Sculpt A Better Butt

 Sculpt a
Better Butt
Firm your rear and tighten
your abs with these 10 remarkably
effective moves.
By Rachel Cosgrove
A butt
like this
isn’t
born—
it’s
made.
photographs BY Chris shipman
You’re always busting it, saving it, covering it, or
laughing it off, but how much time do you actually
devote to sculpting your butt? Not enough.
Pretty much anytime you’re standing on two feet, your
glutes and hamstrings are hard at work. Problem is, like
most Americans, you’re probably spending more and
more time parked on your backside in front of a
computer or flatscreen.
That’s too bad, since your glutes are your largest (and
possibly most powerful) muscle group and therefore an
all-star calorie burner and metabolism booster…as long
as you use them. Neglect them long enough and your
bum becomes your body’s problem child—loaded with
potential, but lazy, forgetful, and unmotivated. And not
so hot-looking either.
Show your buns some love with these 10 killer moves.
They work the glutes and the muscles that support them
(the hip flexors and hamstrings) to tighten and tone your
booty and core. Whether you choose to add them to your
existing routine in place of lower-body exercises or
combine them for a calorie-frying buttock-toning circuit
(see “Build-a-Better-Butt Workout,” right) is up to you.
Either way, you’ll wind up with a superior posterior.
Build-aBetter-Butt
Workout
Combine these moves
into one seriously
booty-shaping routine.
The Warmup: Do one or
two sets of five to 10 reps of
each move (10 to 15 for the
Sideways Band Shuffle).
> Single-Leg, Single-Arm Reach
>F
acedown Hip External
a
a
b
The Workout:
Dumbbell StraightLeg Deadlift
b
Facedown Hip
External Rotation
Quick tip
Don’t let the look of this one
fool you: It is one of the most
challenging and effective moves
for targeting your external hip
muscles, which have a major
impact on your glutes.
Do it: Lie facedown on the
floor with your arms folded under
your head, legs extended straight
behind you. Bend your right leg,
knee pointed out, and place your
foot on the back of your left
1
w o m e n ’ s h e a lt h
/
You won’t have much range
of motion in this move. Focus
on contracting your glutes as
much as possible, rather than
how high you lift your knee.
knee, keeping both hips on the
floor (a). Contract your right butt
cheek and lift your right knee
a few inches off the floor without
raising your hip (b). Pause, then
return to the starting position.
Complete all reps on the right
side, then repeat on the left side.
WomensHealthMag.com
Focus on form, and this move
will be your butt’s new BFF.
Do it: Grab a pair of five- to
eight-pound dumbbells and
hold them in front of your
thighs, feet hip-width apart,
knees slightly bent (a). Bend at
your hips to lower your torso
until it’s almost parallel to the
floor, keeping the weights close
to your body (b). Return to
standing, keeping the weights
close to your body (as if you’re
shaving your legs with the
dumbbells). That’s one rep.
Challenge the glutes with
high-intensity supersets.
Do 10 to 12 reps of 1A, then
immediately do 10 to 12
reps of 1B. Rest for 30 to 60
seconds, then work through
the pairs until you’ve done
10 to 12 reps of each move.
Do each superset twice.
1A/ Stability-Ball Hip
Extension Leg Curl
1B/ Dumbbell Bent-Knee
Deadlift
2A/ Dumbbell Step Up
2B/ Stability-Ball
Back Extension
3A/ Elevated Reverse Lunge
3B/ Dumbbell StraightLeg Deadlift
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bryan bantry, american eagle outfitters top, American apparel shorts
Rotation
> Single-Leg Hip Extension
> Sideways Band Shuffle
a
b
Sideways Band Shuffle
See ya later, saddlebags! This move enlists your smaller
glute muscles, tightening these stubborn trouble spots.
Do it: Place a resistance band loop around your ankles
and stand with your feet hip-width apart, hands on hips (a).
Step your left foot to the left, placing as much tension on
the band as possible (b), then bring your right leg to the left.
Do all reps to the left, then repeat to the right side.
Quick tip
Keep your
feet wide
enough to
feel tension
in the band
throughout
each rep of
this move.
Dumbbell Step Up
Quick tip
Dumbbell Bent-Knee
Deadlift
Give your glutes a challenge:
Increasing the weight boosts
your metabolism.
Do it: Set a pair of 10- to 15pound dumbbells on the floor
in front of you. Squat, keeping
your chest up, and grab the
dumbbells with an overhand
grip. Your arms should be
straight and your lower back
slightly arched, not rounded
(a). Contract your glutes and
stand up with the dumbbells,
straightening your legs,
thrusting your hips forward, and
pulling your torso back and up
(b). Slowly lower the dumbbells
to the floor. That’s one rep.
a
Keep your
spine neutral
by bending
only as far as
you can without rounding
your back.
a
b
Single-Leg,
Single-Arm Reach
Do this move to stretch
before a run, or at the gym to
tone your backside.
Do it: Stand on your left
leg and raise your right arm
in front of you (a). Lower
your torso and lift your right
leg behind you until both are
parallel to the floor (b). Contract
your glutes and hamstrings
to return to standing. That’s
one rep. Do all reps, then switch
sides and repeat.
Stability-Ball Back
Extension
b
Single-Leg
Hip Extension
Weak glutes and tight hip
flexors cause your pelvis to
tilt forward, pushing your
abdomen out and creating
that no-good belly pooch.
This move evens you out.
Do it: Lie faceup with your
arms out to the sides, right
knee bent, left leg straight
and raised a few inches off
the floor (a). Lift your leg until
it’s in line with your right thigh
and push your hips upward,
forming a straight line from
shoulders to knees (b). Pause,
then lower to start. Do all reps,
then switch legs and repeat.
2
w o m e n ’ s h e a lt h
/
If you think this move sculpts
only your back, think again:
Your glutes do the work to
pull your body up.
Do it: Lie facedown on a
stability ball, hands behind
your head, feet against a sturdy
object (a). Squeeze your
glutes and lift your torso up
until your body forms a
straight line. Hold for one
or two seconds (b). Slowly
return to start. That’s one rep.
a
The reason this was the
inspiration behind an exerciseclass empire? It works.
Do it: Grab a pair of five- to
10-pound dumbbells, stand in
front of a bench or step, and
place your left foot firmly
on the step (a). Press down
with your left heel and push
your body up until your
left leg is straight (b).
Slowly lower back to
the starting position.
That’s one rep. Do
all reps with the
left leg, then repeat
with the right.
a
b
WomensHealthMag.com
b
c
Stability-Ball Hip
Extension Leg Curl
Strong hamstrings are just as
crucial as strong glutes to get
the backside of your dreams.
Do it: Lie faceup on the
floor, arms out to the sides,
lower legs on a stability ball (a).
Push your hips up until your
body forms a straight line from
shoulders to knees (b), then
pull your heels toward you and
roll the ball as close as possible
to your butt (c). Pause, then
roll the ball back until your body
is in a straight line again. Lower
your hips back to the floor.
That’s one rep.
Elevated Reverse Lunge
This is the ultimate butt multitasker, providing
an active hip-flexor stretch along with a
calorie-blasting lunge/step-up combo. Whew!
Do it: Stand on a six-inch step or box, hands
on your hips (a). Squeeze your right glute,
step back with your right leg, and lower until
your left knee is bent at least 90 degrees
(b). Pause, then push through the left leg to
return to start. That’s one rep. Alternate sides
until you’ve done all the reps for each leg.
Work out on the go!
b
a
> Always on the run? Download free
workouts for your portable media player at
WomensHealthMag.com/Downloads.
quick TIP
Squeeze
your glute to
raise your leg
behind you,
and keep your
core braced
and chest up
throughout
the move.
a
b
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lucy activewear tank , lija by linda hipp shorts, old nav y sneakers
b
a