Your glutes and hamstrings are some of the hardest-working muscles in your body, powering you through everything from walking and climbing stairs to balancing, bending, and moving through your yoga practice. But with so much of modern life spent sitting, these powerful muscles don't always get the attention they deserve.
This week, we're turning our attention to the back side of the body with two new practices designed to strengthen, activate, and mobilize your hips, glutes, and hamstrings. And while you can expect a little booty burn, the benefits go far beyond building stronger glutes.
Your glutes, hamstrings, and surrounding hip muscles play an important role in supporting your pelvis, stabilizing your lower body, and helping you move efficiently. When they're strong and mobile, everyday movements can feel easier and your yoga practice can feel more stable and powerful.
Strength is only part of the equation, though. These muscles also need the freedom to move. That's why combining targeted strengthening with mobility work and stretching can be such an effective approach—building a lower body that's not only strong, but functional and adaptable.
Yoga naturally encourages mobility, balance, and body awareness, while Pilates-inspired exercises can bring focused strength and muscular endurance into the mix. Combine the two, and you get a practice that challenges your muscles while still leaving space to lengthen, release, and move.
Rather than choosing between getting stronger and becoming more flexible, you can work toward both. A strong muscle that can move comfortably through a healthy range of motion gives you more options—on your mat and in everyday life.
Our two new classes this week offer different ways to get out of your head and reconnect with your body—using breath, movement, rhythm, and flow to draw your attention away from mental chatter and back into the present moment.
Hips & Glutes: Mobility & Flow with Mary Baker: Mary Baker takes you through a slow and intentional practice focused on opening the hips while strengthening the glutes. You'll alternate between activation and release, creating a satisfying balance of effort and ease. Expect a little booty burn followed by plenty of stretching so you finish feeling grounded, open, and strong.
Yoga Fusion - Glutes and Hamstrings Edition with Caroline Stradling: Caroline Stradling brings yoga and Pilates-inspired movement together in this all-levels practice that targets the glutes and hamstrings through creative yoga sequences, controlled strength exercises, balance work, and functional movement. You'll build strength, stability, and endurance while also encouraging greater mobility throughout the lower body.
Whether you've been sitting a little too much lately, want more power and stability in your yoga practice, or simply love the feeling of working hard and then stretching it all out, this week's classes have you covered.
Roll out your mat, fire up those glutes, and give the back side of your body some well-deserved attention. A stronger, more mobile foundation can help you move through your practice—and your life—with more strength, stability, and ease.