BOOTCAMP BLOG MUMS on the RUN, part 6

If you are looking at this for the first time, read through and check out the 'At a glance' schedule below. You will need to go back and look at previous week's posts for more info on what to do each week.

This week we will be focusing on bottoms!

I once had a bottom of some worth. That was in the days when I did tons of running, including lots of sprinting and hard core stuff that I neither have the inclination or time to bother with now. There are two points in my life when I lost my bottom...1) When I had a knee injury and couldn't train for 4 months and 2) When I had my son - Despite having trained throughout my pregnancy, I struggled to keep up an exercise regime once he was born. This was the main reason why I set up Baby A-Wake and produced the Baby A-Wake Complete Antenatal and Postnatal Exercise and Wellbeing DVD to ensure that new mummies didn’t find themselves in the same situation as me. My bum had disappeared, gone flaccid, turned south. This was because I spent far too much time sitting on it and not nearly enough time using it. Now my bottom, is not exactly J-Lo-esque, but it is vaguely respectable (for a mummy of two, aged 41). In fact I quite like my bum! And here's the thing, if you want your bottom, other wise known as the Gluteus Maximus or Glutes, to not only look better but also help you with your running, you need to give it a bit of unconditional love. Here's how...

Do the following exercise regime - it takes 5 minutes - at least 5 x this week. Continue with the exercises at least 3 x week, after each run is ideal. Also try to activate your glutes when ever you can - when walking, running, standing, lift up tall and give them a little squeeze (think 'penny up there and hold it tight!')

- Make sure you are warm - after a run is ideal. If not do some lunging actions for 2 minutes to get your legs moving.
- You are now going to stretch out your hip flexor muscles. These are the muscles that act across the front of your hip. When they are tight, your bum muscles are restricted and can't fire up so easily, hence why you need to stretch the hip flexors first in this routine.
- Kneel on a soft surface on your left knee with your right foot in front so that both of your knees are bent at 90 degrees, right leg in front, thigh parallel to the floor, left leg behind, thigh going vertically towards the floor. It’s best to do this now while you read. Get rid of your chair and kneel at your desk or download this onto your phone so that you can move about.
- Place one had on your tummy and, if the other hand is free, place it into the small of your back.
- Lift your tummy up and in with your front hand and gently press your tail bone down and under with your back hand.
- At the same time, actively pull in your deep abdominal and pelvic floor (PF) muscles (see previous posts).
- You should now be feeling a stretch at the top of your left thigh, over the front of your hip. Hold for 45 seconds and change sides.
- Now lie on the floor, on your back, knees bent, feet hip width and on the floor.
- Take a breath and as you exhale, pull up through you deep abs and PF, tilt your pelvis and lift your bottom off the floor.
- Now squeeze your bum muscles like there is no tomorrow. Aim to feel your backside muscles working like a lift to bring the pelvis up off the floor.
- Hold the lifted position and, without moving or twisting your pelvis, do 10 alternating bum squeezes. Keep your breathing regular and relaxed throughout. Lower and repeat 3 times.
- Hug your knees, one at a time, into your chest, other leg extended, to stretch out your bum. Hold for at least 30 seconds each.

Schedule at a glance

WEEK 1 - Preparation week, find 3 slots in which to run

WEEK 2 - Walk 4 mins run 1 min, x 4, 3 x per week

WEEK 3 - Walk 3 mins, run 2 mins x 4, 2 x per week, Walk 3 mins, run 2 mins x 5, 1 x per week. Do pelvic floor exercises every day.

WEEK 4 - Walk 2 mins, run 3 mins x 4, 2 x week, Walk 2 mins, run 3 mins x 6, 1 x week. Focus on Pelvic floor and running technique.

WEEK 5 - Walk 1 min, run 4 mins x 4 x 2 week, Walk 1 min run 4 mins x 6 . Pelvic floor and abdominal exercise, every day.

WEEK 6 - THIS WEEK’S POST! Run continuously, 20 minutes 2 x week and 30 minutes 1 x week.