Butt & Abdominal Exercises
If you want to tighten and firm your buttocks and abdominal muscles, there are a wide variety of exercises you can perform. To get the most out of the exercises, you should do them in a controlled motion and preferably in front of a mirror, so that you can check and correct your form when needed.
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Elevated Stationary Lunge
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Most exercises that target the legs also target the gluteal muscles, as do elevated stationary lunges. The exercise, also know as split squats, is a compound exercise, which means that multiple muscles are trained at the same time. It is done by stepping forward with your right leg and placing it on an elevated surface or bench. Come up on the ball of your left foot. Inhale as you lower your upper body toward the floor by bending both knees. Avoid moving the front knee over your foot. Come back to the starting position as you exhale. Complete your repetitions before switching legs. To add intensity, you can hold dumbbells in your hands.
Reverse Leg Extension
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Extending one leg behind you as you stand up straight targets your gluteal muscles and the back of your thighs. By sweeping your leg to the side and back instead of straight to the back you will target more of your butt muscles. Your toes have to be pointing outward as you do the exercise. You should complete all desired repetitions on one leg before switching to the other leg. Wearing ankle weights can help increase intensity, but adding weight is not necessary for the exercise to be effective.
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Crunches
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Crunches are a common abdominal exercise that can be done with or without weights. The exercise, which targets the upper part of the rectus abdominus, requires you to lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent. Your hands are placed behind your head for support with the elbows pointing outward. You should focus on using your abdominal muscles to lift your shoulder blades off the floor. Exhale on the exertion and lower back down to your starting position. Place a weight on your chest to increase the intensity of the exercise.
Reverse Crunches
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The lower part of the rectus abdominus can be targeted with reverse crunches. Instead of raising the upper body as you do when doing regular crunches, you now have to lift your lower body. Reverse crunches are done by lying on your back on the floor. Lift your head off the floor and support it with your hands. Bend your legs at the knees and raise them approximately 2 inches off the floor. Use your lower abdominal muscles to bring your knees into your chest and slightly raise your butt off the floor. Return your legs to their starting position and repeat the exercise.
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References
- Photo Credit thin waist woman in big shorts over white image by Anatoly Tiplyashin from Fotolia.com
