Step 1 — Glute Check-In (3–10 minutes)
Goal: detect and release unconscious glute gripping

1. Lie face-down (arms under head, pillow under belly/ankles) or face-up (knees bent, feet flat).
2. Let your hips and buttocks feel heavy, sinking into the surface beneath you.
3. Bring awareness to both buttock cheeks. Ask: “Are my glutes doing anything right now?”
4. Do a gentle squeeze (10–20% effort) for 2–3 seconds, then release very slowly. Repeat 2–3 times.
5. Notice the difference between “on” and “off” in your own body.
6. End by imagining your sit bones widening and the muscles melting like warm wax.

Why it works — builds body awareness, restores spinal-pelvic rhythm, and removes chronic guarding that blocks bowel/bladder function.

Step 2 — Morning in Bed: Abdominal Drop + Pelvic Floor Drop (5 minutes)
Goal: set a relaxed baseline before daily activity

1. Lie on your back, knees bent. One hand on belly, one on ribs.
2. Inhale through the nose; feel belly, side ribs, and low back expand.
3. Exhale slowly; allow sit bones to widen and pelvic floor to melt downward.
4. Let your abdominal wall soften — avoid any pulling in or bracing.
5. Keep jaw, shoulders, and glutes soft.

Imagery — imagine your pelvis as a bowl gently widening; with each breath, the base of your body opens like a parachute.

Step 3 — Child’s Pose (Balasana, 2–3 minutes)
Goal: decompress spine, open hips, and lengthen pelvic floor

1. Kneel, big toes together, knees comfortably apart.
2. Fold forward, torso between thighs, arms forward or by sides.
3. Inhale into your back and sides; exhale, softening hips and pelvic floor.
4. Imagine your pelvis widening, your spine lengthening, and your nervous system quieting with each exhale.

Why it works — hip flexion and forward folding lengthen the pelvic diaphragm and activate the parasympathetic nervous system for deep relaxation.

Step 4 — Happy Baby Pose (2–3 minutes)
Goal: hip opening + pelvic floor lengthening

1. Lie on back, knees toward armpits, feet toward ceiling.
2. Hold shins or outer feet; keep sacrum heavy on the floor.
3. Inhale belly expansion; exhale to imagine pelvic floor lengthening and inner thighs softening.
4. Option: gentle side-to-side rock for extra release.

Why it works — opens hips in multiple planes, reducing deep rotator tension and allowing pelvic diaphragm to drop.

Step 5 — Glute Release with Massage Ball (5–8 minutes total)
Goal: reduce trigger points in gluteus medius/minimus and piriformis

1. Against a wall or floor, place a soft massage ball in outer buttock region.
2. Work three zones: along iliac crest, posterolateral hip, and mid-buttock toward sacrum.
3. Pause on tender points; breathe slowly, exhaling tension from the area.

Step 6 — Pre-Toilet: Pelvic Release Sequence (2–3 minutes)
Goal: coordinate breath and relaxation before defecation/urination

1. Sit with knees above hips (use a small footstool); lean forward slightly, elbows on thighs.
2. Take 3 belly breaths; on each exhale, feel sit bones widen and pelvic floor drop — no pushing.
3. Option: add gentle rocking to stimulate reflex relaxation.

Step 7 — Vagus-Calming Breath (3 minutes)
Goal: calm nervous system and reduce global muscle tone

1. Find a comfortable seat or lie down; one hand on belly.
2. Inhale through the nose for 4–5 seconds; exhale for 6–8 seconds.
3. On each exhale, consciously soften jaw, shoulders, abdomen, and pelvic floor.

Step 8 — Daily Movement Hygiene
Goal: prevent re-tightening during the day

1. Every 30–45 minutes of sitting, stand and move: 5 hip swings, 5 shallow squats, 3 deep breaths with pelvic drop.
2. Walk 5–10 minutes after meals without bracing the abdomen.