Who doesn’t want a toned booty nowadays? Aside from helping you to look good, having a toned tush may help to prevent injuries and help you to become a better runner. Here are 10 easy butt exercises for that toned butt look!
Deadlifts
Deadlifts may help you to strengthen your core muscles as well as increase your posture according to Fit Bod Blog. Don’t know how to do a deadlift? Follow these easy steps from Shape Magazine.
- grab a pair of dumbbells (or something heavy like a water bottle) and hold them at arm’s length right near your thighs.
- Stand with feet hip-width apart.
- With knees slightly bent, hinge at hips and lower torso until it’s almost parallel to the floor (keep the weights as close to the body as possible). Pause, then return to standing. (Your back should stay naturally arched during the entire butt-lifting exercise.)
Do 10 reps to really feel the burn!
Walking Lunges
Get your cardio in for the day while toning your glutes! Here’s how to do walking lunges recommended by Women’s Health Magazine:
- Start standing with feet together holding a pair of weights at shoulder height, elbows bent in front of the body.
- Step right foot forward and bend both knees into a lunge, stopping when both legs form 90-degree angles.
- Press through right heel to stand and step left foot forward, lowering into a lunge.
Do 15 reps then continue on to the next bum shaping workout!
Step Up
Just as the exercise suggests, all you really need to do for this one is step up. You will need a chair or a high box you can stand and put all of your weight on. Here’s the best way to do this recommended by Women’s Health:
- Start standing facing a bench or stair, hands-on waist and feet under hips.
- Step right foot onto bench or stair and pull the left knee up toward the chest.
- Reverse movement to return to start.
Repeat these steps 15 times on each side. Rest for a moment and then do these again for another 15 reps.
Bridge
Often known as a yoga pose, the bridge pose can help to tone your glutes. Just as the name states, your body will look like a bridge if done correctly. Women’s Health Magazine recommends:
- Start lying on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, arms by sides on the mat.
- Engage the core, then press into heels and squeeze glutes to lift hips toward the ceiling.
- Maintain space between chin and chest and keep upper back on the ground. Hold for up to 30 seconds.
Do this for 15 reps.
Kettlebell Swing
If you have a kettlebell of a dumbbell, you can do this exercise. Just make sure to hold on to the weight you are using tightly so it does not fly across the room! Shape Magazine advises:
- Hold a kettlebell (or dumbbell) with both hands and stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent.
- Bend at the hips and lower torso until it forms a 45-degree angle to the floor, keeping lower back naturally arched. Swing the kettlebell between legs.
- Keeping arms straight, thrust hips forward, straighten knees, and swing the kettlebell up to belly-button/chest level.
Do 15 reps along with your workout to get the best results.
Explosive Lunge
If you have already mastered the Walking Lunges, it may be time to incorporate some explosive lunges into your workout. Very Well Fit warns avoiding the jump lunge if you have any injury to your knees, ankles, hips, or back. Shape Magazine instructs:
- Lunge forward with left leg until knee is bent 90 degrees, directly over the ankle, right knee pointing toward the floor.
- Jump up, pushing off the floor with both feet. Switch legs in midair, landing with right foot forward in a lunge. Continue, alternating sides.
Do 10 reps per side.
Marching Glute Bridge With Leg Extension
Just like the lunges, this exercise is an advanced version of the bridge. If you feel you have mastered the bridge pose, carry on with this exercise. Self magazine writes:
- Lie faceup on the floor or a mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. With your hands at your sides, your fingertips should come close to touching your heels or be able to graze your heels. Engage your core to press your low back to the floor.
- Lift your hips, squeezing your glutes at the top. Hold here and lift your right foot off the floor, extending your right leg straight.
- Place your right foot back on the floor and without lowering your hips, immediately lift your left foot and repeat on the other side. Continue to march, alternating sides.
Do 10-12 reps.
Squats with Kickback
While it is no surprise that squats should be on this list, this exercise adds a little flare to the good ol’ squats. Shape Magazine instructs:
- Stand with legs shoulder-width apart, arms at sides.
- Sit back into a squat keeping weight on heels, then lift left leg straight behind you, keeping hips level while extending arms.
- Return to start and switch sides
Do 10-12 reps on each side.
Fire Hydrant
This exercise may seem a little weird at first, but once you see the results, you may not mind doing it! The fire hydrant pose has nothing to do with a fire hydrant. If done correctly, the pose makes the poser look like a dog about to urinate on a fire hydrant. It’s a great workout that targets your tush and all the while strengthening your ab muscles, too, according to Healthline. Self Magazine advises those who do this exercise to do 10-12 reps per side:
- Start in an all-fours position, with your wrists under your shoulders, knees under your hips, and core engaged.
- Keeping your leg bent, lift your right knee up to your side, toward the ceiling as if it were being pulled by a string.
- Keep your core engaged, and be mindful to not allow your body to tip to the left as you lift.
- Lower your knee to the starting position and repeat. Do all the reps on one side, then repeat on the other.
Donkey Kick
“Donkey kicks are great for both stability and toning,” Keaton Ray, CSCS, trainer tells Women’s Health Magazine. “They target your gluteus maximus—the largest of your three glutes muscles, and the bulk of your booty. They also work your core and shoulder muscles, since your entire body has to remain stable while your leg lifts.” This exercise is also great for those who have desk jobs. How do you do a donkey kick? Self Magazine advises to do the following:
- Start in an all-fours position, with your wrists under your shoulders, knees under your hips, and core engaged.
- Kick your right foot up and toward the ceiling, engaging your glutes and using your hamstrings to pull your foot upward.
- Keep your core engaged, so you stay stable and don’t tip to the left; and stop lifting before you arch your low back. Remember: This is a strong move, not a flexibility exercise.
- Do all of the reps on one side, then repeat on the other.
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