Believe it or not, toning your butt is not just about targeting your gluteus maximus alone. You actually have other glute muscles, including the gluteus medius and minimus. The best plan of attack to effectively target and tone your tush, involves exercises that recruit all the glute muscles. All you need to beautify your booty is a set of 10 to 15 pound dumbbells, a step or bench and a stability ball.
Derrier Deadlifts
Straight leg deadlifts target your gluteus maximus and the minimus, which is the lower muscle of your butt. Stand with your legs and feet hip-distance apart. Hold a set of dumbbells in your hands with your arms hanging in front of your body. Contract your abdominal muscles and stiffen your knees. Slowly bend forward from your hips until you feel a deep, intense stretch in the back of your thighs. Pause at the peak of the contraction. Squeeze your glutes tightly as you slowly rise to the starting position. To intensify this exercise, position your heels on a one to two-inch high platform. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions, rest and repeat for two to three more sets.
Dumbbell Step-ups
Step-ups primarily target your gluteus maximus, but secondarily recruit the gluteus medius and minimus, thereby making it a total integrative butt exercise. Position yourself with dumbbells in your hands directly in front of a 10-inch high step or platform. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, palms facing inward and your shoulders contracted down and back. Step up onto the platform with your right foot, push off with your left foot, to raise your whole body on to the platform. Bend your left knee until your thigh is level with your hip. Extend your left leg back straight and slowly lower your left foot to the floor. Return your right foot to the floor. Repeat 10 to 12 more times with your right leg leading. Change the series to your left leg stepping up with your right leg trailing behind. Perform 10 to 12 repetitions. Rest and repeat one more set on each leg.
Stability Ball Bun Burners
This exercise directly isolates your gluteus maximus, but also tones and strengthens your hamstrings. Position yourself on your back on a mat with your feet placed hip-width apart on top of a stability ball. Bend your knees to form a 90-degree angle between your thighs and shins. Press your upper back into the mat and contract your abdominals. Squeeze your glutes and slowly bridge your hips up off the ground until your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Keeping your hips high, slowly extend your legs out straight rolling the ball out with your heels. Hold the plank position for a few seconds. Inhale and roll the ball back by bending your knees and squeezing your glutes and hamstrings. Slowly return your hips back to the mat to complete one repetition. The entire sequence is; lift up, roll out, tuck back in, lower to start. Repeat the sequence for 15 to 20 repetitions.
Bench Butt Busters
This exercise targets all the gluteus muscles including the gluteus medius located on the sides of your buttocks. Lie on your stomach on a bench with your lower torso just off the bench, legs together with feet just above the ground. Squeeze your butt deeply as you raise both legs up until they are level with the bench. Open your legs to a wide "V" position. Bring your legs back together and lower to the starting postion. Keep your legs extended straight with the heels pressing out, throughout the duration of the movement. The exercise sequence is lift, open, close, return. Perform 15 to 25 repetitions. Add low ankle weights to increase the intensity.
Member Comments
1hairstylist November 9
gotta keep the junk in the trunk looking good and not all fat or flat. LOL