BOOTY lifting moves for a BOOTYlicious Butt.
Do you have a depressed butt? Has it been slow, sleepy, and not as perky as you’d like?
Maybe it’s time to give it a little lift.
Having a happy and active butt muscle does so much more than help you look good in your jeans. It can actually reduce fatigue and back pain, protect the knee joints, and create overall strength. The glutes are our largest muscle group, and virtually every movement carried out by the lower body requires their activation.
Here are a few great reasons to work your rear and a few of my favorite bodyweight butt exercises to get you started now:
Benefits of a Strong and Happy butt muscle:
- Powers Your Body. Strong glutes increase your force and power during everything from sprinting, jumping, and squatting to climbing, swinging, and cutting from side to side. A more powerful butt will allow you to run faster, cycle stronger, and power walk up the fifth flight of stairs without losing your breath.
- Protects Joints. A stronger butt can mean healthier knees, as well as a pain-free lower back and hips.
- Banishes Back Pain. Butt strength and endurance are correlated with a lessened risk of lower-back pain, says Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D., director of the human performance lab at Lehman College. “Increasing glute strength with resistance training in a variety of rep ranges is the best way to prevent pain.”
- Reduces Fatigue. Your butt muscles are stabilizers and supporters of the rest of your body during your daily activities, as well as your athletic performance. A strong butt will give you more stamina and help reduce fatigue throughout your day as you walk, climb stairs, ride your bike and do whatever else you do physically. At the end of the day, you should feel less tired and have more energy when you have a powerful butt.
Ok, ok. You get it. Having a strong butt is the secret to a strong life.
So now what?
I got your back (or should I say butt? 😉
I’m going to let you in on a few shapely secrets with this little sneak preview of some moves from my upcoming July 20th BOOTYcamp class in SF. Here are four booty-burning bodyweight exercises you can do right at home for a stronger, happier butt. Try these four moves, and notice how your body feels when you give it a little bit of movement, strength, energy, and BOOTY boost. Photo credit Mark Kuroda.
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Squat Stand with the feet hip distance apart toes facing straight forward. Extend the arms out in front of you for balance. Sit the butt back and down, bringing the thighs parallel to the floor. Make sure the heels stay on the floor and chest is lifted. Keep the knees behind the toes as shown in picture. Press through the heels to return to a standing position. |
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Single leg Squat Stand with feet hip distance apart and raise the right leg, flexing the right ankle and pushing the hips back. Lower the body while keeping the right leg raised (a squat with one leg). Hold and then return to standing. You can use a bench to squat/sit on to work your way towards doing the single leg squat if needed. Keep the knees behind the toes and the heels firmly on the floor.
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Hip Bridge Lie on your back with the knees bent and feet hip-width apart. Place arms at your side and lift up the spine and hips. Slowly bring the hips back down, then lift back up. Try to do 10-20 reps or try 10 reps of single leg hip bridge with one leg in the air.
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Single Leg Deadlift Start in a standing position with the feet together. Standing on the left leg, lift the right leg off the floor and bring the knee up towards the chest. Lean your upper body forward and reach your right leg out behind you. Bring the knee back up towards the chest and repeat. Perform 10-15 reps on one leg and then switch legs. Add variety by moving the arms in a running motion or bringing the arms close to the floor deepening the lunge.
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Try out the exercises above and make it a goal to perform activation + strength exercises for your glutes, hips, and thighs at least 2-3 times a week for best butt results. Take my word for it: these moves look simple, but they are going to transform your backside and keep your butt happy for life.
Bottom line? (pun intended)
A happy butt = A happy life.
And thats worth all the work.
Want more? Check out this post from Positive Health and Wellness: “8 Butt Exercises to do in 30 Minutes That Burns Fat”.
Keep your squats low and your standards high my friends 🙂
Some BOOTY loves you,
Caroline
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