A toned behind is hardly the only reason you should be doing squats, bridges, and other booty-boosting moves. The best way to work your rear is to approach it with different moves that challenge all butt muscles from different angles.
Glutes are the powerhouse in our posterior chain, aka, the backside of your body, and generate maximum efficiency and power during workouts. And along with making your workouts better, a strong butt helps make your daily life feel a little easier and more comfortable. You’re also more likely to avoid injury and have less with rock-solid glutes.
Your glutes are technically part of your core and help with all your everyday activities: walking, going up stairs, getting up, sitting down. These butt exercises will strengthen every square inch of your rear from side to side, front to back, and in rotation.
Working out at night has some major benefits—a boost in strength and deeper sleep included. So while you can run, lift, and train like a boss in the evening, doesn’t mean you always have to. These two gentle moves (and one stretch!) will activate and strengthen your glutes.
Hip Bridge:
Pro tip: Push through your heels to drive your hips up. You can double check to see if your form is right by lifting your toes off the ground.
How to:
- Start lying flat on your back with your knees bent, and your heels a few inches away from your butt.
- Lift your hips up, then lower them back to the ground.
- Do 2 sets of 10-15 reps.
Warrior Balance:
This move works the butt muscles of your standing legs—and you’ll have to engage your core muscles to stay balanced!
How to:
- Stand on your left foot and lift your right knee to hip height in front of your body.
- Reach your torso forward as you extend your right leg behind you. Keep your standing leg slightly bent as your torso becomes parallel with the floor. Extend your arms overhead to help with balance.
- Pause for a second, then reverse the movement. That’s 1 rep, do 2 sets of 10 reps on each side.
Figure 4:
Three words: Stretch so good.
How to:
- Start lying on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Lift your left leg and cross your left ankle over the right knee.
- Reach hands around right leg to meet under thigh. Draw the right thigh toward you while keeping your torso pressed against floor.
- Use your left elbow to gently press your left knee away from you as you draw your right thigh in closer.
- Hold for 30 seconds, deepening the stretch with every exhale, then switch sides.
