Do these Exercises 

Looking a little flabby?

Don't panic! By practicing the best exercises for a firm butt you can quickly tone up your rear along with the whole hip and thigh area and end up looking sexy and firm from all angles!

The secret is in working the muscles. Many people don't even realise that they have muscles in their butts! But that's where the familiar term 'glutes' comes from. The muscles are called gluteus maximus and gluteus medius.

In 2005 a study was undertaken by the American Council for Exercise (ACE) along with scientists from the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. They used EMG (electromyograph) analysis of eight common butt toning exercises to measure the effect of each one on the gluteus muscles.

Their main aim was to compare other exercises to the traditional squat, which is usually recommended for firming the butt. They wanted to see if other exercises could be substituted without loss of muscle tone.

The result was that they found four other exercises that were equally effective. So if you are bored with endless squats, it's time to expand your workout! Here are the four alternative butt firming exercises:

1. Step Up

Take a weight or dumbbell in each hand. Stand with a tall step or sturdy box in front of you. You want something about 15 inches high.

Put your left foot up on the step, transfer your weight onto the left foot and using only the left leg, lift yourself up onto the step. So you are stepping up without using the right (lower) foot to push you up. Do the same side about 10 times, then switch to the other leg.

2. Lunge

Keep the weights but move away from the step or box.

From a standing position, step forward with the right foot. Keep the back and head straight. Then bend the knees so that the left knee drops down toward the floor. Be sure to keep the heel of the right (front) foot firmly on the ground and the right knee directly over the front foot. Push down through the right heel to bring yourself back up to a standing position.

Alternate the legs until you have done about 10 repetitions with each leg.

3. Quadruped Hip Extension

Start on your hands and knees. Keep your abs slightly contracted through the exercise to stabilize the back (you can relax it between repetitions).

Lift up one leg, keeping the knee bent. Lift until the thigh is in a straight line with the body and the underside of the foot is facing the ceiling. Repeat about 10 times with the same leg, then switch legs.

4. Four-Way Hip Extension

This one requires a special machine so you will need a gym membership to do it. Ask an instructor to show you how to do the four-way hip extension. Again you can repeat about 10 times with the same leg before changing sides.

If you are not a member of a gym, you can still get great results by including the other three exercises in your workout along with the traditional squat. Remember that the ACE study found that they are all pretty much equally effective.

Our butts have suffered badly in recent decades. It is not just because we tend to be heavier than our parents and grandparents were. The rise in sedentary jobs, plus the lure of TV and the internet, has a huge effect too.

The bottom line is, more people are spending more time sitting on their butts than they ever did 50 or 100 years ago. As a result, many of us hate the way we look from behind. Learn to love your rear by toning it up with these simple exercises for a firm butt!

Editor
My Health Articles.co.uk

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