Crisp and tight
The 5 best exercises for a great butt
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Do you want a firm and firm bottom à la Jennifer Lopez? No problem, with our simple exercises you can easily shape your buttocks!
Our buttocks are constantly working
You would hardly think so, but the gluteal muscles do a lot of work in everyday life: It supports us, for example, when stretching the legs after getting up from a crouch and when lifting the body, when we climb stairs. But also the middle gluteal muscle, which enables the legs to spread, and the small gluteal muscle do their part so that we can walk upright through life. If the buttocks and abdominal muscles are tense, the hips are stretched at the same time, which prevents the pelvis from drifting into the hollow back. And so we not only ensure a straight gait, but also a straight posture.
5 exercises for a firm bottom
So that our bottom can not only do its job, but is also a real eye-catcher, we should train it specifically. And it’s very easy – You don’t even need equipment for these five exercises!
1. Kickbacks
The perfect start to exercise the buttocks, hamstrings and lower back, is the beginner’s kickback exercise. To do this, stand on four feet and place your forearms at a right angle on the mat, with your elbows under your shoulders. Then stretch one leg up at a 90-degree angle with the sole of the foot facing the ceiling. Now tense your navel and bottom, keep your back straight and push your leg in short kicks towards the ceiling with the force of your thigh – keep your lower leg at a 90-degree angle. Repeat the exercise ten times on both sides.
2. Squats
Jennifer Lopez also relies on squats for her firm bottom, which can be performed in different ways. No wonder – the exercise not only trains the buttocks, but also the back and front thighs, the abdomen and the lower back. To start with, stand hip-width apart and then slowly push your buttocks back and down with your back straight while bending your knees – as if you were sitting on a chair. Make sure that the knee never goes over the tip of the foot and that the upper body remains upright. At the same time, you take your arms forward, this helps with balance. To get back up, push yourself up with your whole foot, keeping your heels on the ground. 20 to 30 squats are a good guideline for your training.
The squat walk is one of the variations of the squat. Do not bend your knees and push your buttocks down and back, your upper body stays straight. Instead of pushing yourself up again, take a few steps forward in a deep crouch. Make sure you press your heels all the way down to the floor. With this exercise, you train not only your bottom but also your front and rear thighs and your stomach. By the way, there is also the side squat walk: Proceed as with the normal squat walk, but do not move forward, but sideways. The knees and toes rotate slightly outwards, make sure that you stay in a deep crouch. The side squat walk trains the buttocks and stomach as well as the side thighs. Do about ten squat walks.
3. Dirty Dog
This beginner exercise by the somewhat strange name is perfect for strengthening the lower back, the buttocks and the lateral thighs suitable. To do this, go back to the quadruped position, this time with your arms stretched out, your hands under your shoulders. Pull in your belly button, make sure your back is straight, and then lift one leg up and sideways at a 90-degree angle – like a dog lifting its leg to urinate. Do the exercise about ten times on both sides.
4. Cross lung
This exercise is also suitable especially for the buttocks, the side and front thighs and the stomach. However, it is intended more for advanced users because you need a good balance to do it correctly. Stand hip-width apart, then extend one leg crossed behind the other with a long stride and bend it until your back knee touches the floor. Bend your arms in front of your body for better balance. The upper body remains upright, the front knee rotates slightly outwards. Then push yourself back up with your feet and switch sides. Since the exercise can put stress on your joints, you should only do it when your knee joints are healthy. Repeat the exercise ten times.
5. Hip thrust
In the end we want In addition to our buttocks, we also strengthen our back thighs and lower back. The hip thrust requires a bit of practice and balance, but is more of a moderate difficulty. Lie on your back and make sure that your back is completely on the mat and that you do not slip into your hollow back. Then place your feet at a 90-degree angle and stretch both arms towards the ceiling. Make sure that your back and pelvis stay straight and then push your tense bottom up towards the ceiling until your torso and hips are in a straight line. Then let your bottom drop in a controlled manner, but don’t put it down, but push yourself up again straight away. Repeat the exercise about 15 times.