If you have been doing tons of squats and still don’t have your ideal booty, it could be because you are overworking one muscle group. Try these exercises to target all the different muscles in your butt and thighs to get the booty of your dreams. This is the best booty workout ever!
Exercise 1: Weighted Glute Bridges
This exercise targets the gluteus medius muscle, which is located at the top of your butt, almost at the small of your back. To do this exercise, first lay down on the ground. Your legs should be bent with your feet flat on the floor. Try to keep them as close to your booty as possible to really work the gluteus medius muscle. Grab a barbell of your choice of weight and hold onto it with both hands. Then slowly peel your hips up off the ground as high as you can lift them before slowly lowering them back down.
For beginners, do 3 sets of 20 reps. Intermediate athletes should do 4 sets of 20 reps. Advanced level is 5 sets of 20 reps. You can even do these without the weights if you are a beginner.
Exercise 2: Lunges
Do this exercise to strengthen your gluteus maximus muscle, the bottom part of your butt (aka the “cheek). Start by standing straight and tall with feet close together. Then step forward with your left leg, bending at the knee. Your right leg should be extended out long and straight behind you. Step your left leg back, then repeat on the right side.
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Beginners should do 3 sets of 20 reps on each side. The intermediate level is 4 sets of 20 and advanced is 5 sets of 20 lunges. You will have around, strong booty in no time.
Exercise 3: Squat Pulses
This exercise targets the hamstrings, a muscle on the outside of your thighs. First, grab a dumbbell of your choice of weight in each hand (beginners can do this without weights, too). Shift your weight back into your heels as you squat down, pointing your tailbone down and back. Then pulse a few inches up and down from your starting squat position. This should be a small range of motion, so knees will stay bent.
Beginners, do 3 sets of 15. The intermediate level should do 4 sets of 15 and advanced athletes can do 5 sets of 15. Use this exercise to shape and sculpt your thighs.
Exercise 4: Donkey Kicks
Do this exercise to strengthen the muscle at the back of your thighs, the semitendinosus. Get down on your hands and knees with hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Make sure your back is flat and neutral, not dipping or arching. Then, kick your left foot up toward the ceiling behind you keeping your left knee bent. Try to keep your hips square. Bring your knee back to the ground and repeat.
Do 15 reps on each leg. Beginners should do 3 sets, the intermediate level should do 4, and advanced level can do 5 sets.
Exercise 5: Fire Hydrant
To slim those tough inner thigh muscles (aka adductor Magnus), try this exercise. Get into the same hands and knees position as before. Then, lift your left leg sideways like a dog peeing on a fire hydrant. Your knee should stay bent and you should not collapse into your right side.
Complete 20 reps on each leg. Beginners do 3 sets, intermediate level does 4, and advanced level should do 5.