A number of muscle groups are responsible for movement at the hip joint, including muscles at the front and back of the thighs and the butt. Compound exercises involving the lower body will work the muscles that make up the hips to strengthen and tone your hips, butt and thighs. Additionally, circuit training--performing one movement after another with no rest--allows continued training of the hip muscles to achieve fast results. Incorporate compound exercise circuit training into your fitness routine three times a week to tone your hips.
Squat with Leg Circle
The squat with leg circle will tone your thighs, hips and butt from a range of angles. Begin by standing with your feet hip distance apart, with your hands on your hips. This is starting position.
Sit down into a squat, keeping your knees in line with your ankles, until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Squeeze your glutes and stand back up into starting position, then lift your right leg out behind your body. Point your toe and imagine drawing an arc with your foot as you bring your leg around the side of your body until your leg is extended in front of you. Step back into starting position, and repeat on the other side to complete one rep. Perform 12 to 15 reps, then move on to the next exercise.
Around the Clock Lunge
The around the clock lunge will tone your butt, thighs and hips. Stand with your feet hip distance apart with your hands on your hips. Engage your abs for balance by pulling your belly button in toward your spine.
Step directly forward with your right foot into a deep lunge, so your right thigh is parallel to the floor, then push back to starting position. Step your right foot out to a one o'clock position, lunging forward and to the side. Complete a lunge, stepping toward two, three, four, five and six o'clock to complete one rep, then repeat on the other side.
Turned Out Kneeling Hip Extension
The kneeling hip extension will tone your hips and butt. Kneel on the ground with a chair beside you to hold onto for balance, and engage your abs by pulling your belly button in toward your spine to help you balance. Raise your right knee an inch above the ground, and point your knee out slightly.
Squeeze your glutes as you raise your right leg out to the back, keeping your knee bent and turned out to the side. Slowly lower back down to complete one rep. Perform 25 reps on both sides, then re-start the circuit and complete a total of three circuit sets.
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