When exercising your hips, you're toning several muscles known as the rectus femoris, the vastus lateralis and the gluteus maximus. Firming these muscles can make your hips appear firm, strong and shapely. Having toned hip muscles increases your endurance and lower body strength. Your gluteus maximus, or your buttocks, also gets a lift from these exercises.
Lunges
The lunge tones your hip muscles, known as the rectus femoris, and your buttocks, the gluteus maximus. Hold a dumbbell in each hand or a barbell above your shoulders for a more intense workout. Start with standing straight, legs at hip width. With your left leg, lunge forward, bending your knee just above your ankle. Don't bend your knee beyond your toes; this causes too much pressure on the tendons of your knees. Push back with your heel to the starting position, straightening your knees and hips. Exercise each leg for three sets of 10 repetitions.
Hip Abduction Sidelying
This exercise tones the outside muscles of your hips, which are the vastus lateralis. Lie on your side, keeping your back and knees straight with you foot facing forward. Slowly raise your leg as high as you comfortably can. Tighten your muscles at the sides of your hip and thighs, then hold for two seconds. Lower you leg to the starting position. Do 10 repetitions for each leg.
Squats
Squats can tone, strengthen and shape your hips and buttocks. It's one of the best exercises to firm these areas and build lean quality muscle. Hold a barbell across your shoulders, with your hands wider than shoulder width. Stand with your feet wider than the width of your shoulders, with your feet slightly pointed out. Pull your shoulders back slightly and contract the muscles in your lower back. Take a deep breath and hold. Slowly bend at the knees, inclining your upper body slightly forward and then lowering it until your thighs are just above parallel to the ground. Then, without bouncing, push through your heels to reverse back to the starting position, while strongly contracting your gluteus muscles. Exhale halfway through coming up. Then take a deep breath and repeat. Start with a few repetitions before working up to more.
Bridging
Lie flat on your back on a firm surface with knees up. Slowly lift your bottom while tightening your gluteus muscles until your knees, hips and shoulders are in a straight line. Hold this position for two seconds. Lower and repeat. The key to success with this exercise is to tighten your gluteus muscles as you lift your body, pushing through your feet. Start with a few repetitions before working up to more.
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