The key to toning your butt quickly involves quick, explosive movements and single-leg isolations that make you really feel the burn. Work your butt every other day and concentrate on moves like squats, lunges and step ups, all of which have been proved by the American Council on Exercise to work the muscles of the butt.
Explosive Lunges
Explosive lunges involve quick movements and jumping, so if you experience pain in your joints or if you have a hard time with high-impact activities, scale back this exercise and remove the jump.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Step your right leg backward, placing your toe on the ground. Keeping your torso upright, press through the heel of your left foot and bend both knees, lowering your body until your left knee forms a 90-degree angle. Begin pressing your body upward, and when your left knee extends roughly half-way, explosively push through your left heel, jumping your body into the air and switching your leg positions so that your right leg lands in front and your left leg in back. Land softly with your knees slightly bent, and perform the same lunge with your right leg in front. Continue the explosive lunges for as long as you can, aiming for a full minute.
Dumbbell Step-Ups
Use a sturdy chair or bench to perform dumbbell step-ups. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and place your right foot firmly in the center of the bench. Press through your heel, and push up, lifting your body up into the air until your right knee is fully extended. Tighten your left buttocks and extend your left leg behind you slightly, keeping your torso upright. Lower your left leg and step back down. Repeat the movement by leading with your left leg, and extending your right leg behind you. Continue for two to four minutes.
Donkey Kick-back
Kneel on your hands and knees on the ground, with your palms beneath your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips, your shins resting flat on the ground. Keeping the 90-degree angle in your knee, hinge your right leg upward from the hip until your heel is pointing toward the ceiling. From this position, keeping the movement controlled, tighten your right buttock to push your heel even farther toward the ceiling, and then release slightly, repeating five times before lowering your knee back to the ground. Repeat the whole exercise for a minute on each leg.
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