It is well known that most men want to strengthen their biceps, shoulders, chest, back and abs to build a masculine look and highlight their best attributes. But in women, the focus is usually on the buttocks, or lower body. Therefore, in this post we review some of the best exercises to build, lift, and sculpt an amazing butt.
Butt workout and butt exercise routines for women
Next to abs, butts are women’s favorite thing to complain about. Too big, too flabby, too flat, too little definition, too dimpled, not enough lift. Everybody wants Beyonce’s booty, but few know what to do to get it.
You’re about to discover the best butt exercises to sculpt and tone a butt that you can be really proud of. If you’ve always had a flat butt but want it to be higher, rounder and perkier then read on! Millions of women all around the world want an awesome butt but sometimes just don’t know where to start.
You need to know the best butt workout and butt exercise routines to sculpt that amazing booty and in this article that’s what you’ll find. Knowing how to get a great butt is the first step, putting it all into practice is the next. In this article, you’ll find the perfect butt workout for you so you can start making that booty rounder and summer ready!
The good news? Glute training is not rocket science. Combining targeted strength-training exercises with fat-melting cardio techniques and proper nutrition you’ll be on your way to the booty of your dreams in no time.
What’s the importance of having a well-trained glutes?
A well-trained rear end isn’t just nice to look at. Strong glutes and hamstrings can help improve your posture, reduce lower back, hip, and knee pain, and even reduce that stubborn abdominal “pooch”. What’s more, because muscle burns more calories at rest than fat does, increasing lean muscle mass via strength training can accelerate fat loss and help keep it off.
Behind the behind: the anatomy of your butt
To produce results, a butt exercise regimen must focus on all areas of the butt. This means putting focus on each of the four muscles located in the butt area.
- Gluteus Maximus. This is the largest muscle in the buttocks, and one of the strongest in the body.
- Gluteus Medius. Broad, thick muscles that radiate on the outer service of the pelvis.
- Gluteus Minimus. The smallest of the gluteal muscles, and it is located below the gluteus maximus.
- Tensor Fasciae Latae. Muscle located in the thigh.
Three moves to a better butt
Training your glutes requires mastery of only three basic movements: hip extension, hip abduction (with and without external rotation), and knee flexion (with hips extended). Including multiple exercises for each basic movement increases the number of muscle fibers stimulated during a workout. You already know: more muscle fibers means more growth. Further, it also increases the likelihood that you’re working the muscles almost to the point of fatigue or “failure”. This is the point at which you can no longer complete another good-form repetition of the movement. In strength training, failure is success!
1. Hip extension
Hip extension is any front-to-back (or “sagittal plane”) movement of the body that results in the angle at a joint increasing. Hence, hips are extended when rising to standing from sitting and when reaching backward with the leg prior to kicking. We practice hip extension every time we squat, lunge, perform a dead lift, and move our hips forward against gravity or external resistance. Hyperextension (extension beyond the normal range of motion) of the hip is also used to strengthen the lower back and upper glutes, for example during hip swings, hip thrusts, and hip extensions.
2. Hip abduction
Abduction occurs when you move your arm or leg away from the midline of the body. Examples of exercises involving hip abduction include lying leg raises and cable-and-pulley lateral leg raises with toes pointing forward (neutral), toward the body (internal rotation of the hip), or away from the body (external rotation of the hip).
3. Knee flexion
Flexion occurs in the same plane of motion as extension and describes a decrease in the angle at the joint. You flex your knee by bending it. Knee flexion is controlled by muscles both above and below the knee; only those above the knee contribute directly to gluteal development. Examples of knee flexion exercises include hamstring curls on the ball, bent-knee dead lifts, squats, and lunges.
Why are the buttocks so special? How to choose the proper exercises?
To produce results, a butt exercise regimen must focus on all areas of the butt. This means putting focus on each of the four muscles located in the butt area.
Each of the gluteal muscles requires different exercises to get them in top-notch shape. While most exercises will affect the gluteus maximus in some matter, they cannot all help the other three muscles. This is why it is important to have a thorough workout that incorporates exercises that affect all muscles located in the butt.
In order to cover all sides of the gluteus maximus and take care of the other three muscles, a good rotation must be included to strengthen the outer and inside muscles. They will also help to lift and firm.
- Squats. One of the best exercises for developing the gluteal muscles.
- Jumps. Jumping exercises help to strengthen and firm the upper thigh and lower gluts.
- Lunges. Helps to focus on gluteal muscles as well as the lower portion of the body.
- Kicks. Intense variations of exercises that will help to tone and shape your butt.
- Extensions. Help to build up pelvis muscles, thighs, and hips.
- Bridges. Works out your body from your upper thighs, through you buttocks, and finally strengthens your core.
Best glute exercises for women
Designed for butt building, these glute exercises for women are the best glute exercises for mass increase when combined with the right nutrition program.
These exercises focus on different aspects of the glute building process. Some exercises focus on maximum resistance for building the glute muscles, some focus on stretching the glutes, and some focus on shaping the glutes. Each exercise has its place in a complete glute-training routine.
#1 SQUATS / KNEE FLEXION
Back squats are without any doubt one of the best and most basic exercises that target the gluteus maximus – the largest muscle in the lower body. They also help strengthen the hips, thighs, hips and core. However, this is not the case with front squat. Front squat shifts the muscular recruitment from the glutes to the quadriceps, which may not be your goal if your main focus is glute development. Also, the deeper you lower the weight, the more your glutes will work. So, it seems to be a good idea to squat deep. There are plenty of ways to do squats. Here are just a few variations.
#2 LUNGES / KNEE FLEXION
If you want to target your buttocks in addition to developing your legs, then you just have to start lunging. Lunges are both a muscle builder and an excellent stretching movement. Taking a shorter step will target the quadriceps more. A larger step places the emphasis on the gluteals and hamstrings. Again, just like with the squats, you have many option to perform lunges. Here are some of these options.
#3 LATERAL HIP ABDUCTION EXERCISES
The lateral hip abduction belongs in the isolated, single-joint exercise category because only the hip joints are mobilized. As a consequence, the lateral hip abduction does not recruit muscles other than its primary targets: the gluteus medius and the gluteus minimus. As always, you have countless possibilities on which you can perform this movement. For example: execution with legs straight or bent, variation using a resistance band, standing hip abduction, standing machine hip abduction, standing variation using a resistance band, standing variation using a cable attachment, kneeling variation, etc.
#4 HIP EXTENSION EXERCISES (GLUTE KICKS)
The hip extension belongs in the isolated, single-joint exercise category because only the hip joints are mobilized. Nevertheless, the hip extension recruits muscles in addition to the gluteus maximus: the hamstrings and the lower back. As always, there are so many possibilities to perform hip extension. The image below shows just some of the many options available. Ankle cuffs, elastic bands, and machines render the movement more effective in terms of muscle toning by adding extra resistance, thereby increasing the difficulty of the movement, when compared to variations without added resistance.
#5 BRIDGE
The bridge belongs in the basic, multiple-joint exercise category because the hip, knee, and ankle joints are mobilized. As a result, the bridge recruits muscles in addition to the glutes: the lumbar muscles and thighs. It is a very easy exercise to perform to tone your whole legs, especially the glute muscles. You will progress very quickly, which will force you to find ways to render this exercise more challenging. Fortunately, there are several ways to increase the resistance placed on your muscles to make this movement even more effective.
#6 ONE LEG BUTT PRESS
the butt press belongs in the basic, multiple-joint exercise category because the hip, knee, and ankle joints are all mobilized. as a result, the butt press recruits muscles in addition to the glutes: the lumbar muscles and thighs. This movement requires the use of the assisted pull-up machine to target the glutes very effectively. If you don’t have access to an assisted pull-up machine, you can perform a one-leg step up. However, the butt press is preferable for two many reasons.
Closing thoughts: Exercises to Build, Lift and Sculpt an Amazing Butt
Do you wish your butt was smaller? Larger? Tighter? Or higher up? If you are like most women, you do crave your butt to earn one of these titles. You want your butt to look fabulous in that tight pair of jeans, and you definitely want to feel great in a bikini. However, if you are like most women, you have discovered that having that great butt is not that easy. You have probably spent countless hours in the gym and walking uphill, but that rear just will not cooperate.
If you want a great butt, you have to give the muscles located in that region their own workout regimen. The best thing about this quick exercise guide is that it gives you the ability to learn important exercises that you can rotate in and out of your daily workout. These can all be done in your home, and there is no need to hire an expensive trainer to teach them to you. Tailor your exercise to your own butt and to the booty you wish to have!
