Exercise for a Big Butt

Your buttocks, or the gluteal complex, are made up of three muscle muscles that work with your other hip muscles, hip flexors, legs and torso to move your body in different directions and to produce force. Because many people tend to sit all day at work, at school and at home, the buttocks becomes weak and other muscles, such as your thigh and lower back, compensate your weak hips. Exercising your buttocks not only strengthens them but also increases muscle definition.

Kettlebell Deadlift

The deadlift is a hip-hinging movement that uses your buttocks to lift a heavy object off the ground while stabilizing your spine and legs. It is also a basic movement pattern that is essential to many advanced weightlifting techniques, says physical therapist Gray Cook, co-founder of Functional Movement Systems. Use a kettlebell for this exercise because the height of the grip is easier to reach than a dumbbell or a barbell.

Stand with your legs about should-width apart, and put a 45-lb. kettlebell in front of you on the ground. Put your left hand behind your lower back, and bend your torso forward to grab the kettlebell with your right hand. Bend your legs slightly as you reach. Exhale and straighten your legs quickly to lift your torso upright and the kettlebell off the ground. Do not use your upper limbs to lift the weight. Lower the weight back to the ground by reversing the movement, and perform three sets of six to eight reps per arm.

Squats

The squat works on all muscles in your lower body, including your buttocks, and in your torso for postural stability. Cook suggests that you use your own body weight first before training with free weights, such as dumbbells or a barbell. To do a basic squat, stand with your legs about shoulder-width apart, and squat down as low as you can while holding your arms in front of you. Keep your torso upright when you squat. Exhale and stand straight up without hunching your shoulders or moving your spine. Perform three sets of 8 to 12 reps. You can also do this exercise using a barbell held in front of you near your collarbone or with a dumbbell in each hand held over your shoulders. The extra weight will stimulate muscle growth in your buttocks and legs.

Vertical Jumps

Vertical jumps require that master the squat pattern first to produce force and to maintain your posture. It is using the force from your legs and hip to launch your body straight up off the ground. Stand in the same position as the squat exercise. Bend your legs and swing your arms behind you. Swing your arms up and jump vertically off the ground. Extend your torso slightly as you jump. Land gently on the balls of your feet and your toes in the same leg position as you had started, and repeat the exercise for three sets of 10 jumps.

Supine Glute Stretch

Your buttocks can get tight from fatigue and overuse. Stretching them alleviates muscle soreness and hip stiffness and reduces your risk of injury. Lie on the ground on your back with your feet together. Bring your left knee to your ribs, and grab the outer left knee with your right hand. Exhale and gently pull your knee across and your left chest while keeping your right leg stationary. Hold the stretch for five or six deep breaths. Repeat the twice on each hip.