Most weight-bearing
leg exercises will work out your gluteus muscles to a degree. The same
is true with various gym classes, running, rollerblading and ice
skating. You can decide to omit targeted exercises for your gluteus
muscles from your regular workouts entirely, but I feel that
it’s good
to stretch (particularly if you have a day job which requires sitting
on a chair), to strengthen and to tone this muscle group from
time-to-time. You will not only look much better and sexier, but your
muscles will be stronger.
I have two types of exercises for your gluteus muscles, I’ll
use butt for short.
Floor Exercise for the Butt
This floor exercise is an extremely effective one for strengthening and
toning your butt. It really targets these muscles.
Method of Performance
Put your
hands and knees on the floor, in everyday language - the doggy position
or you can bend your elbows and rest your arms on the floor.
Keep
your back flat in either of these starting positions.
With
your legs bent at a right angle, push your leg upwards just a little
above your waist, hips. The movement is as if you had something resting
on the flat part of your foot and you are pressing on it upwards.
On the
downward part of the movement you have a choice. You can either bring
the leg to hip or waist level or you can bring your leg in towards and
close to your chest, not touching it.
Remember
to breathe. Exhale as you push your leg up, inhale as you bring your
leg down.
Do about
12-15 repetitions then repeat for the other leg.
Do 3 to
4 sets of this, once a week or every other week provided you are doing
your regular leg exercises or workouts on your legs.
A video of this
exercise can be watched below. It's shot in HD.
My video comment: I took a few takes of this video by myself and this
is the best one I came up with. The only thing that I would have liked
to have done better would have been to keep my leg more at a complete
90 degree. No matter...
LifeFitness Glute Machine
I like this exercise because although it works your butt muscles, it
also is a great full-leg exercise, especially if you don’t
have much time to do your legs. It’s done on a LifeFitness
exercise machine or any other make of this type of glute machine.
Method of Performance
Adjust
the weights to the appropriate level. If this is your first time on
this machine, you may want to set it at very low weights to get the
feel of the exercise.
Lean
forward a little with your chest on the adjustable pad and grasp the
handles in front of you.
Keep
your left leg and foot flat on the floor while the right leg you will
be using will be pressed against the foot rest.
Push
your right leg backwards and outwards, as far as you can go.
Now
bring the leg in as close to you as you feel comfortable or as close as
you can.
Do this
for about 12-15 repetitions then repeat for the other leg.
3 to 4
sets of this exercise is fine, once a week or every other week.
Remember
to breathe. Exhale as you push your leg out, inhale as you bring your
leg in.
There are also plenty of other exercises that will tone, stretch and
strengthen your butt muscles like fitness classes, Yoga, Pilates, ice
skating and rollerblading.
