The muscles that make up what you would consider the "butt" are the gluteal muscles. They include the gluteus maximus, medius and minimus. The gluteus maximus and medius more accurately describe the area of the butt that you want to focus on for the toned and shapely results you are looking for. Now, you just need to know which exercise workouts will provide the best outcomes.
Quadrupled Hip Extensions
The American Council on Exercise, or ACE, commissioned a study to figure out what the most effective exercises were to work the gluteal muscles. John Porcari, Ph.D., and Blake Ristvedt, M.A., along with a team of researchers from the La Crosse Exercise and Health Program, used electromyographic, or EMG, analysis to compare the muscle-recruitment patterns of common gluteal strength exercises.
The first exercise they found to be highly beneficial was the quadrupled hip extension. Get on your hands and knees while contracting your abdominal muscles to stabilize your upper body and spine. Lift up your right leg and keep your knee bent at 90 degrees. Now, lift your leg until the bottom of your right foot is pointing toward the sky and your leg is lined up with the body. Return the leg to the starting position and repeat 12 to 15 times. Once you are done with your right leg, do the same thing on the left leg.
Step-Ups
While squats have always been considered a great butt-shaping exercise, the ACE study found that other exercises were either as or more effective. Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D., chief exercise physiologist for ACE, stated, "The results of this research showed that several of the exercises were as effective as the traditional squat at targeting the gluteal muscles."
Step-ups were another exercise that yielded great results. To perform a step-up, you will need a box that is tall enough so that when you put one foot up on it, both knees are at 90 degrees. You can start by just using your body weight and simply relying on the leg that is up on the box to step up onto it. Your other leg should remain relaxed so that you are just focusing on one leg at a time. As you get stronger, you can hold dumbbells at your side to make it more challenging. You should be able to do 10 to 15 repetitions on each leg.
Lunges
One of the reasons that hip extensions are so effective is that the glutes are more active when your upper leg moves into a hyper-extended position at the hip. The more range of motion you get at the hip, the more you engage your butt muscles. Lunges are a third great exercise that fully involve the glute muscles.
To perform a lunge, step forward with the right foot, keeping your head up and your spine in a neutral position. Now, drop your left knee toward the floor by bending your knees, and make sure to keep the front heel down while the knee stays directly over the center of your foot. Push down and forward through your heel in order to return to the starting position. Switch leg positions and do the same movement.
You should do 12 to 15 repetitions on each leg. When you have mastered the movement using your body weight, try adding additional weight by holding dumbbells at your sides.
Total Hip Machine Exercises
Most gyms will have what is called a total hip machine. You can also use an adjustable pulley machine if it has an ankle strap on it. Using the total hip machine, place the pad on the back of your right leg, just above the knee.
Start with your right knee up high at about stomach level. Extend your right leg backwards fully, keeping your upper body straight up and down, with your spine in a neutral position. The greater range of motion will activate the glutes more effectively. Do 12 to 15 repetitions on each leg.
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