Booty Boot Camp: If you feel your "rear view" needs a makeover, the
right fitness routine can help give you a lift. Can you achieve the
"perfect" Brazilian beach butt seen on TV? That depends partly on
your body type and genes. But most everyone can shape up to look better in
jeans.
Behind It All: Meet Your
Glutes - The shape of the buttocks is
defined by muscles known as the glutes. That's the gluteus maximus, gluteus
medius, and gluteus minimus, as well as the fat that lies over them. Walking,
running, and climbing all work the glutes. Strength training that targets these
muscles can help give you a tighter, more rounded look. Adding a few
butt-busting moves to your routine may be enough to see a change.
Squat and Tone: The squat tops every list of butt-sculpting exercises. It
directly works the glutes. You can build bigger bottom muscles by adding
hand-held weights.
Form: Slowly lower the hips as if sitting in a chair; then return to
standing. Make sure your knees do not push out in front of your toes.
Keep your torso tight and back straight.
Or Try a Ball Squat: If you're just starting out, a large ball can help with balance
while you master the form. For each exercise on our list, aim for three sets of
15 reps. Try to do each exercise three times a week with cardio or exercises
focused on other body parts on other days.
Form: Keep the ball
between your low back and a wall. Slowly perform the classic squat. Walk your
feet out in front so the knees stay behind your toes. Squatting with your back
to a wall works the quads.
Forward Lunge: This butt builder also tones the thighs and calves. It's a
pretty good fat burner, too.
Form: With your feet
parallel and hip-distance apart, take one giant step forward. Lower your body
slowly, bending both knees, and return to standing. Repeat on the other side.
Bend your knees no more than 90 degrees. Keep your front knee stacked right
over your front ankle. Do not rest your back knee on the ground.
Or Try a Backward Lunge: When you step backward into a lunge, it works the glutes a
little harder. Your workout gets variety, too. Lunges also add flexibility to
your hips. They align your body better, too, something that can suffer when
people spend long hours sitting at a desk.
Form: Use the same
posture as in a forward lunge, but step backward to position the lower leg.
Don't let the front knee push out in front of your toes.
Or Try a Side Lunge: The side lunge targets the muscle on the outside of the hips,
the glutes, and tones the inner thighs, too.
Form: From a wide stance, bend one knee. Keep the shinbone under that
knee straight up from the floor. If the knee falls inside the foot, use a
shorter stance. Lean forward slightly. Put your hands where they help with
balance.
On the Ball: Leg Lift - Leg lifts done while you balance on an exercise ball will
strengthen your shoulders and abs, as well as your glutes. As you get more fit,
try lifting both legs at the same time for a harder, beautiful-butt move.
Form: Keep your abs tight and back flat. Squeeze your glute
muscles tight as you lift one leg. Just a few inches is fine when you're just
starting out. Be careful not to use your lower back muscles.
On the Ball: Hip Lift - This small movement focuses on the gluteus maximus, the largest
muscle in the body. Be careful not to use the back muscles; the glutes should
do the work.
Form: Bend the knees 90 degrees, feet together. Squeeze the
glutes and slowly move the thighs up off the ball. A small, controlled, 2-inch
movement is the goal.
Floor Work: Bridge - This classic is a super workout for the glutes, as well as the
hamstrings and hips.
Form: Begin on your back with your knees bent, feet hip-width
apart. Slowly peel your spine off the floor from the tailbone. Tighten the
glutes and hamstrings as you do this. When your body has formed a long, slanted
line from shoulders to knees, hold for a few seconds. Then lower slowly.
Floor Work: Side Leg Raises - This move targets the two smaller muscle groups in the buttocks,
the gluteus medius and minimus.
Form: Lift the top leg while lying on your side. Keep the hips stacked
and the torso still. Both knees should face forward. To work slightly different
muscles, you can turn the top leg out from the hip.
Floor Work: Dirty Dog - This bottom builder gained fame in the exercise videos of
the 1970s as the "fire hydrant." It targets two of the muscle
groups in the buttocks.
Form: Keep your knees hip-width apart and your hands directly under
your shoulders, elbows straight. Gently stiffen the abs and keep your back in a
neutral position with no sagging or arching. Slowly draw one knee up. Rotate
the hip to bring the leg toward the torso, then away.
Floor Work: Mountain Climbers - Along with pushing your glutes, mountain climbers work the
shoulders, hips, and core muscles. Do it quickly to burn calories while
building muscle.
Form: Tighten the abs to protect the lower back. Spread your fingers
wide to protect the wrists. Bring one leg in at a time -- bending the knee,
like you were running. Keep your upper body steady. Repeat as if you’re running
in place.
Walk the Hills: For a no-fuss butt workout, all you have to do is walk. Tackle
hills for the most glute-shaping impact. You'll burn extra calories, too.
On a treadmill, you can get this effect using a 5% to 7% incline.
Tone Your Tush With Cardio: In the gym, try stair steppers, arc trainers, and elliptical
machines. They challenge the glutes while giving your heart and lungs a healthy
workout. Inline skating and cycling are other choices that help both heart and
tush.
Firm Up Without Bulking Up: Don't worry about building a bulky butt. Women aren't
genetically built that way. Resistance exercises are a must for a toned behind.
Keep the reps on the higher side (15 reps per set) to focus on firming rather
than bulking. The last few reps should still be challenging. Don't forget the
cardio to round out your butt-toning exercise routine.
Slim Your Assets: Targeted exercises alone may give you a firmer behind but not
always a smaller one. For more impact, watch your diet, burn more calories, and
lose weight. You'll reduce the fat pad lying over the gluteal muscles, giving
you tight, trim curves back there.
How to Go for the Maximum: If bigger is better to you, you'll want to really challenge the
glute muscles. Dial up the resistance on a stationary bike or other cardio
machine. During strength training, go for more weight that challenges you in 6
to 12 reps. Rest 30 to 90 seconds in between sets. A high-quality diet also
helps contribute to building muscle mass.
Can You Shift Your Shape? There's much talk in beauty magazines about a rounded,
"Brazilian-style" butt. Targeted exercises can move a flat
fanny closer to this beauty ideal. But a workout will most likely enhance the
shape your behind already has: heart-like, pear, bubble, or another. For total
reshaping, after a huge weight loss, for instance, cosmetic surgeons offer
implants, lifts, and reshaping.
Shapewear for Your Tush: Lots of underwear now aims to "separate and lift" your
bottom. Some styles rein in skin with elastic panels. Others enhance your rear
view with padding. You can even find padded inserts and lifting Spandex panels
in jeans.
Dress Your Assets Down: Boot-cut and flared jeans balance out the hips and rear for a
slimming effect. Long pant legs make your legs look longer and your booty
smaller. And back pockets can do much to buff up your butt. Just beware of
super-long back pockets. They can make your behind look flat or saggy instead
of showing off those sexy contours you earned at the gym.
Dress Your Assets Up: Skip the peg leg and ankle jeans. They widen the hips and make
your body look like an ice cream cone with a big, round scoop on top. A better
choice to really show off your curves are skinny-fit pant legs or leggings.
Look for a tight, form-fitting rear panel for head-turning style.
Reviewed by: Ross Brakeville, DPT on February 12, 2018
Sources:
American Council on Exercise:
"Mountain Climbers," "Side Lunge," "Side Lying Hip
Abduction."
Marilyn Gansel, founder, Fitness Matters personal
training studios, Stanford and Kent, Conn.
Dori Ricci, NASM, CPT.
Janet Roget, NASM, certified personal trainer,
Little Rock, Ark.
Jonathan Ross, NSCA, NASM, ACE personal trainer;
speaker; consultant; owner, Aion Fitness, Bowie, Md.
Paul Sorace, MA, CSCS, ACSM RCEP, exercise
physiologist, trainer, Bayonne, N.J.
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