If you shake your derriere like you just don’t care and it jiggles a little longer than you’d like, then it’s time to tighten that tush! Depending on the state of your backside, it could take as little as 10 days to start seeing results with some key butt-blasting exercises and heart-thumping cardio. Keep reading for how to perk up that posterior!
Jump It!
For your cardio sessions, jump rope! You can burn up to 1,000 calories in just one hour of jump rope. Bonus: it targets your glutes and hamstrings and gives your body a plyometric type workout. While jumping rope, change up your footwork to target different muscles and to avoid muscle fatigue.
Run, Walk, or Step It!
Hop on a treadmill and run at an incline. Running uphill targets the glutes so you not only burn calories, but you strengthen at the same time. Start with 20 minutes and work up to 30 minutes. For an extra boost, every 2 minutes, pick up the pace for 30 seconds and recover for a minute and a half.
If you choose to walk instead of run, make sure it’s at an incline. And, if you’re going to step it, use the Stairmaster, head to a park with hills, use the stairs in your office or apartment building, or find some bleachers.
Strengthen It!
Resistance training is key to getting gorgeous glutes. For this workout session, do three sets of 12-15 reps for these exercises. Do this routine at least twice a week.
Glute Bridge: Lay on you back on a mat, knees bent, feet flat on the floor hip-width apart. Keep heels on mat and point toes up—contract abs by pulling your navel in towards your spine and lift hips up off the floor. Squeeze your butt muscles. Lower to starting position.
Side Lunge: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Step to the right, bend at the hips and push back, keeping your weight on your right foot. With both feet facing forward, continue to shift your weight until the right knee is directly over the right foot. Your left leg should be almost straight. Keep both heels flat on the floor. Distribute the weight of your body to your right hip. Push back with your right leg and return to the start position. Repeat with left leg.
Dumbbell Front Squat: Stand with feet hip-width apart, toes turned slightly out. Holding a dumbbell in its vertical position in front of your chest, brace your core with chest and head up, back flat. Keep weight over your heels, hips pushed back and knees bent slightly over your toes. Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Push back up to starting position squeezing through the glutes as you rise.
Dumbbell Step Up: Hold a pair of dumbbells and stand with feet parallel and hip-width apart. Step up and place your right foot on a platform, keeping your body upright and your knee over your toes. Push off with the right leg and squeeze through the glutes as you raise your body onto the platform placing your left foot next to your front (right) foot. Avoid bouncing and pushing off with your back leg. Carefully step back with the left foot and repeat. Do this for both sides.
Stability Ball Leg Curl: Lie on your back on a mat, placing the back of your heels (hip-width apart) on top of a stability ball, toes pointing toward the ceiling. Contract your abs/core muscles and try to flatten your lower back into the floor. Keep arms out to your sides on the floor to help stabilize your body.
Keeping your core engaged, press hips up off the floor and squeeze glutes. Simultaneously press the backs of your heels into the ball. Press upwards until your legs and hips are in line with your torso. Pull your heels toward your hips. As the ball rolls toward you, rest soles of feet on top of the ball, raising hips off the floor. Slowly lower yourself back towards your starting position and repeat.
