8 Moves to Build a Better, More Fit Butt

Works: Glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps

• Place a weight on both ends of the bar of a Smith machine and lower it to about hip-height. Make sure safety arms are fully engaged.
• Lie faceup on the mat under the machine, with your hips in line with the bar. Keep arms at sides, palms down. Raise legs, placing center of your feet on the bar, slightly wider than hip-distance apart.
• Push up slightly to lift bar off the safety, then slowly lower it down until your knees are near your chest, upper thighs slightly touching abdominals.
• Press up with glutes and hamstrings until legs are straight; don’t lock knees. Have a partner re-engage safety when done. Do three sets of 20, 16, and 12 reps; increase weight as reps decrease.

Works: Core, glutes

• Lie faceup on floor or mat with knees bent 90°. Place a barbell across the front of your hips, just below your waistline, and hold it in place with palms down.
• Lift hips off floor, forming a straight line from knees to shoulders; keep toes off floor, pushing through heels.
• Slowly lower back down, but stop just before glutes touch floor.
• Do three sets of 20 reps.

Works: Glutes, thighs

• Bring the Smith machine bar to about hip-height, then stand about 12″ away, facing the bar.
• Balance on left leg, placing hands close together on far left side of bar. Lift right knee just above bar with knee bent 90° and foot flexed.
• Kick right leg out to right side, keeping it parallel to floor and in line with bar, ending with foot flexed. Bring foot back toward right elbow, knee bent.
• Do two sets of 30 kicks per leg.

Tip: As you kick out to the side, think of pushing through your heel.

Works: Glutes, abductors, quads

• Stand on an exercise band, feet hip-width apart. Hold handles at shoulders with palms facing in.
• Squat down, keeping weight over heels, until thighs are about parallel to floor.
• Stand up, lifting right leg to right side, keeping knee straight.
• Lower back into a squat and repeat, this time lifting left leg out to left side.
• Do two sets of 15 lifts per side.

Tip: Engage your core to help maintain balance as you lift your leg out to the side.

Works: Lower back, glutes, hamstrings

• Lie facedown on a legs curl machine, ankles behind pad with feet flexed; grasp lower handles.
• Curl the pad toward your hamstring with just your left leg until shin is just past perpendicular to floor.
• Lower bar down without allowing weight stack to touch, and switch legs, curling pad with right leg while keeping the left leg extended.
• Do one set of 15 reps per leg, then go straight to Hyperextension Burnout (next).

Tip: Don’t hyperextend knee when finishing curl or switching legs.

• Immediately after completing your final rep of single-leg curls, place weight stack on heaviest weight. Bring hands to sides of head, elbows out to sides, and turn feet outward under legs pad.
• Lift torso off the bench until shoulders are in line with hips, flexing glutes. Lower and repeat for a total of 30 reps.
• Perform two supersets of single-leg curls and hyperextensions.

Tip: Do not relax body in down position. Stay engaged.

Works: Glutes

• Lie facedown on a flat bench, waist positioned at back edge and hands holding sides of bench in front of you. Extend legs in a V position, keeping feet about 6″ from the floor.

• Lift both legs upward as one unit, squeezing glutes until lower abdomen is slightly elevated from bench. Lower down and repeat.

• Do two sets of 25 reps.

Tip: Hold contraction at top of ­movement for three seconds.

Works: Core, hips, glutes, thighs

• Stand holding a kettlebell in front of thighs, arms extended, and feet hip-width apart.

• Lunge back with left leg, crossing left knee behind right heel; at the same time, lower kettlebell toward floor, arms extended with weight in line with shoelaces.

• Return to start position and repeat, this time ­crossing right leg toward left side.

• Do two sets of 20 reps per leg.

Tip: Don’t lean forward as you lower into the lunge.