4 Best Butt Exercises to Sculpt a Cute Booty
YOUR BEST BUTT EVER
The 4 best butt exercises for toning, lifting and sculpting a cute booty
I’ve lost 40 lbs, and over the past couple of years I’ve learned so much about nutrition and exercise – and so, today I really wanted to share my top 4 butt exercises with you!
These 4 exercises have helped me to get my butt into way better shape than it’s ever been.
4 GO-TO EXERCISES
In this post, I’m sharing exactly how to do these 4 butt exercises – I’ve typed up the exercise descriptions below with pictures.
I hope that you love my top 4 butt exercises as much as I do – or learn to love them like I have (only because of the results!) Lol!
Liezl Jayne xo
1. SQUATS
Squats are amazing for toning the butt, legs and even the abs. Squats help to tone, lift and sculpt the butt.
STEP 1
Start standing upright with your feet hip width apart, facing outwards slightly. Stick your chest out slightly, keep your head faced forward and place your arms out in front of you.
STEP 2
Bend your hips downwards and stick your butt out behind you (imagine that you’re resting gently on a bench behind you). Keep your knees and feet facing slightly outward.
STEP 3
Push up through your heels and straighten your legs without locking your knees. Try to keep your knees strong so that they don’t wobble or cave inwards as you lift up. You should feel your butt and ab muscles engaging as you return to your starting position.
STEP 4
Inhale as you return to the starting position and exhale as you go down into the squat.
Perform 3 sets of 12 reps.
2. LUNGES
Lunges are my favorite exercise ever – but they weren’t always, I’ve learned to love them. They’ve helped me to change the shape of my butt and legs so much. Lunges are great for toning the butt, legs and even the abs.
STEP 1
Start standing upright with your feet hip width apart, facing forwards. Then step one leg forward so that you have a split stance. Make sure that you are slightly bent forward from the waist so that you feel your ab muscles are activated (this is your starting position).
STEP 2
As you drop your back knee towards the floor, you should feel your butt muscle on your front leg working. Aim for a 90 degree angle in both knees, as you drop towards the floor.
STEP 3
Push yourself back up to your starting position – pushing your body up through your front heel so that you feel the muscle in your front butt cheek and your ab muscles working. You’ll want to make sure that your hips and knees of each leg stay in line with each other.
STEP4
Remember that you should feel most of the work in your front butt cheek and the thigh of your back leg. Perform 3 sets of 12 reps on each side .
3. HIP LIFTS
So this is a great exercise to do as a warm up before doing squats or lunges – but it’s also a great exercise on its own. This exercise targets the glute muscles (butt), but also strengthens the legs and even the abs.
For this exercise, you’ll need an exercise ball.
STEP 1
First, you’ll sit on an exercise ball with your feet out in front of you. Then walk your feet forwards until your body is resting on the exercise ball – with your buttocks just off the floor, and your knees hip width apart. Use your hands to support your neck (without pushing your neck forward). Keep your heels and your knees in a straight vertical line.
STEP 2
Next, you’ll squeeze your glutes (your butt muscles) together. Push down through the heels of your feet and lift your hips up (while still squeezing your butt muscles) so that you are using your glute muscles and not your lower back. Your knees, hips and shoulders will now form a straight line.
STEP 3
Return to your starting position. Breathe in as you return to your starting position and out as you lift your hips, so that you engage your ab muscles too. Perform 3 sets of 12 reps.
YOUR BUTT – JUST BETTER!
This 4th exercise is amazing for toning the butt. The first 3 exercises that I just showed you are essentials (the 3 essential butt exercises), and this one is more of an advanced exercise.
If you’re a beginner, then you can just start out with the first 3 exercises – and then add this 4th exercise to your routine once you’ve mastered the other ones!
4. DEADLIFTS
Deadlifts are not just for bodybuilders and men. Deadlifts are amazing for toning the butt, and working the glute muscles – and they also strengthen the hamstrings.
Deadlifts and strength training exercises don’t have to make us look “bulky” like a bodybuilder – that’s a total myth. I don’t use very heavy weights because I’m not trying to put on a huge amount of muscle, I’m just trying to tone and sculpt by body.
For this exercise, you’ll need a weighted spin lock bar (10-40kg’s). I use 15-20 kg’s.
TAKE CARE + TAKE NOTE
It’s very important to warm up your glute muscles properly before doing deadlifts – so that you get the best benefit from your workout, and so that you don’t hurt your back or cause other injury to your body. I recommend doing at least 3 sets of hip lifts as a warm up.
Remember that the deadlift is NOT an exercise for beginners. I didn’t just start out doing deadlifts, I built up strength in my glute muscles by doing hip lifts, squats and lunges first. If you’re just starting out, then I suggest doing hip lifts, squats and lunges with your workout routine. As you get to a more advanced level, then you can add deadlifts to that routine.
A lot of people are afraid to do deadlifts because they think they will get injured. But the truth is that generally people who injure themselves while deadlifting are usually performing the exercise wrong.
You shouldn’t feel any tension in your lower back while doing deadlifts. If you feel any tension or pain in your lower back, then you’re probably not performing the exercise correctly – so you’ll want to go over the steps again.
STEP 1
Start standing upright with your feet hip width apart, facing forwards. Your weighted bar should be placed directly in front of you.
STEP 2
You’ll want to take care when picking up the weight, by squatting down in front of it and gripping it firmly with both hands (one hand on each side of the bar), then engage your glute muscles as you slowly pick it up (you shouldn’t feel any tension in your lower back).
STEP 3
Now you should now be standing up straight (with your knees slightly bent, so that they are not locked) while holding your weight with both hands. Your feet should still be shoulder width apart and facing forward – this is your starting position.
STEP 4
Keeping your elbows facing backwards and your chest sticking out slightly, lower your weight towards the floor until it reaches just below the level of your knees. Stick your butt out as far as it can go behind you when your weight is lowered.
STEP 5
Then gently push your hips forward as you return to your starting position – you’ll feel your glute muscles work as you do this. As you push your hips forward, your weight will lift.
STEP 6
Breathe in as you lower the weight and exhale as you return to your starting position.
STEP 7
Remember that you should feel most of the work in your glute and ab muscles. You should not feel any tension in your lower back. Perform 3 sets of 12 reps.
Ps. When you’re done with this workout, I’ve also got some exercises that you can download for free over on my blog – my top 5 exercises for losing weight, and getting into better shape.
Please note that you should be in a fit and healthy state before you perform these exercises. It is always a good idea to consult with your doctor, medical practitioner or fitness coach to see if a new exercise program is suitable for you.
For the best results, these exercises should be incorporated into a balanced exercise program and complimented with a healthy diet.
Feature image by Ross Charnock for liezljayne.com – Other images by Liezl Jayne Strydom for liezljayne.com
