If you want to walk correctly you need to stick your butt out.  Or at least stick it out compared to where you have it now (which is tucked under). As a culture we love to tuck our pelvis. Maybe you hurt your back and a physical therapist told you to tuck under to lengthen your low spine; or you’ve done too many bad fitness classes at the gym, or you simply think your butt is too big. For whatever of the many reasons, the vast majority of people allow the weight of the spine to fall backwards, tucking the pelvis under and pushing the femur (thigh) bones forward with it.
Standing up straight and learning to walk correctly requires a skeletal adjustment to allow your thighs to move underneath your pelvis. This slight forward tilt of the pelvis is actually meant to relax the butt muscles and help our deeper core muscles hold us up. We are truly a tight assed people. We grip our butts in tension and frustration, which is a natural reaction but as with everything we tend to over do it. The femur bones falling forward in space results in a constant engagement of the butt and thigh muscles (quadriceps).
To stand and walk correctly the quads and glutes should be working as little as possible to let important core muscles function properly. When we walk the big buttock muscle gluteus maximus works when we go up hill or up stairs but it doesn’t do a whole lot when walking on level ground.
The release of the butt goes hand in hand with a shifting of the pelvis. The effects of this shift are far reaching. As the thighs move back and under the pelvis your legs will release differently in walking and you will feel a more even distribution of energy through the foot with every step. To walk correctly you have to shift the pelvis into proper alignment, accessing the correct curve of your lower back bringing instant support to all the bones of the spine. Your shoulders will open naturally and the head will find greater support at the top of the spine.
Realigning your pelvis and releasing your butt will allow you to walk correctly and embrace a whole new realm of energetic possibilities.
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