Are you happy with your butt?

Do you wish your butt was rounder, fuller, or more firm?

While a nice-looking rear end may boost confidence, it is not all about outer beauty –

More importantly, your butt muscles aid with balance and prevent injury.

Your Butt

Gluteals, or “Glutes”

How do I work it?

Here’s how!

Mule Kick with Resistance Band

Start in a quadruped position and place the looped end of a resistance band around the sole of one foot. Hold the handles and engage your core by drawing-in your naval towards your spine. Extend your foot up and back behind the glute.  Core and hips stable.

 

 

 

 

Lateral Up and Overs

Position yourself sideways to a bench or step at knee height and place one foot on top.  Using explosive movement, push yourself over to the other side of the bench landing softly with the opposite foot on top of bench.  Quickly repeat back and fort. Land softly and in control with each foot, staying on the balls of your feet.

 

 

 

 

Speed Band Skater Holds

Firmly secure a resistance band to a stable surface (or flag down a certified personal trainer) and loop the other end around your waist. Walk out far enough to create sufficient tension on the resistance band to keep it straight.  From a single-leg crouched position (standing leg is closest to the anchor point), push out to the side landing farther away from the anchor point and hold on the outside leg (leg farthest from anchor point). Push back to the starting position and hold. Maintain balance (3-5 seconds) at each position before pushing back to the other side.  To burn more calories, push off more quickly (maintain balance for 1-2 seconds), while staying in control.

 

 

 

 

Single-Leg Hamstring Curl and Press

Lie on your back with one foot (heel) on the top of a Swiss stability ball.  Raise the other foot straight up in the air, attempting to put a footprint on the ceiling.  Squeeze your glutes, lift your hips off the floor, and bend knee and curl the ball inward (toward your glutes), then push the top of foot downward on the ball to lift your hips higher in the air.  Keep the other leg fully extended upward toward the ceiling.

 

 

 

 

Banded Squat Hops

Place a resistance band (small) around your thighs and assume a half squat position.  Quickly hop your legs inward to a modified chair pose, and then quickly back out again.  Engage your glutes to prevent your knees from moving inward.  Draw-in your naval towards your spine to support your low back.

 

 

 

 

Single-Leg Squat Jumps

Start in a split stance position.  Explosively bring your knee forward as you hop off the floor landing on the same leg and dropping back into a split stance.  Use the power of your glutes to lift yourself off the floor and regain your balance.

 

 

 

 

 

Reference:

Ratliff, J. (2014). 6 moves for stronger glutes. Fitnovatives Blog.  http://www.acefitness.org/blog/4977/6-moves-for-stronger-glutes/?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Health-eTips-08-2014&utm_content=Health+eTips&spMailingID=21270062&spUserID=NzU3NzY3ODIwMzES1&spJobID=380841207&spReportId=MzgwODQxMjA3S0. Accessed on August 14, 2014.