Who doesn’t like a firm backside? Besides looking good, it’s really important to strengthen your gluteus maximus (glutes)–it’s the largest muscle in the body. Every movement involves the glutes because it is in the center of the body. So, by tricking yourself into doing a workout to help lift or firm your glutes you are still working your entire body.
Before engaging in any exercise it’s important to get your glutes fired up and ready to work. As silly as it sounds, your butt gets sleepy with all of the sitting we do either at our desks or in the car. Sitting lengthens the glutes and hamstrings while the hip muscles become tight and shortened. So grab an exercise band and slip it around your legs, above the knees. Keeping your legs the same distance apart, do a little side step crab shuffle where you focus on engaging the glutes. Performing this short warmup before training gets the right muscles to work, and reinforces good movement patterns.
Once you’re warmed up, grab some dumbbells and a stability ball or chair and perform 2-3 sets of each of these exercises. Beginners should do 8-10 reps per set; intermediate-advanced aim for 12-15.
1. Half Jack – Glutes, Core
With feet firmly on floor, bend at waist, hands together in front of chest. Quickly hop out and back in repeatedly (like you would doing a jumping jack), moving only your legs. Keep your head and core stationary. Perform each rep quickly but gently.
2. Body Curl with Weight – Glutes, Core, Back, Quads
Stand in a lunge stance, right leg forward and right arm holding onto a chair back or wall for support. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand with your arm hanging down toward the floor. Lift the dumbbell back and up into a row; at the same time lift your knee up into your chest. Lower your leg and arm back down. Perform all reps on one side, then switch to your other arm and leg. That’s one set.
3. T Hinge with Weight – Glutes, Core
Place dumbbell in front of you on the floor. Stand on one leg, slowly bend your upper body forward while raising your lifted leg backward so you are in a T. Pick up the weight and raise back up to starting position. Lower back down slowly and place the weight on the ground before returning to the starting position. Repeat, then switch legs.
4. Elevated Reach to Sky Crunch – Glutes, Core
With your back on the floor, calves on ball or chair seat, hands clasped above head with straight arms, pulse your lower body up to the sky while engaging abs and glutes. Repeat.
5. Side Scissor with Weight – Glutes, Shoulders
Place dumbbell in left hand, right arm on a sturdy surface for support. Lift the left leg up and lightly pulse your left arm and leg toward each other in a scissor-like motion. Perform all reps and then switch sides.
6. Supported Karate Kick with Weight – Glutes, Shoulders
Place right arm on a sturdy surface for support. Raise left arm (with dumbbell) to side and curl hand toward the chest. Bend the left leg and lift to the side. This is the starting position. Kick your arm and leg out to an extended position then return to start. Perform all reps on one side then switch sides.
7. Squat Pick Up – Glutes, Hamstrings, Shoulders
Place two dumbbells a few inches in front of feet. Squat down and pick up dumbbell in front of OPPOSITE foot. Stand back up before squatting to pick up the other dumbbell. Return dumbbells to the floor one at a time with a squat in between.
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