Toasted Buns

At the Yoga Lovelies Club, we use different names for challenging poses in an effort to keep ourselves entertained while we are feeling the burn. “Toasted buns” is the name we give to any exercise we do that strengthens our glutes. Depending on the level of challenge, this might become “burnt buns” or, as one Yoga Lovely recently put it, “incinerated buns.” 

So why is it important to feel the burn in your buns? Let’s get to the bottom of it!

The gluteus muscles - or the “glutes” - are the muscles that make up your bum cheeks. If you stand up and squeeze your bum, there they are. Your glutes are comprised of three muscles—the gluteus maximus, which is in the main part of your bum cheek, and the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus, which are located more towards the upper outer part of your backside. Together, these muscles play a very important role in holding us up and propelling us forward. 

Ok, ok, we all want our bums to look good in stretchy pants but, aesthetics aside, let’s take a closer look at how these muscles function. As we move through life, our glutes are responsible for stabilizing our lower backs, our hips and our knees. If you are walking, getting up from a chair, climbing stairs, running, standing up tall, lifting a heavy object or balancing on one leg, your buns are in action. “Toasted buns” might sound frivolous but make no mistake, your buns are serious business! They stabilize the pelvis, create a solid foundation for the spine and support healthy movement patterns in the whole body.

So what happens when our buns are neglected? Many of us spend too much time sitting down in our daily lives and our buns suffer. In addition, as we get older, we naturally lose muscle mass. This can lead to balance issues, a greater risk of falls and difficulty with everyday movements like getting up from a chair or walking uphill. When our glutes are weak or inactive, other parts of the body—the lower back, knees, hamstrings and even the feet—are forced to compensate. This compensation can lead to chronic pain and even injury over time. Lower back pain, for example, is often linked to neglected buns. Hip instability, dodgy knees and overworked hamstrings can also be signs that our glutes are not pulling their weight.

At the other end of the spectrum, overly active glutes can also throw a spanner in the works. When our core abdominal muscles are weak, our buns tend to take over and clamp together to compensate when we are upright. Something has to hold us up, and sometimes it’s just easier to mindlessly squeeze our bottoms than it is to engage our core. This habitual clamping can lead to chronic tightness in our glutes and stiffness in our lower back and hips. 

As with everything we do in yoga, the key to developing healthy buns lies in being mindful of what we are doing in the moment and why.

All of our muscles rely on conscious targeted engagement (not mindless clamping) to build strength, along with regular mindful stretching to promote flexibility. Tackling our buns from different angles with a variety of exercises helps to ensure that all three parts of the gluteus muscles develop healthily and function in harmony. 

At the YLC, we enjoy a wide range of glute-strengthening poses, from balance work to chair variations to warriors to squats to leg lifts and beyond. You will be amazed by how many fun and safe ways there are to toast your buns! Modifications are always offered so that no buns are left behind. Even beginners can access the satisfaction of feeling the burn and getting stronger. We also take the time to stretch our glutes with hip-opening poses such as pigeon, so that our buns become both strong and mobile.

If you feel like your buns could do with some love and attention, don’t worry, you’re in the right place! The good news is that your glutes can be strengthened at any age and classes at the YLC provide a safe and accessible way to build them up. Whether you like them lightly toasted, burnt or incinerated, as long as you find a challenge that is appropriate for your body, healthy buns will soon be yours. Let them shine!  

If you would like to learn more about the Yoga Lovelies Club, please click here.