One the questions that my fitness students and clients often ask me is how to tone their butts.
Well, almost any leg exercise will tone your butt. Generally speaking, ballet dancers, sprinters, gymnasts and figure skaters have well-formed butts. That is because they use movements that raise the leg backwards AND turns their foot outwards.
Most butt exercises work the leg going front to rear, like running, cycling, stair climber, leg extension machines, squats and some butt isolators. These types of movements primarily work the big gluteus maximus muscles and the thighs.
To get more of a tear-drop-shaped butt, you have to utilize some of the muscles underneath the glutes. Namely, the periformis muscle, that ROTATES the leg. Look at the difference in the butts of female weight lifters, joggers, long distance runners and cyclists compared to sprinters, figure skaters, ballet dancers, and practitioners of ashtanga yoga and Pilates.
Try the following movements 3 times per week for the next 3 weeks,
THE SIDE KICK
Stand about a two feet away from a wall.
Keeping your belt buckle (or navel) and left foot, pointed towards the wall, raise your right leg behind you.
Keep your upper body upright.
Raise your leg as high as you can and hold it. You should feel your glutes (butt muscles) tighten.
Now, rotate your foot outwards so that it is parallel to the ground.
Pull your toes towards you and extend your heel. (Most people do this wrong and extend their toes and never get the effect.)
You should be looking over your shoulder at you extended leg. Do not give in to the temptation to let your supporting foot to turn sideways. Your hips should stay pointed towards the wall.
This is like a martial art side kick. Try holding this for 10-30 seconds at a time and then change legs. Walk around for a minute to loosen up your muscles after working both legs.
Or go to a martial arts club and learn a few kicks. Most kickers have hard butts and narrow waists.
THE BUTT SQUEEZE
O.K. get over the funny name. You can do this exercise with weight across your shoulders or just without the weight.
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and keeping your back straight, bend your knees until your thighs are parallel with the floor.
Straighten your legs and then squeeze your butt like you are trying to hold a coin between your butt cheeks. Clench hard for 2-3 seconds.
Squat again. Do 10 to 20 times and then add some weight.
Ensure that you do not raise your heels or take a full squat. (That is a different technique.)
You will probably find that you can only do half of the squats that might normally do. This is normal.
Do this exercise first thing in the morning and you will feel “toned” all day long.
SKATING
Ice, roller or in-line skating at a good pace cannot help but carve your butt into shape. Use exaggerated skating motions to build the lateral leg and butt muscles.
