Remember, the butt is a powerful set of muscles on men and women alike. Building a stronger, more toned set of glutes provides a person with:
- Power
- Stability
- Fat Burning
In Part One, we talked about lunges and plie’ squats, today we’re going to talk about using tools to build a better butt.
- Machine Leg Press
- Balance Ball Tightener
- The Step Press
The next three exercises are designed for performing either on a weight machine or with tools. If you do not have access to the weight machine or tools, the above three are a good workout for your butt.
Using a Machine Leg Press with little to no weight, you sit in the leg press with both feet placed high on the plate. They should be angled outwards slightly and placed wider than your shoulder’s width apart. Most leg press machines have a lever on the sides of the seat that allow the lowering of the plate. Using your feet for stability and control, lower the plate slowly until there is a pull on the back of the thighs. Push the plate slowly back to start and repeat. Toes and heels should not lift off the plate when lowering or returning to place.
Use the machine leg press for 8 reps.
The Balance Ball Tightener uses an exercise ball to perform the motions. Exercise balls are a great tool for fitness and once you get used to them, workouts can be a challenging experience with just this one simple tool. You begin by lying face down on the ball with abs and hips resting on the top. You’ll need to have something to hold with your hands and then raise the legs and feet off the floor. Imagine being Superman and you’re ‘flying.’ Your legs and feet are in a straight line from your hips. Squeeze your butt and hold for a count of 3 then lower the legs down again.
This is a tough exercise at first. Do not be discouraged if you cannot lift your legs all the way. If you feel a tightening in your butt and a mild burn, then you are performing it to your endurance. Repeat the balance ball tightener for 8 reps.
Bench steps are another great tool for working out at home or in the gym. The step up step involves you stepping up onto the step and bring the left foot up behind. You literally step up, 1, 2 and stand, then step down, 1,2 and stand. Switch to starting with the left foot up and then followed by the right 1, 2 and stand. Then down again 1, 2 and stand.
You can achieve a similar effect by climbing a dozen stairs leading with one foot and then climbing another dozen leading with the other. Or you can just go up 1,2 on one step and down again. The action tightens the buttocks and works the glutes. Perform the step up step for 8 reps.