Work your butt off and you will like its 3-D shape after the long struggle. Not only that, you will see that your entire lower body and core area will improve strength and tone significantly. One of the biggest barriers to you getting the butt and body you want is failing to work hard and smart.
That is, you need to work harder for a shorter period of time. According to my observations and conversations at health clubs, many prefer longer workouts of 1.5 to 2 hours. Those types of workout routines can lead to boredom and over-training.
So, what are the two butt blasting exercises that you must do? Clock lunges and step ups. These two exercises would give you a perfect 20-minute bodyweight cardio workout. They don’t require equipment or a gym membership.
These are one-legged exercises that will correct your muscular imbalances and improve your dynamic balance. One leg can’t compensate for the weaker leg as can be done with two-legged exercises. Clock lunges and step ups require high levels of core strength to keep your torso upright (90 degrees) during the exercise.
Many of you do forward lunges, reverse lunges and walking lunges. These exercises work your lower body in one plane of motion (sagittal). I don't see enough people doing side lunges and transverse lunges. If you will do clock lunges, you are covered in all three planes of motion.
Do clock lunges this way:
Lunge with your right leg at 12 o’clock, 2 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 5 o’clock and 6 o’clock. That’s one repetition for your right leg. Lunge with your left leg at 12 o’clock, 10 o’clock, 9 o’clock, 7 o’clock and 6 o’clock. That’s one repetition for your left leg. Maintain upright posture throughout the exercise.
As for step ups, do front, side and transverse lunges. Use a knee-high platform to work the back of your glutes and hamstrings more. Do front step ups this way:
1. Face a bench or platform (knee high) and put your right foot on the bench. Your knee should be bent 90 degrees. Don't do this exercise with dumbbells until you have mastered the bodyweight version.
2. As you lift your body on your right leg, keep your body erect (don't bend over) and look straight ahead. Balance on your leg for 1-2 seconds and descend. Don't let your left foot touch the platform.
3. Do all required repetitions on the right leg and switch to left leg.
Side step ups are done with the platform at your side. Stepping onto the platform with your inside leg is the easier version. The tougher version would be the crossover side lunge, or stepping onto the platform with your outside leg. The non-working leg should never touch the platform.
Transverse step ups are done this way:
The platform is at your side. As you step onto the platform with your right foot, turn your foot toward the right wall and step up (you would be facing the wall to your right after the step up). Complete all repetitions with your right leg and switch to the left leg. The non-working leg should never touch the platform.
Go work your butt off!
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES, CPT is a Certified Personal Trainer and former NCAA Division I athlete. Mark is the owner of My Fitness Hut, Her Fitness Hut, Sports Fitness Hut and My Nutrition Hut. Mark’s Fat Blaster Athletic Training System has been proven to give his clients the fit, sculpted and athletic-type bodies they want. Visit Mark’s main site:
Your Fitness University http://yourfitnessuniversity.com