Building, shaping and toning are the first things people
request when going to a trainer or class.
How do I get a nice 'booty"? "I just want a nice butt." Are the most common comments. The latest trend is to have a
backside that is round, firm and above your thighs.
It must have started when Jennifer Lopez came
on the scene and showed her round shapely curves and flat abs.
The best way to get your glutes firm and round is to train
them hard and properly. Once a week is
not going to do it. You will need to take two to three days per week to train
your backside to look good.
There are three base exercises that you need to do and 20 to
45 minutes of cardio per day to hit your goal.
Overtraining could become a problem if you are not giving your lower
body and core muscles a day of rest in between body parts. That means you need
to break up your body parts and work upper body as well so you are not spending
two hours six days a week at the gym to get the desired body you want.
There are a few exercises that are standard for training
legs. Squats, lunges, and step ups are
your base for your leg days. There are numerous ways to train each one to
incorporate different muscle groups. These exercises are complex exercises and
will work your entire lower body and core.
The more exercises you can do standing, the better. Standing forces you to use your abdominals,
lower back and glutes (core muscles) for balance and stability. The standing
rule applies for upper body exercises as well.
There are many group exercises classes that incorporate lower body exercises that you should be focusing on. Sculpting classes, kettlebell, SPIN, RIPPED, kickboxing and even Yoga.
Squats can be used with dumbbells or a straight bar. Ball
squats are a great way to incorporate more thigh muscles. Hold a large exercise
ball, or your childs basket ball on the wall.
Lean your back against it with your feet in front of you. Lower yourself down to a 90 degree angle in
your knee. If your knees are over your
toes, you will need to put your feet further forward. Raise yourself back
up. Try a set of 15 with your feet hip
distance apart and repeat another 15 repetitions with your feet closer together
to work your inner thighs as well.
Lunges are the number one exercise for legs. Walking lunges, standing lunges, front lunges,
back lunges and even step ups combined with lunges. Your heart rate will go up,
so take your time. Form is very
important. Same rule applies with lunges
as squats. Your knees should never be over your toes. If this occurs, shift your body weight back
or separate your feet further to perfect your positioning. Press your front
heel into the ground as much as possible to feel your glutes working. Because lunges use all the lower body muscle
groups, it is a great exercise to do in between upper body exercises to raise
the heart rate and to get your lower body toned.
Step ups can be done anywhere. Or taking a step class or sculpting class using steps. Make sure the step or bench is not too
high. The knee over the heel rule is
true for this exercise as well. If your
are bending your knee past a 90 degree angle before you step up, lower your
step or use a different bench. Step one
leg at a time for 15 to 20 repetitions and then switch legs. You can also raise your opposite knee up as
you stand on the bench to incorporate even more muscle groups.
Plyometrics are another way to hit every lower body muscle
group and burn fat rapidly. These
explosive movements put high amounts of force and intensity in your workouts and
force you to train at a more powerful state. Your heart rate will jump up. Rest
in between sets to recover the muscle and allow the same intensity for the next
set. Jump with two feet or one at a time by bending the knee and pushing off
with your toes. Keep your abdominals tight and land with your knees slightly
bent to take the pressure away from your knees.
Last, but never forgotten, are the abdominal exercises. Sit ups, crunches on the floor or on the
ball, twists and reverse curls will strengthen your core to ensure you are
getting a balance workout.
Be sure to stretch your legs and lower back after each
workout. A tight back and hamstrings can cause future problems. Exercise is our form of preventive medicine,
so use it wisely and it will treat you right.
Personal Challenge
Increase the intensity of your cardio workouts by adding
resistance or speeding up for one minute intervals every two to three
minutes.
Decrease the recovery time and
increase the intensity time each week till you are able to do two to three
minutes of high intensity and 1 to two minutes of recovery.
Each cardio workout should be at least 20 to
30 minutes, if not longer.
Fit Tip
- On the
stair climber, skip one of every five steps. Then, take one large step to get back to
your normal walking pattern. This
fires up your glutes and makes them work harder.
- Triple
set all three leg exercises to mix things up. Your heart rate will go up and you can
trigger your fat burning zone after a few sets. Performing back to back exercises is a
great way to accomplish the most work in the least time.
Written by Michelle Rotell
owner Sweat Cardio and Yoga
www.sweatcardio.com
