Exercises for the butt 1. Squats Squats are one of the best exercises you can do for your hips, butt and thighs. There are many different types of squats, including the Chair Squat pictured here. Stand with feet hip-width apart and squat, keeping back straight, abs in and knees behind your toes. Let your butt lightly touch chair and squeeze butt to stand up. Repeat for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps and add weights for more intensity. This gallery of squat images shows a wide variety of squats you can add to your current routine.
2. For step ups, you simply place one foot on a step or platform and push through the heel onto the step. This is an excellent exercise for the glutes, providing you use a step that's high enough...just make sure your knee is bent to 90 degrees or less to keep it safe. The other key to making this move work is to concentrate all your weight on the stepping leg. In other words, lower down gently, barely touching the toes of the other leg to the ground. You'll really feel this when you take it slow and concentrate on the working leg. 3. Beginner: Single-Leg Pelvic Thrust Lie on the floor with knees bent 90 degrees, feet on floor. Place arms at sides, palms down. Extend left leg 3 inches off floor with foot flexed. Engage your glutes and lift hips toward the ceiling, keeping your upper back on the floor. Hold for 2 counts, then lower hips. Complete 8 times; switch legs and repeat. 4.. Basic Bridge Target: Glutes, hamstrings Lie back, knees bent, feet on the floor hip-width apart, arms extended at sides with palms facing down. Lift your hips toward the ceiling, pressing into your heels (but don't squeeze your glutes). Hold for 10 deep breaths, then slowly lower your hips to the floor. Repeat 5 times. 5.Donkey Kick Target: Glutes Get on your hands and knees, with wrists aligned under shoulders and knees under hips. Drawing your abs in, lift your left leg parallel to the floor, with knee bent, foot flexed. Return to starting position and repeat 15 to 20 times. Switch sides. 6.Hip-Lift Progression This is an awesome way to relieve tension in your lower back and work your butt at the same time. (A cushy mat will keep your tailbone from crying afterward.) Do it:Lie on your back with your arms at your sides with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Lift your hips toward the ceiling. Hold for 1 count, and then lower back down. Repeat the lifts for 60 seconds, squeezing your glutes and hamstrings at the top of the range of motion. Be careful not to overarch your spine. To make this exercise more difficult, extend one leg at the top of the lift. Keep your thighs parallel and hold the lifted position for about 5 seconds. Keeping your hips up, place your foot back on the floor and then lower your hips.Repeat this exercise for 30 seconds; switch sides and do the move for another 30 seconds on the other leg. 7.Toe Taps The, um, lower, looser part of my butt takes a beating from this move. Thankfully. Do it:Lie on the floor with your arms on your sides.Lift your feet, bending both knees to 90 degrees so your thighs are perpendicular to the floor. Now slowly and quietly tap your left toes to the floor, then your right. Alternate tapping feet for one minute. If you feel any lower back pain, don't bring your toes all the way down. 8.Single-Leg Front Raises Balance! A solid thigh stretch! Glute tightening! This is a multi-reward move that requires less coordination than you might think.Do it:Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a 5-pound dumbbell in each hand. Bend your right leg and raise it about 3 inches off the floor. Extend both arms in front of you at chest height and your palms facing down. Keeping your arms straight, raise your left arm above your head and hold for 3 counts, then return to chest height. Continue alternating arm raises until you've done 8 total, 4 reps on each arm. Now switch legs, doing 8 more reps standing on your right leg. 9.Single-Leg Squat with Towel This targets that messy undies spillover area between the very back of your bum and the lower part of your hips. You don't have that? A double scoop for you then, fitness queen.Do it:Stand with your feet together and place your right foot on top of a folded towel. Shifting your weight to your left leg, slide the towel out slowly to your right. Then slowly return to the start position. Work this side for 30 seconds, keeping your elbows bent and your fists together near your chin. When you squat, your left knee should bend between 45 and 90 degrees. After 30 seconds, switch legs and do the squats and slides for another 30 seconds. 10.Dumbbell Squats A simple way to kick off even a quickie workout, these squats are powerful little moves. Over time, increase reps and dumbbell weight to amp them up. Do it:Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and 8- to 10-pound dumbbells by your thighs. Squat down as if you were going to sit in a chair, keeping your weight over your heels.Squeeze your glutes as you return to the start position. Do 15-20 reps.As you continue, keep the weight in your heels, making sure your knees do not pass forward of your toes. For a bigger challenge, try it without the weights, jump explosively, and land in the squat position. 11.Plie I'm all about no-fuss moves that really work, and the plié falls into that category: It's as simple to do as it looks, but infinitely more toning than you'd expect. (In fact, it's one part of the Brazilian Butt Lift workout, below. Get on that.) Do it:Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing out. Bring your arms out straight in front of you and lower into a squat. Come back up and repeat. Go as low into the squat as you can without letting your knees move past your toes. Be sure to tuck your tailbone under and contract your glutes. Keep your torso tall, and don't let your knees creep past your toes.Do for 1 minute. (After about 40 seconds, pulse at the bottom of the squat for 20 seconds.) 12.1. Plie Minutes 0:00-1:00 Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, arms at sides, toes turned out. Tuck tailbone under and contract glutes. Lower body into a pli? squat as low as you can go without allowing knees to creep past toes. Simultaneously raise arms to shoulder height in front of body, palms down. Hold for 2 seconds, then return to starting position. After 20 reps, pulse at the bottom for 20 seconds. 13.2. Touchdown Minutes 1:00-2:00 Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed forward. Squat down until knees are bent 90 degrees. Squat down until knees are bent 90 degrees. Step left leg back into a deep reverse lunge, placing right hand along outside of right thigh or touching the floor. Raise left hand in front of face, palm facing out. Return to starting position and repeat, alternating sides. 14.3. Explosive Lunge Minutes 2:00-3:00 Lunge forward with left leg until knee is bent 90 degrees, directly over ankle, right knee pointing toward floor. Jump up, pushing off the floor with both feet. Switch legs in midair, landing with right foot forward in a lunge. Continue, alternating sides. 15.Single-Leg Squat with Towel Minutes 3:00-4:00 Stand with feet together, toes pointed forward, arms at sides with right foot on top of a small folded towel. Shifting weight to left leg, bend left knee 45 to 90 degrees while sliding right leg and towel slowly out to the side as far as is comfortable for a count of 4. Slowly draw right leg back to start for a count of 4 while straightening left leg. Repeat for 30 seconds; switch sides. 16.5. Squat with Kick-Back Minutes 4:00-5:00 Stand with legs shoulder-width apart, arms at sides. Sit back into a squat keeping weight on heels, then lift right leg straight behind you, keeping hips pointing forward while extending arms. Return to start and switch sides.
Diet Calendar Entry for 22 June 2009:
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2382 kcal
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Fat: 111.49g | Prot: 95.89g | Carb: 268.85g.
Breakfast: soft 100% whole wheat Deli Flats Thin Rolls, Smart Start Strawberry Oat Bites, Brown'n Serve Original Sausage links. Lunch: croutons, radicchio and romaine lettuce, Kens lite creamy caesar dressing. Dinner: Tombstone Supreme deep dish pizza. Snacks/Other: medium apple, Peaches. more...
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