To work your thighs, you need to work your hamstrings and your quadriceps. To work your butt, you need to work your glutes. Squats, lunges, step ups and dead lifts will work your hamstrings, quadriceps and glutes all at the same time. As long as you change the repetitions and intensity of these exercises periodically, they can be permanently added to your thigh and butt routine. When you do low repetitions, about one to nine, use heavy weights. When you do medium repetitions, about 10 to 12, use medium weights. When you do high repetitions, about 15 to 30, use light weights.
Squats
To perform a regular squat, your feet should be placed about shoulder-width apart or wider, depending on where they feel comfortable and balanced. Your feet should be a little pointed out, not parallel to each other. When you're ready to begin your squat, push your hips back and bend your knees as you would if you were about to sit in a chair. You should be leaning forward and your back should be straight. Your knees should be above your feet, not past them. Squat down until your hips are in line with your knees, then you can begin the ascent. Straighten your legs until you're standing straight up. If you loose your balance on the ascent, lean farther forward before straightening your legs. Don't let your knees buckle at anytime; if you feel this happening, push your knees out as you squat to keep them in place.
Reverse Lunges
Reverse lunges can be done with or without weights. Start with your feet together then step back with your left leg until it's bent at a 90- to 135-degree angle and your knee is about 1 inch from the ground. Your right leg should be bent at a 90-degree angle, and your knee shouldn't go past your foot. Now with your left leg push off with the ball of your foot as you lunge forward, lift your knee until its parallel with your hips, then set your leg down back into the original starting position. Alternate which leg you step back on for each repetition. To make the exercise easier, take out the knee lift. After you step back, bring your left leg back into the starting position. To advance the exercise, hold weights in your hands. Women should use 5 to 15 lbs., and men should use 15 to 45 lbs.
Step ups
To perform step ups, you lunge onto a bench. The bench should be between the height of your knee and 6 inches above it. The lower the bench, the easier the exercise will be. Start with your feet together on the floor then bring up your left leg and place it on the bench. Make sure your knee does not go past your foot, and then push off with both legs to bring your right leg to the bench. To finish, step off the bench starting with your left leg and control your pace as you come down. Do your first set of reps starting every time with your left leg and then switch legs.
Dead Lifts
Start with the lightest barbell you can find at your gym. Put the barbell on the ground in front of you, inches from your shins. Place your feet shoulder width apart; a bit wider or narrower is fine, too. Push your hips back as you do for the squat until your hands reach the bar. This will be your starting position. In this position, your arms and back should be straight and your hands should be gripped at the points just outside your knees. From this position, lift the bar by pushing your hips forward until you are standing straight. As you lift, don't let your back round; tense your back and core to keep it straight. Don't pull with your arms; they should remain straight. Begin the decent by pushing your hips back until the bar hits the floor; again, keep your back straight. The bar should stay close to your body during the lift and decent.
References
- "A Practical Approach to Powerlifting"; Larry Sheppard and Bill Jamison; 2007
- "NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training"; Michael A. Clark, Scott Lucett, Rodney J. Corn; 2008
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