Butt exercises

4 Bodyweight Exercises to Tone Your Butt

Take 7 Minutes to Reshape Your Rear

-- By Nicole Nichols, Certified Personal Trainer

Looking for some targeted-toning exercises to shape, lift and tone your butt? Look no further! I designed this equipment-free workout to help you use your own body weight to target and tone your butt from every angle in just a few minutes per day. The Workout Perform each exercise in order for the length of time indicated. Limit rest between exercises as much as possible. Do the full circuit once, or repeat the exercises in order up to three more times. Training Tips If following this workout several days per week, try switching up the order of the exercises each day for optimal variety. Also switch up which side you start with on exercises that are done on each side of the body. As you progress and the amount of time indicated for each exercise no longer feels as challenging, increase the amount of time you perform each move by 15 seconds. Although no exercise can target fat loss in any particular body area, muscle-strengthening moves like these can build lean muscle; when combined with a calorie-controlled diet and some fat-burning cardio (start with 20-30 minutes per day, 3 days per week), you'll see and feel the results! Exercise Instructions DONKEY KICKS Begin on hands and knees, wrists directly under shoulders, armsstraight but not locked, knees directly under hips, and spine neutral. Engage your abs by pulling your belly button toward the spine (but without moving your back). Keeping hips level with one another, and both knees bent at 90 degrees, lift your left thigh up until parallel to the floor (or as close to parallel as you can), ankle flexed and foot flat and parallel to the ceiling (pictured). Slowly return to starting position without resting knee down. Repeat on same leg for one full minute. Switch sides. Tip: Try to keep your weight as balanced as possible in both arms and your hips level with one another. Don't let your back arch or round at all during the movement. SINGLE-LEG BRIDGES Begin lying on your back with feet flat, knees and ankles hip-distance apart, knees bent, back straight and arms lengthened at your sides. Extend right leg as straight as possible toward the ceiling, keeping thigh in line with your hip. Squeeze the muscles in the back of the legs and butt to lift hips off the ground while keeping right leg extended toward ceiling (pictured). Slowly return to the start position, keeping right leg lengthened. Repeat on same leg for one full minute. Switch sides. Tip: Try to keep both hips as level as possible by activating the glutes. Pull your abs in tight to protect your back. Use your foot, shoulder blades and arms for support—not your head or neck.   REVERSE LUNGES Begin standing with feet hip-width apart, toes pointing forward, back straight and arms extended in front of shoulders (or on hips). Relax shoulders away from the ears. Engage the core, pulling belly button toward the spine. Starting on right leg, take a large step back to create a wide stance between the feet, making sure both feet still point directly forward. Slowly bend both knees, working toward a 90-degree bend, lowering the body toward the floor (pictured). Straighten legs and step forward to starting position to complete one rep.  Repeat on same leg for one full minute. Switch sides. Tip: Step back far enough that as you bend your knees, they don't bent past your front toes. Hold onto a wall or chair for balance if needed. SUMO SQUAT Begin standing with legs and toes turned out from the hips, feet in a wide stance (wider than hips), back straight and hands on hips. Keeping back straight, bend both knees (making sure they're pointing in same direction as the toes) and squat down, aiming for thighs to be parallel to the floor (pictured). Straighten legs to complete one rep. Repeat for one full minute.   Tip: Bend from the knees—not the hips. Your back should remain upright and straight in this style of squat. Take feet as wide as you need to in order to achieve a wide-leg squat and full range of motion.   http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=1947&page=2