Not since Sir Mix-a-Lot released the infamous tune “Baby Got Back” in the early 1990s has the booty been the focus of so much talk. Today, every gal wants her backside to be strong and contoured. Even some fashion designers are getting on the toned tush bandwagon with jeans especially for females sporting ample, muscular butts and thighs.
With so much emphasis on the backside, women are actively craving new workouts that give them the oomph they desire from the rear. When you strengthen the muscles in your rear, you give your body tremendous stability and ability. They key is to focus on exercises that produce significant results efficiently; after all, a bootylicious woman can’t be expected to be at the gym 24/7.
Below are five of the best strategies you can use to get those glutes in the best shape of your life.
Exercise #1: Hip Lifts
For this exercise, get a yoga mat and place it on the floor. Lie down on your back and bend your knees with your feet flat against the floor. Put your arms at your sides. Slowly focus on lifting your hips up as high as you can. Hold for about 2-3 seconds, squeezing your butt. Lower your hips slowly, and then repeat.
Do as many of these lifts in a minute as you can. Afterwards, rest for a minute, and then repeat one to two times. If you do this exercise once a day, you’ll relieve tension in your muscles and also prep them for further workouts.
Exercise #2: Raises on One Leg
Ready for a burn in the bum? Stand on a firm surface wearing athletic shoes. Put your feet about hip-width apart, and hold dumbbells (about 5 pounds or whatever you can handle). Bring your left leg off the floor by a few inches. Extend both arms until they are pointed forward, making sure your palms are facing downward and you don’t extend beyond bust-height.
Raise your right arm until it’s above your head. Hold this position for about 6-8 seconds. Do four to six reps with each arm, alternating sides. Then, lower your left leg and raise your right leg instead. Repeat the reps with the dumbbell lifts. It’s tougher than you think, but the balancing in combination with the weights will do wonders for your rear end.
Exercise #3: Squats
Ah, the squat. It’s one of the standard fitness boot camp moves used by trainers who want their athletes to get fitter, faster. Yes, you’ll hate these, but you’ll learn to love them, too.
In order to do a proper squat, stand with your feet about hip-width apart. Make sure the surface is solid. Bend your knees slightly and allow your body to lean back as if you were going to sit down into a chair. Balance your body with your arms by extending them in front of you in a modified bicep-curl position.
Slowly lower your upper half until your butt is in line with your knees. Hold for 3 seconds or so, squeezing your buttocks. Then rise to your starting position. Do about 10-12 of these in a row, rest for a minute or two, and repeat.
Exercise #4: Lunges
This is yet another oldie but goodie exercise. To perform a lunge, stand straight with your feet about hip-width apart. Allow your arms to hang at your sides in a relaxed position. Thrusting your body forward, extend your right leg until your left knee is practically touching the floor. At the same time, your left foot should be partially off the floor, held in place by your toes. Hold the position for 2 seconds, and then use your leg and butt strength to push off your right foot and bring yourself back to the starting position. Repeat with your left leg. Do as many lunges as you can for 2 minutes.
Helpful hint: Turn on some music to make the minutes fly by.
Exercise #5: Leg Lifts
Could a simple leg lift really change the shape of your derrière? When it’s done correctly, it absolutely can. Although it targets the upper thighs, the butt kind of comes along for the ride so you get a double-whammy, two-for-one benefit.
There are numerous types of leg lifts; it’s fine to start with a standard one. Stand with your body straight up and down. Place a chair almost a leg-length in front of you with the seat pointed toward you. Raise your left knee off the ground, flexing the foot. Put your left heal on the seat of the chair. Do not lock your right knee.
Lift your left foot from the chair and straighten it. Once it’s straight, keep it in the air while you bend your right leg by about 30 degrees and then straighten it out again. Place your left foot back on the chair, slowly. Now, alternate legs. Do three to five sets.
What Are You Waiting For? Get Your Butt in Gear!
Whether you choose to do your workouts in a health club environment, at a fitness facility or in the confines of your home, the trick is to get started. Now is the perfect time to follow through with a resolution to be healthy by joining a gym, especially if they’ve got a boot camp for starting the New Year with a bang. When you do, you’ll discover a booty you didn’t know existed, but you’ll be glad it’s finally leaving a lasting impression when you leave the room!
What’s your favorite butt-blasting move? Share your favorite butt workouts in the comments below!