Did you know that there are 3 muscles in each side of your buttock? The largest of these muscles is called the gluteus maximus (no pun intended). If you want to lift and tone your derriere then you must work on all of the muscle groups and not just the gluteus maximus.
Let’s face it…They aren’t going to tone themselves!
What kind of exercises should you do? Here are the Top 5 Exercises to Firm Your Derriere. We want you to get up and get your butt moving so we’ll show you how to do these 5 simple exercises, teach you what they will do for you and provide helpful tips so you can maximize your efforts.
Exercise 1: Heel Sky Rise
What does this do for you? When you do this exercise correctly, you will gain firmness and a shapely bottom.
How To: If you have a yoga mat or other type of mat, you can lay it down for comfort. To begin this exercise, you will need to get down on your knees and elbows. Stretch one leg straight out and flex your foot. Slowly raise that leg from the floor. Be sure your leg stays straight to ensure you are using the muscles in your buttocks correctly. Keep raising the leg until it is in line with the rest of your body then slowly lower it back to the floor.
Helpful Tips: This exercise should be done in small and controlled movements. The leg is raised and lowered slowly. There should be a pause before you lower it again. The leg should never be raised higher than your torso or you will be lifting from you back instead of your butt.
Exercise 2: Single Leg Ballet Kicks
What does this do for you? This exercise focuses on perfecting lean hamstrings and creating a perky butt.
How To: Find something straight ahead to focus your eyes on. Draw your tummy in toward your spine while straightening your posture. Remember to keep your chest up and your shoulders back while you extend one hand down towards the opposite toe. Keep your body aligned as you straighten the other leg back and up as far as you can.
Helpful Tips: This exercise is executed slowly and also with control. You should feel a nice stretch down the hamstring of your standing leg. When you focus your eyes, it helps to keep the head aligned.
Exercise 3: Lower Half Lunge
What does this do for you? Not only will your glutes be forced to continually contract, this exercise targets several muscle groups simultaneously while increasing your heart rate and working those legs.
How To: You will be starting this exercise in a lunge position with your knee on the floor. You will need to maintain a good posture during this exercise as you suck in that tummy. Keep the torso straight and the chest up and then raise your knee off the floor until you are halfway up but don’t come all the way up. Then lower your knee back to the floor.
Helpful Tips: This exercise should be performed slowly and at 15 reps per leg.
Exercise 4: Bottle
What does this do for you? When you are performing this exercise properly, you will be targeting every area of the glute giving you a nice rounded appearance.
How To: If you have a mat, you can use it for comfort. Begin this exercise on your stomach. Be sure your body is aligned straight and place your hands on the floor under your chin. Place your feet together but also placed in a flexed position. Now, use your imagination and pretend there is a bottle on the outside of your foot. Use one foot at a time and try to get your foot up and over the top of the bottle. Then bring your foot back over the bottle into the starting position.
Helpful Hint: While doing this exercise, remember to keep your leg straight and your glutes contracted while lifting your leg.
Exercise 5: Pelvic Tilts
What does this do for you? When you do this butt-lifting exercise, you will be toning your butt up and off the back of your legs.
How To: For this exercise, you will start on your back with your knees up and bent. Your toes will also be pointing up meaning you will be on your heels. Now, raise your hips off the floor until your pelvis is shaped like a bridge. While holding this position for 5 seconds, focus on squeezing your glutes up and your belly down. Then release this position and repeat.
Helpful Tips: Imagine the squeezing part as if you are trying to get the belly button to meet your glutes in the middle.
Now that you have learned the Top 5 Exercises to Firm Your Derriere, you are on your way to a firm, shapely bottom and healthy fitness.