Building a Better Butt

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

1. 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.
2. 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