You’re not alone. Pilates teacher Norah Myers says getting a hamstring cramp throughout glute bridges is a maddeningly frequent drawback.
“They do the bridge and immediately they get a hamstring cramp,” Myers says of her college students. “I see it on their face, I see it of their physique. Instantaneously, they arrive down from the bridge, they maintain their leg, they’re like, ‘Ah, my hamstring!’”
It doesn’t should be this fashion, folks! There’s a easy repair you may make to keep away from the dreaded hamstring cramp throughout glute bridges.
To start with, why is that this even taking place?
The glute bridge is, clearly, alleged to work your glutes. But when they’re not able to work, your hamstring may activate rapidly to assist stabilize you. The cramp is your nervous system attempting to activate extra muscle fibers.
“Muscle shaking and cramping occurs when muscle mass that are not meant to be doing a specific train have to return in and compensate for muscle mass that are not partaking sufficient in that train,” Myers says.
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So what are you able to do about it?
Myers’ recommendation to her shoppers—and one of the best ways to forestall hamstring cramps throughout glute bridges—is to get your butt muscle mass firing earlier than you really elevate your hips.
“In case your hamstrings are cramping or shaking while you do a bridge, meaning you are not kicking in your glutes sufficient,” Myers says. “Actually squeeze the glutes earlier than you elevate up.”
Squeezing (or activating) your muscle mass is essential to get essentially the most out of each train, not simply glute strikes. By ensuring your biceps are working throughout a curl, or your core is engaged throughout a plank, as an illustration, you’ll be certain that you’re utilizing the muscle mass you’re meaning to work, and never relegating the stress of a motion to your joints or one other physique half (resembling a swaying decrease again). Relating to constructing muscle, the mind-body connection is highly effective.
Do this full-body activation exercise to work on partaking your muscle mass.
