried everything to fix it - I went to chiropractor, did physical therapy for a long time, took time of from practicing to get some rest etc. Nothing really helped me. Up until a week ago it was very painfull.

Then I bought "Sundown"(name of the company) GLUCOSAMINE CHONDROITIN Advanced Formula dietary supplement in a form of a tablet. I started taking it a week ago 3 times a day and I really feel some relief. The pain and the inflamation reduced. I am 22 years old and plan on playing basketball for a long time.

I am performing on a high level every day besides the pain that I constantlly feel. Since the SI joint is a joint like any other and the dietary supplement helped me in such a short time I was wondering, considering your expertise in the field, if you could recomend something, that in your oppinion, will regenerate the cartilage completelly and help me in future.

Laz
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Gary Moller responds:
Laz, the better joint food supplement would be the Balance Joint and Cartilage Repair for Athletes. Take about three scoops per day for about three months with food and then reduce to about 1 per day thereafter. I can deliver to the USA at competitive prices, by the way.

While this is undoubtedly of benefit, you will find that there may be a more simple cause of the sacroiliac pain. Basketball involves violent use of the butt muscles. These are likely to be knotted and inflamed, consequently locking up the sacroiliac and hip joints. Scaroiliac joint dysfunction would have to be the most common back complaint and I see at least one new case every working day.

Try a once weekly deep tissue massage of the butt, low back and upper leg muscles, concentrating on alleviating all areas of hardness and tenderness in these muscles. There are sure to be many! Do regular hip and low back stretches. My book on back pain is a good resource of these exercises. You should notice significant relief and boost in basketball performance within 3-4 weeks of commencing these.

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