A few days ago a client was telling me how she had been doing squats and lunges as part of her workout. She was now experiencing lower back pain. 

Given that she is a middle aged lady who has been referred to me because of her bad back, this was rather worrying. 

A deep squat or lunge puts a huge amount of strain into the pelvic muscles and ligaments, particularly the sacral ligaments, which in women, many already be weakened following child birth. Even in younger women, the effect of the monthly fluctuation in hormones can create pelvic instability, making the body more susceptible to injury. 

Strengthening one area of the body has to be done by balancing all the muscles used to perform a movement, effectively spreading the "load" of the exercise and thus reducing the risk of injury. 

So back to the client, ,"But how else can I strengthen my gluteus, without risking a back injury ?", she wailed. The answer is simple. 

Walking up a gentle incline will work the gluteus in a much safer way than a squat, without the risk of injuring her back, combined with the set of Pilates exercises done in side lying call the leg weight series. 

These exercises, performed with precision and care, will strengthen all the deep muscles that support the lower back and hip, and will give you a streamlined leaner look than that achieved by squats too !

For more information and help, join me online and practice regularly and safely with me.
Julia