One of the questions I’m often asked by my fitness students and clients is how to tone their glutes.
Well, almost any leg exercise will tone your butt. Generally speaking, ballet dancers, sprinters, gymnasts, and figure skaters have well-shaped buttocks. This is because they use movements that lift the leg back AND turn the foot out.
Most glute exercises work the leg from front to back, including running, biking, stair climbing, leg extension machines, squats, and some glute isolators. These types of movements primarily work the large muscles of the gluteus maximus and thighs.
To get more teardrop shaped buttocks, you need to use some of the muscles under the buttocks. Namely, the pear muscle, which ROTATES the leg. Notice the difference in the buttocks of weightlifters, runners, long-distance runners, and cyclists compared to sprinters, figure skaters, ballet dancers, and Ashtanga yoga and Pilates practitioners.
Try the following movements 3 times a week for the next 3 weeks,
THE SIDE KICK
Stand about two feet away from a wall.
Keeping your belt buckle (or belly button) and your left foot pointed toward the wall, lift your right leg behind you.
Keep your upper body upright.
Raise your leg as high as you can and hold it. You should feel your glutes (gluteal muscles) contract.
Now turn your foot out so that it is parallel to the ground.
Pull your toes toward you and extend your heel. (Most people do this wrong and spread their toes and never get the effect.)
You should be looking over your shoulder at your extended leg. Don’t give in to the temptation to let his kickstand roll to the side. Your hips should remain pointed towards the wall.
This is like a martial art side kick. Try to hold this for 10-30 seconds at a time and then switch legs. Walk for a minute to relax your muscles after working both legs.
Or go to a martial arts club and learn some kicks. Most kickers have hard butts and narrow waists.
THE BACK TIGHTENING
OK, get over the funny name. You can do this exercise with weight on your shoulders or just without weight.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and keeping your back straight, bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Straighten your legs and then squeeze your butt as if you were trying to hold a coin between your buttocks. Squeeze hard for 2-3 seconds.
Squat down again. Do this 10 to 20 times and then add some weight.
Be sure not to raise your heels or go into a full squat. (That’s a different technique.)
You’ll probably find that you can only do half as many squats as you normally would. This is normal.
Do this exercise first thing in the morning and you’ll feel “toned” throughout the day.
SKATING
Ice skating, rollerblading, or inline skating at a good pace can’t help but get your butt in shape. Use exaggerated skating motions to develop the lateral muscles of the legs and glutes.