Monday Move

A Glute-Wake-Up Exercise Every Runner (and Frequent Sitter) Should Know

Is your butt dead? This move will bring it back to life.

I once worked out with a running coach who said that a huge chunk (scientific, I know!) of running injuries could be attributed to “dead butt” syndrome. It’s a real thing, and a diagnosis many runners have heard from sports medicine doctors and physical therapists. Here’s what happens: For those of us who spend much of our day seated, our gluteus medius muscles weaken. Over time they sort of “forget” how to switch on, which they need to do in order to keep our pelvis stable and our spine in proper alignment. For runners especially, this imbalance can force other muscle groups to overcompensate to keep things moving. Folks with dead butts (RIP) may experience stiffness and pain throughout the lower body: hips, knees, ankles, even toes.

If your butt is so dead that you suspect you have an actual injury — legit pain that inhibits movement — please talk to a doctor or physical therapist about diagnosing and treating the injury. But if you’re just experiencing stiffness or generally don’t feel wonderful when you move around, or you’re starting a running routine and want to prevent injury, something that can help is strengthening the glutes, and warming up the gluteus medius in particular, before you go for a walk or run.

A great way to revive the gluteus medius is the lateral monster walk, a move you might…