Get Your Best Rear-View Ever! 9 Top Moves For A Super Booty
Okay…so squats work, but they are so boring. The same movement day after day creates a workout that you can do pretty much on auto-pilot. In order to get a toned backside that defies gravity, you need to incorporate exercises that work on every inch of that glorious butt. The following 9 moves will have you looking sexy and rockin’ your skinny jeans by targeting all of the muscles in your hamstrings and glutes.
# 1 Single-leg hip raise
Lie on the workout mat or floor with your left leg straight and your right knee bent. Raise up your left leg until it is in line with your right thigh. (1) Lift your hips upward, keeping the left leg elevated. (2) Pause for several seconds and then begin to lower your leg and body back to the starting position. Repeat for a set of 20, then switch to do 20 on the other leg.
#2 Exercise ball leg curl and hip raise
Lie on a workout mat and place both your heels and lower legs on the ball. (1) Push your hips upwards so that there is a straight line between your knees and your shoulders. (2) With no pause, pull your heels back towards you and roll the ball as near to your butt as possible. (3) Hold the position for several seconds, and then reverse the entire move, so that the ball is back in its original position and your body is back in a straight like. Lower the hips back down to the floor. Start with 2 sets of 20.
# 3: Marching hip raise
Lie on your back on a workout mat or the floor. Bend your knees and keep both feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips so that a straight line is formed from your knees to your shoulders. (1) Lift one knee up to your chest. (2) Lower the knee back to its original position and repeat again with the other knee. Start with 2 reps of 20, and increase as more difficulty is required.
# 4 Dead lift with barbells
Load the barbell with your desired weight. Don’t start so heavy that you are increasing your chance of injury. Bend at the knees and hips. Grasp the barbell using an overhand grip, and your hands just slightly farther apart than shoulder width. (1) Do not allow your lower back to form a round shape. Pull back and up with your torso, thrusting your hips to the front, squeezing your glute muscles, and come to an erect standing position with the barbell. (2) Return the barbell to the floor as close as possible to your body. Start with two sets of 10.
# 5 Single-leg dead lift
Grab a pair of 3-5 pound dumbbells and begin by standing on your left foot. Lift your right foot out behind you and bend so that the knee of the right leg is parallel to the floor. (1) Using your hips, bend forward as far as you can, slowly, or until the right leg is almost on the floor. (2) Rest for a moment and then reverse the movement. Do ten sets of 2 on each side.
# 6 Dumbbell dead lift
Place two dumbbells on the floor directly in front of you. Bending from the hips and knees, grap each of the dumbbells in an over-handed grip. (1) Slowly stand up with the dumbbells in each hand. (2) Lower both dumbbells back to their original position on the floor. Start off with two sets of 10.
# 7 Single-arm swing with dumbbell
Hold a dumbbell in one hand with an overhand grip. Hold it up in front of your waist at arm’s length from your body. (If this is too difficult for beginners, you can also modify the exercise to use both hands. Bend from the knees and hips and lower your torso area until it is forming a 45-degree angle to the mat or floor. Swing the dumbbell back and forth between your legs. (1) Keeping the arm straight, thrust out your hips, straighten out your knees, and swing the dumbbell back up until it is level with your chest as you rise to an upright standing position. (2) As you swing the dumbbell back down between your legs, squat and tense the glute muscles. Swing back and forth for 2 reps of 20.
# 8 Clamshell
Lie on your right side on the floor or mat, with your knees and hip bent 45 degrees. Your left leg should be on top of the right leg, and your heels should be together. (1) Keeping your feet together, raise your left knee as high as possible without moving the pelvis. (2) Hold for several seconds, and then return to the beginning position. Don’t allow the bottom leg to lose contact with the floor. Begin with two sets of 20 on each side.
# 9 Dumbbell step-up
Grab two dumbbells and hold them arm’s length from your sides. Stand in front of a sturdy bench or exercise step and place your right foot firmly on the step, ensuring the step is high enough so that the knee is bent to 90 degrees. (1) Press your right heel firmly into the step, and push up with your body until your right leg is straight and you are standing with only one leg on the bench or stair, keeping your left foot elevated. (B) Lower yourself back down to the starting position until your left foot touches the floor. Complete two sets of 20 with your right leg, and then do the equal number with your left leg.
