The Bottom Line: Kindness Counts (NAPSA)—Whenwasthelast time you thought about comforting your...ahem...posterior? According to a recent survey by Cottonelle brand bath tissue, people go to great lengths to care for the rest of their bodies yet often overlook their behinds. A majority (81 percent) of Americans freely admit that they deserve little comfort every day. Yet when it comes to pampering, a certain body part routinely falls to the bottom of the list: 94 percent dish out kindness everywhere buttheir behinds. This is unfortunate, because the gluteus maximusis the strongest and one of the most important muscles in the body. “No matter how you feel about your back end, the gluteals—the muscles that form the buttocks— do crucial work every day, stabilizing your body and moving you through life,” says Ary Nunez, internationally renowned fitness expert and owner of New York City-based Gotham Global Fitness. “Without the gluteals, we would be unable to walk, our spine would be out of alignment and our knees would not function, so it is critical that we be kindto this oftneglected region.” To help Americans add little more “derriere comfort” to their lives, Nunez has teamed up with the Cottonelle brand to provide tips on how to keep this important muscle in great shape. Her recommendationsinclude: Gluteus Maximus Kickbacks: This kickback can be performed by kneeling down with one leg behind your body slightly raised and bent in a 90-degree position. Next, raise the leg as high as you can and slowly lower it to the starting position. This exercise can be very good for physical therapy and other recoverytype exercises. Bs The gluteus maximus is the strongest and one of the most important muscles in your body. Squats with Elastic Band: Start with the band underneath your feet and the other ends over your shoulders with both hands gripping either end. Now, slowly complete a squat by not letting your knees go over your toes and keeping your back straight. If this is too light for you, try ball squats with a weight in your hand. e Lunges: Stand in a split stance (one leg forward, one leg back). Bend knees and lower body into a lunge position, keeping the front knee and back knee at 90degree angles. Keeping the weight on your heels, push back up (slowly!) to starting position. Never lock your knees at the top and don’t let your knee bend past your toes. Variations: front lunges, back lunges and side lunges. “Whether you're a stay-at-home mom or sit in an office all day, life can be tough on bottoms. Regularly performing these three moves is an easy way to give your behind the attention it deserves,” Nunez adds. Visit Cottonelle.com and make a pledge to treat your bottom to the kindness it deserves to receive a coupon for Cottonelle brand products.
