A trim and toned backside is a goal for many exercisers, and achieving this goal often requires losing weight around the area as well as strengthening and toning the muscles. Several exercises are designed specifically to help reduce butt size. By combining cardiovascular activities that burn calories and strength movements that target the muscles you can shape and tone your bottom.
Burn Calories Through Cardio
Regardless of where you want to lose fat or decrease size, cardiovascular exercise is essential to maximize weight loss. The American College of Sports Medicine suggests at least 150 to 250 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise such as walking to achieve weight loss. If you want more significant changes aim to exercise more than 250 minutes per week. You can target the butt with your cardio by choosing activities that challenge the lower the body. Indoor group cycling, vigorous outdoor cycling, stair climbing, running or briskly walking up hills and rock climbing will target your backside for effective fat loss.
Weight Training Exercises
The American Council on Exercise suggests a variety of different exercises that will strengthen and tone the gluteus maximus, the muscle of the buttocks. Some of these exercises utilize weights and other equipment so if you have access to this at home or workout at a gym, these exercises are ideal.
You can perform the dumbbell step-up by holding a dumbbell in each hand and then stepping up and down from a platform or bench. A forward squat can be performed while holding dumbbells, and a BOSU ball or balance board can make traditional squats and lunges more challenging. Just place one foot on the ball or board and one foot on the floor while performing these exercises. You can use a stability ball to do reverse extensions by lying on the ball on your stomach and walking your hands out on the floor until the ball is under your hips. From this position you would then keep your legs together and use your back and gluteus muscles to elevate the legs until your body is in a straight line and then lower them to the starting position.
Strength Exercises with No Equipment
You can effectively work the muscles of the buttocks without any extra weight or equipment. These types of exercises are ideal if you workout at home with limited space and no strength-training tools. You can do forward lunges and squats without added weight or if you want to add weight for more of a challenge consider holding a household item such as canned goods, jugs of liquid or bags of rice or flour.
On the floor you can target the butt with a glute bridge by lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. From here, you slowly raise your buttocks off the floor as you contract the muscles and lift the hips until they are in a straight line with your knees. Side lying hip abduction also targets the butt. While lying on your side with your body in a straight line and your hips and knees stacked, slowly lift the top leg, but keep the knee pointed forward and foot in a neutral position. You should lift to a point where you feel tension in your lower back or the waist, or just before your hips roll out of alignment. Try holding the leg up for two counts and then lower and repeat.
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