Yep, another no B.S. straight to the point interview with Joey Atlas.  “WOW”,  Joey and I are getting swamped with all the butt exercise questions pouring in from women and men wanting to whip their lower bodies into shape!

We want to see you kick-butt (excuse the pun) with your lower body makeovers. So please after you’ve read the interview don’t forget to submit your questions or feedback by clicking on the “comments” icon.

If you haven’t read them already…Here’s the previous two interviews with Joey on VFT’s Blog:

Butt And Thigh Exercises Interview With Mandy from VFT and Lower Body Fitness Expert Joey Atlas
and here:
Your 7 Most Asked Butt Toning Exercises Questions!

Ok… onto the interview!

First up a question from Maria:

Maria
Okay here it goes.. lol… I have fullness on the lower portion of my butt and lack of muscle the top portion of my booty looks kinda flat, meaning no roundness, no definition.. what exercise can I do to give my upper part of my booty definition?? So it can look round… Thank you sooooooo much for any advice…

JOEY:
Truth is – there isn’t just “one exercise” to make a flat butt round. You need a combo of exercises for a synergistic effect. There are lots of muscles in the glutes area – and they all need to be stimulated in order for them to get rounder and firmer. One simple exercise to get you started is the hip extension. Lie on the ground, face up, with your knees bent, toes pointing up – feet about 16 inches apart. Slowly lift your hips toward the sky, pause at the top and then slowly return to bottom, lightly touch the floor/mat  and then repeat for 15 reps. Again, that’s only a start – you need a combo of exercises to really boost that booty.

Diana
Hey I have a question on how to loose my stomach but yet keep my thighs and butt! I like how that looks but I really hate my stomach any suggestions on how I can achieve that goal? Thanks

JOEY:
First and foremost – you need a lower body specific program that maintains the shape and curves you already have – So, when you start burning off that stomach fat – you won’t lose much volume in your butt and thigh areas.

Leah
I am looking to get rid of the cellulite around my lower butt and upper back thigh area. Can anyone give me some good tips?

JOEY:
You want to stay away from typical weight-lifting and gym machine routines. You need to focus on bodyweight exercises. If you dont have any weight to lose – then you shouldn’t be doing too much cardio either (maybe 15 – 20 minutes 4-5 times per week). But on your cellulite exercises – you should be aiming for about 3-4 times per week 20-35 minutes each workout.

Beth
I have this unsightly looking cellulite on my butt. Whats the best way to lose it?

JOEY:
The main thing you need to do is stimulate all the glutes muscles and the muscles near them – so they firm up and get a little fuller and tighter. By doing this – the glutes and the other muscles “push out” against the skin layers and there is a smoothing effect. For many women this reduces the cellulite appearance greatly – For some it gets rid of it totally. Depends on a bunch of factors. The best exercises to stimulate the areas you need to target are bodyweight exercises – both done on the floor (with a mat) and standing (no weights/no gym machines).

Princceygirl
hi so do you know how i cud manipulate the fat distribution in my body,im female and i gain weight on my upper body starting with the midsection up to my face and end up looking very chaby with a swollen face?

JOEY:
ahhh.. ok… right… Get on a program to lose the weight – and guess where you’ll lose it from?

Rita
Hi, whats the most effective way of burning fat around the bottom of my butt? So, more on my legs? Thank you so much.

JOEY:
You can tone the muscles there with specific exercises. But you can’t burn fat from that one spot alone. So, you should aim to tone those muscles directly – and lose some body fat also.

Jennifer
ok, sorry if my question may seem repetitive to you but no ones question seemed to pin point my EXACT problem. First of all, when just standing i have a pretty nice sized butt (on bottom), the top as some of the others, is pretty much a part of my back..so kind of like an upside down heart, lol. here is my concern…i know this sounds funny to some but i am a dancer and when i try to do the infamous butt trick where you alternately flex each cheek, i look ridiculous…it seems as tho all of my fat goes to the top and then the bottom is left looking like an old woman or something…i guess now an upside-down triangle..its like, the muscle moves but it separates from the very bottom leaving almost none of it there. i dont understand what is going on…lol sorry for the descriptions. Ultimately, i guess i need an exercise that will build my top butt when i am standing and the bottom for when i am sitting(on my feet)…i dont know if this question is appropriate to post but u are welcome to use it for whatever u need to. p.s. i would love to have a bigger brazilian type butt…or maybe like ice t’s wife named coco if you get a chance to look her up…..Thanks ) hope this question is fun at least! btw if it helps…i am 5′5′ 139lbs 34DD, 26,41!….yes, those are child bearing hips

JOEY:
Honestly my best advice is just don’t do the butt trick – I’m sure there are some other ‘tricks’ you can do to keep the entertainment value high for your clients/audience. But on the other hand – there is nothing wrong with keeping your butt firm and shapely with a good, targeted exercise program for the glutes and thighs.

Chica
Im 25, 1.65m and 42 kg and people always make fun of me for my lack of curves, and being a latina that’s especially painful because the ideal body for men in my country is like JLo’s. I really dont want a body like hers but I’d like to be at the beach without people making mean comments about me.
Well, I wanted to thank you for all the advices. Again, thank you.

JOEY:
First – to hell with the superficial men who only want a woman for her curves, etc…

Here’s what you need to do. Get on a well rounded exercise program that gives you YOUR BEST BODY. Don’t worry about how you compare to others, etc… Be YOUR best – and there will be a good man who will appreciate you for that.

halla
hey there please my fiancee is coming soon i wanna shape my body i wanna make my butt bigger and sexy and i wanna flat my estomac and make my hips bigger there is some website can help me or what i have 2 do 2 shape my body like that please help meeeeeeeeee

JOEY:
Don’t do this for a man, even if he is your fiancee. You need to do this for YOURSELF. If you clear your head and realize health and fitness is for YOU first – then the others around you will benefit as well. If you are ready to focus on it for YOURSELF – then visit this site:

The Ultimate Leg, Butt, Hip and Thigh Makeover

Desiree
I have been working out now for 7 weeks using a training program I ordered from an infomercial. Brazil Butt Lift. I am 5′11″ and I weigh 158. Sounds good but my legs are skinny and I have this inner tube around my waist. I have been working out any where from 5 to 6 days a week and anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes a day. I have cut my calories to 1500 a day. I encorporate fruits and vegetables, high fiber cereal, whey protein isolate shakes. I really am not seeing the results I would like to what could I be doing wrong? I am getting married in July on a beach, and just want nice shapely legs and a little flatter belly. When I started working out I was 151 pounds and now I’m 158, it’s really confusing and frustrating.

JOEY:
If I’m correct the BBL program is mostly cardio (dance moves?, etc..) with some lower body exercises mixed in. This type of approach isn’t going to provide maximum toning stimulation for the lower body trouble spots. Your program should be specific toning, shaping a firming exercises – with cardio coming as a side effect by the way the exercises are combined in sequential order.

Anna
In regards to this question/answer. I have the same problem. My upper part of my butt or lower back fat sticks out. I do not see the round effect at the top. All my workout (stairs, lunges, running, and sitting on knee and elbos and raising one leg at a time with a weight) don’t work the top of my butt out. It almost looks like an “upside down gluteus”. The bottom of my butt is getting the workout although I personally like how the bottom of my butt looks like when I do not work out. Anyway I do not understand how to do the excersizes he recomended.

(There is a 2 exercise combo which really targets this zone. Exercise 1 is the one-hand touch down with the working leg in a static position. Exercise 2 is the one-leg hip extension. You can try 12 reps of each – and if you feel one time through was too easy then go through both moves again.)

2. Whats the best exercise to build more muscle on my upper butt?and increase the definition/crease from hamstring to glute…?
Julz (question from VFT Blog)

JOEY
Honestly – you may need the full program at this point. A few of the exercises may only take you so far. So you may want to consider giving the complete program a solid try.

Anna
I also have one more question regarding my thighs. I am small 5′2, 106-110 pounds. I do squates (sometimes), leg press, stairs, lunges etc, for my butt… But my inner thighs get really big, and I hate this because I want them to look lean. It seems as though there is a muscle on the inner thigh that gets over worked out and sticks out. As the inner thigh about 4 inches about my knee looks lean but then it seems to stick out with a muscular look. I really hate this. Could this be from bad body posture, or bad bone structure and its causes it or what?

JOEY:
You need to drop weighted squats and leg presses from your program, period.

nicole26
I have a little fat on by lower back above my butt..is that still called a saddlebag,however I want to know what excerises can I do to get rid of it and shape it so that i can a basketball booty (round)….lol

JOEY: thats not the saddlebag area – But you can still tighten that up. Would help if we knew what you are doing or have been doing up until now.

Mandy VFT…
Ok folk, that about wraps it up!

AWESOME JOEY! Thanks again for taking the time to do this interview – you’re a legend, matey!

Joey Atlas is the owner, author and creator of one of the “hottest” lower body makeover programs online. Using Joey’s The Ultimate Leg, Butt, Hip and Thigh Makeover program myself – I can say first-hand that I found it very effective.

You can check Joey’s programs out here: The Cellulite Reduction Report, The Ultimate Leg, Butt, Hip and Thigh Makeover and Fat Loss 4 Busy Women.

After my last interview with Joey, the requests came pouring in. I tell ya, you gals are in great hands because Joey has kindly agreed to answer your seven most asked butt toning exercises questions for our second leg, hip, buttocks and thigh interview.

Joey Atlas, lower body makeover king and darn nice guy, is allowing you to pick his brain and get to the nitty gritty of achieving gorgeous glutes!

If you missed the first interview you can read it here: Butt And Thigh Exercises Interview With Mandy from VFT and Lower Body Fitness Expert Joey Atlas

Butt Toning Exercises Interview…

1. Alicia says: My thighs are rather small (not as small as i want) but the inner part is flabby. How do I get rid of the extra baggage? Also, my butt is big. How do i lose some of that? I know that doing lunges builds muscle but I also know that I have to lose the fat before building muscle on or else I’ll end up with bigger thighs and a bigger butt. How do I do that? And can it be done within 4 weeks, maybe? Please help?

JOEY: First – you can lose body-fat while building muscle. Typical lunges and squat routines from the gym are great for strengthening and adding some muscle bulk – But to quickly tone and tighten – you want to follow a program based on body-weight exercises. Combined properly – these types of exercise create a synergistic effect resulting in toning, shaping and slimming. Of course – you also need to be mindful of how/what you eat to make this happen even faster.

2. Lindsay says: i dont need to minimize my butt and thighs,just tone them,how can i do that with out loosing more weight im 5ft4in and 110 but need to toning badly

JOEY: 1 – very little cardio – you may need to cut back if you are doing too much. Maximum you need is 15 – 20 minutes; 4-5 times per week.
2 – Follow a well-rounded body-weight toning program consisting of both floor exercises, and standing exercises. 2-3 times per week is ideal for this type of routine.

3. Stacey says: Hi, I have the exact same problem as Lindsay. I too am 5ft4in and 110 lbs after losing over 15 lbs in the past year. I’m really happy with my body shape and size now and don’t want to lose any more weight, but my thighs and butt are now in serious need of butt toning exercises after losing the weight. And Admin – yes, you may use my question in your next interview Joey!

JOEY: same answer as I posted for Lindsay.

4. Misty says: I’m 5ft1in and only about 100lbs. Weight is not an issue but I have absolutely NO butt. Can you tell me the butt toning exercises that would work best for giving me some shape back there?

JOEY: A series of mat butt toning exercises focused on the glutes and upper thighs will be ideal for you – But you’ll also want to increase your daily caloric intake as well. But you want to be sure the calories are healthy/nutrient dense. By building the glutes and upper thigh muscles you’ll add shape to the butt.

More of your questions on butt toning exercises…

5. Sarah says: I love working my butt, what exercises work the top of your butt? I’m always sore on the lower part but not on top. I do squats, lunges, leg curls, stepups, plies and I’m never sore at the top of my butt.

JOEY: Most of those exercises stimulate the muscles in the mid-thighs and leg areas – with very little in the butt muscles. Floor exercises such as: One-Leg Hip Extension, Slow Heel to Sky Lift, L-Shape Side-lying Leg Lift – will deeply target the glutes and give you some ‘nice’ soreness to let you know you are getting the butt muscles in those workouts.

6. Moony says: I wana make my butt and thighs bigger by building muscle – is this possible?

JOEY: Yes – of course it is. But you’ll also need to add some calories to your daily intake. And your butt toning exercises selection will need to target those specific areas.

7. Ms I can’t stand my legs says: I have hated my legs and hips for years. They are heavy and thick, like logs or large fence posts, with no shape. They look like they are the same thickness from my hip and thigh down to my feet – with no ankle and just a knee stuck in the middle. They store lots of fat. Could you please include my question in your interview with Joey?

JOEY: There are no guarantees – But the only way to know if your genetic range will allow your lower body to improve is to follow a program which shapes, firms and slims the entire lower body. You will most likely need to add some cardio 3-4 times per week for 30 – 40 minutes. And if your diet can use some improvement – then this will also help as well.

Mandy VFT… Thanks so much Joey for taking the time today to hold this interview.

Don’t forget everyone, if you have any butt toning exercises questions be sure to include them in the comments section of this post.

Joey Atlas is the owner, author and creator of The Cellulite Reduction Report, The Ultimate Leg, Butt, Hip and Thigh Makeover and Fat Loss 4 Busy Women.

As promised, I interviewed Joey Atlas owner, author and creator of The Cellulite Reduction Report, The Ultimate Leg, Butt, Hip and Thigh Makeover and Fat Loss 4 Busy Women.  Joey agreed to answer SEVEN lucky VFT blog commenter’s butt and thigh exercises questions.

With Joey being so “in demand” as an internationally renowned fitness guru – especially in the field of helping women transform their lower bodies, I was fortunate enough to be able to catch up with him last week.

Enjoy…

Mandy

VFT – Virtual Fitness Trainer

—————–

Hi Joey

Thanks for taking the time to speak with me today.

For those of you who don’t know Joey, he walks the talk. I’ve enclosed a photo here of Joey… get my drift… Calm down, ladies.

Joey’s explosive presence on the internet with his easy-to-implement home, office and travel fitness dvds, online fitness programs selling in every country around the world, his book, Fatness to Fitness, which hit # 1 on Amazon.com on release day, and being hired as an ‘undercover fitness mind’– has taken the fitness industry by storm .

Joey’s kick butt – excuse the pun – ultimate makeover workouts helping whip troublesome legs, buttocks, hips and inner thighs  into shape, plus his cellulite report, are creating some jaw dropping, head turning lower bodies world wide. And women, especially, have aptly named him their hip, butt and thigh exercises fitness guru.

VFT’s blog posts and emails are running “hot” on the topic of butt and thigh exercises, from reduction through to wanting to gain more curves.

And for seven lucky blog commenter’s Joey has been kind enough to answer their most burning questions in our interview today.

Ok, let’s get started…

1. Hi, I am looking to reduce the size of butt drastically. Is there anymore I can do besides lunges? Is there an exercise that really targets the butt that it makes the fat melt like butter on a hot skillet? I am so sick of looking things up to find the answer, so I am really hoping you can give me a really good answer thats extremely affective.

Thank you,

Samantha (question from VFT Blog)

For drastic butt size reduction – You need these key elements:

1 – an idea of how many daily calories you are consuming – so you can reduce them if necessary

2 – some cardio sessions throughout the course of a week

3 – a lower body exercise routine which targets all the muscles of the butt and thigh area – You can’t get any results with only one exercise. There has to be a synergistic combo sequence of mostly body-weight exercises.

Joey Atlas

2. Whats the best exercise to build more muscle on my upper butt?and increase the definition/crease from hamstring to glute…?

Julz (question from VFT Blog)

There is a 2 exercise combo which really targets this zone. Exercise 1 is the one-hand touch down with the working leg in a static position. Exercise 2 is the one-leg hip extension. You can try 12 reps of each – and if you feel one time through was too easy then go through both moves again.

Joey Atlas

3. I am 20, athletic, 5′2? and weigh anywhere between 120-125 lbs. I want to tone up my thighs because my sports season is over and my legs are losing their definition. I have strong thighs and calves but my inner thighs are flabby. How can I work to burn that fat as well as some belly fat?

Megan (question from VFT Blog)

When one form of consistent exercise is stopped (sports) – you need to replace it with another form so you get back the definition and the positive results in your trouble spots (inner thighs & belly) – So, your new form of exercise should target these areas, inside of a well rounded program.

Joey Atlas

4. Hi

I have gained a lot of weight around my thighs and hips post pregnancy , and since my kid is small , i cannot go out for gym or yoga , could you please guide me some simple tips that can help me reducing this extra weight

Simran (question from VFT Blog)

There is plenty you can do in your home and get great results too. If you have stairs in your home you can start a stair stepping cardio/toning/reduction program. If not – you can get a pantry/utility step and start with a program which focusus on different step up and step down moves for cardio, toning and weight reduction. Be sure to get your doctors approval for post-preg exercise first.

Joey Atlas

5. I am going on a spring break trip in mid-march. I REALLY need to lose weight off my hips and thighs and reduce cellulite FAST. Is there any advice you can give me for certain exercises and/or diet that will give me quicker results than others?

Chelsie (question from VFT Blog)

For quick results you need to focus on a very clean diet – but not too extreme – you really just want to cut out any excess calories – So focus on veggies, salads, fruits, various nuts, and fish. In terms of exercise – you’ll want to focus mostly on lower body workouts sessions you can do 3 or 4 times per week. And if you need weight loss, as you say – you’ll want to add some kind of simple cardio several times per week – maybe 4 to 5, such as jumping rope – outdoor hill or stair climbing, etc.

Joey Atlas

6. I would like to lose weight in my hips and thighs but I am having a hard time losing them. I am only eighteen and I want to lose weight before graduation. I have tried lungs but it seems to be increasing them. PLEASE HELP!

KeAndrea (question from VFT Blog)

One exercise will not reduce your hips and thighs. If your main need is reduction – you want to focus on a combination of exercises. The combination should aim to tone (not build) the muscles of your lower body – and it should aim to burn excess body fat – which will reduce your hips and thighs. A well rounded combo of body-weight exercises and cardio will do this for you – as long as your nutrition is halfway decent and you are not careless with your daily caloric intake.

Joey Atlas

7. I have sprained my ankle recently which has decreased my lower body workouts. Which can I do that will tone my lower body (legs and glutes) without putting pressure on my ankle? That definitely leaves out any kind of lunge or squats sadly.

Andrea (question from VFT Blog)

This is more common than you think. In cases like this – you’ll want to focus on floor/mat exercises where there is minimal or no weight bearing on the ankle. There are at least a dozen leg and glute exercises you can do – in addition to a bunch of ab and core moves – to get some great stimulation in the lower body without stressing the ankles – which will allow them to heal.

Joey Atlas

That about wraps it up, folks…

Thanks again, Joey, for taking the time speak with us today.

Want to know what the best butt exercise is to get that sexy tight firm butt? I don’t think I know one single woman that doesn’t want to achieve a tighter firmer butt.

Well, the answer to your quest for the best butt exercise is not in some fancy machine or butt blaster. In fact, most of your best butt exercises are simply done with bodyweight or free weights. I’ll cover one of the most effective exercises for tightening the old buttocks in this article.

It’s called the single-legged Romanian Deadlift. It’s a great exercise for firming both the butt and the back of the thighs. Also, because this is a single-legged exercise, it really helps strengthen your ankles and other stabilizer muscles throughout your legs. Here’s how to do it:

1. Looking straight ahead, stand and balance on one leg, and kick the other leg out slightly behind you.

2. Maintain a very slight bend in the knee throughout this exercise.

3. Now start to bend forward while simultaneously pushing the butt and hips back and keeping a flat (not rounded) back.

4. While bending over and pushing the hips back, kick your other leg out behind you and reach down with your hands towards the toe of your foot that’s planted on the ground and try to touch it. You should feel a stretch in the hamstrings as you get to the deepest part where your back is parallel to the floor.

5. Then, focus on squeezing the butt muscle hard while you reverse the movement and bring yourself back to upright (all the while maintaining that flat back)

Alright, that was one rep! Now do 5-10 reps with each leg for 2-3 sets mixing this exercise into one of your normal workouts (or even just try this at home in your living room). At the end of a couple sets, I guarantee you’ll be feeling this big-time in your buttocks and the back of your thighs!

I know it may sound a little complicated, and the first time you try this butt exercise, you may really need to concentrate on your balance. But after a couple sessions of practicing these one-legged romanian deadlifts, you’ll start to get the hang of them and be able to focus more concentration on keeping the butt tight throughout the range of motion.

Once you get this down and practice this killer butt and thigh exercise regularly, you’ll be well on your way to showing off a tighter, sexier butt!

Michael Geary (CPT) is a recognized International Fitness Expert, contributing writer for Muscle & Fitness Hers Magazine, and author of the internationally-selling book, The Truth about 6-Pack Abs.

When it comes to the best thigh exercises, you see a lot of ads promoting all of these fancy so-called thigh-toning machines, and inner-thigh blasters, and thigh squeezers, and so on. Trust me when I say that you don’t need any of these silly “thigh-blasting” machines to tighten and tone-up your legs and butt for good.

As always, the best exercises for the thighs come in the form of free-weight or bodyweight exercises. You really need not look any further than various forms of exercises like squats, lunges, step-ups, and deadlifts to get those sexy tight thighs that you desire. Also, there are dozens of variations of these basic exercises that you can choose from, so the truth is that you are really just wasting your time with all of these fancy thigh machines and inner-thigh gadgets.

Let me give you an example of one of the best thigh exercises you can do. I’m sure you’ve done some form of lunges before. There’s probably about a dozen different variations you can do and they all kick butt!

One of my favorite variations of lunges are walking lunges. Instead of standing in place and either lunging forward or lunging backward one step and coming back, with walking lunges you keep moving forward on each step for a certain distance and then turn around and come back. Challenge yourself for more distance each time or start carrying dumbbells to increase the resistance. Walking lunges done right are a real thigh-burning exercise!

A couple pointers to keep in mind when doing walking lunges:

1) Step far enough forward so that your front shin stays approximately vertical and your front thigh is about parallel to the ground at the bottom of the step

2) The leg that is trailing you should have a bend in the knee at the bottom but your knee should just come short of touching the ground. Do not touch the back knee to the ground during these exercises.

3) Pause for a split second at the top of each step before lunging forward again.

Alright, now that you have the basic walking lunge down, let me give you a couple ideas for variations that change the emphasis just a bit for working the inner thighs, outer thighs, and butt in a slightly different manner.

One variation is that you can step at an angle outward on each step forward. Another variation is that you can step at a slight angle inward on each step forward. This inward stepping walking lunge is fairly unique and sometimes called a cross-over lunge. It really stretches out the butt and hips.

So go ahead and give these lunge variations a try and you’ll be tightening up those thighs in no time flat. Just say no to the fancy machines and use these classic bodyweight exercises and some free weights and you’ll be much better off.

Michael Geary (CPT) is a recognized International Fitness Expert, contributing writer for Muscle & Fitness Hers Magazine, and author of the internationally-selling book, The Truth about Six-Pack Abs.

Ever look in a magazine or at a billboard and see a stellar set of glutes and hamstrings, wishing for a moment you could make yours look that good and then quickly dismissing the model’s derriere as airbrushed anyway? Well, I’m here to tell you, it isn’t all trick photography.

The glutes of models and competitors you admire are a product of hard work, determination and consistency. There are four key ingredients required to sculpt the glutes you’ve always wanted: diet , resistance training , cardio and most importantly, consistency . Please consult your doctor before beginning any exercise or diet program.

First, let’s take a look at your diet. I’m not a nutritionist, however, here are some nutrition basics that will help get you started in the right direction.

Are you eating high glycemic, processed, fat laden foods? How often are you eating? Are you eating enough protein? The best way to get a clear picture of what your diet looks like is to honestly record what you eat, what time and how much for three days. If you’re seeing a pattern of processed, high fat, poor quality, unnatural foods, you need to do some overhauling. You can also visit a certified nutritionist for a custom made plan that suits your fitness and weight loss goals .

Once you’ve had your diet revamped, you’ll be well armored to take on the gym. A good diet will ensure you are getting the macronutrients you need to build beautiful muscle, lose body fat and keep your energy levels stable. I have found that 1600-1800 calories per day with a breakdown of calories from 50% protein, 30% complex carbohydrates and no more than 20% unsaturated fats.

Resistance training and glute/hamstring specific exercises should be next on your plan of attack. It has been said that you can’t spot train, but the following exercises are sure to sculpt a fine looking fanny.

Glute/Hamstring Exercises

Some of the best glute/hamstring exercises that I’ve employed include:

a. Walking Lunges

Tips: Walking lunges and lots of them! (You can eventually add weight as you become stronger). Hold a dumbbell in each hand and pull your shoulders back. Lift your chest up and look straight ahead. Position your right leg forward in a long stride. Your foot should be far enough in front of you so that when you bend your right knee, your thigh and lower leg form a right angle.

Slowly bend your knees, lowering your hips so your rear knee just clears the floor. Pause briefly in this position, then slowly straighten your legs and raise your body back up to a standing position. Complete a full set, then switch legs and repeat, or alternate legs for each rep. Make sure your knee does NOT travel past your toes in the down position!

b. Butt Blaster Machine – instructions are different depending on the machine

c. Weighted Wide Leg Squats

Tips: Works more of the inner thighs. Place a barbell on your upper back. Use a comfortable hand grip. Keep your head up and your back straight with your feet about 30 inches apart. Point your toes and knees a little outwards. Squat until your upper thighs are parallel to the floor. Slowly return to the starting position.

d. Single Leg Squats

Tips: Use a 12 to 18 inch box or bench for this exercise. The higher the box, the more difficult the exercise.

Place a barbell behing your head at the base of your neck. Grasp the barbell with both hands with a wider than shoulder width grip. Stand approximately 2 to 3 feet from the box and turn so that the box is directly behind you. Reach one foot back and place your toe on the box. Keep your opposite foot flat on the floor and point your toes forward.

Stand up straight. Keep your back tight and your chest out throughout the entire exercise. Keep your head and neck in line with your torso so that you are looking forward. Your shoulders should be directly over your front foot. Keeping your front foot flat on the floor, sit your hips back (like you are going to sit in a chair), bend your knee (of your front leg), and lean forward slightly at the waist. Lower yourself in a controlled fashion until your thigh (of your front leg) is parallel to the ground. If you have difficulty lowering yourself down this far, lower yourself until the knee of your front leg is bent 90 degrees.

At this point, your knee should be directly over your toe, your hips should be sitting back, and your chest should be directly over the middle of your thigh. Now, leading with your head and chest, raise yourself by pushing your hips slightly forward and up toward the ceiling, and straightening your leg. Return to the starting position. At this point, your shoulders should be directly over front foot.
e. Weighted Step Ups Onto A Bench

Tips: Place a barbell on your shoulders like you would if you were doing Barbell Squats . Step up onto a flat bench with your left leg. Then step up with your right leg so you are now standing on the bench. Step down with your left leg, then your right leg. Repeat, starting with your right leg this time. Be careful not to fall! Use lighter weights. Can also be done with two dumbbells in your hands instead of a barbell.

f. Romanian Deadlifts

Tips: To really kick it up, do these single leg! Put a barbell in front of you on the ground. Standing on a box if needed, grab the dumbbell with a little wider than shoulder width grip. Bend the knees slightly. The position should be shins vertical, hips back and back straight.

Keeping your back completely straight at all times, use your hips to lift the bar. The movement should not be fast but steady and under control. The arms should remain straight. Once you are standing completely straight up, lower the bar by pushing the hips back, only slightly bending the knees, unlike when squatting.

Take a deep breath at the start of the movement and keep your chest up. Hold your breath as you lower and exhale as you complete the movement. Start with light weights to get used to it and be careful!

g. Hamstring Curls

Tips: Lie face down on a leg-curl machine and hook your heels under the roller pad. Your legs should be stretched out straight so that the pads rest on the back of your ankles. Grasp the handles under the bench for support. Remaining flat on the bench, curl your legs up until your hamstrings are fully contracted.

Release and lower the weight slowly back to the starting position. Concentrate on using a full range of motion and do not SWING the weight up. You can point your toes to intensify the burn in your hamstrings.

h. Thigh Adductor

Tips: The inner thighs are tough to work effectively, and the adductor machine is a welcome addition for both body-sculptors and serious bodybuilders alike. Angles are crucial in getting the most out of this movement.

Keeping your back and butt where they belong, wedged well against the backrest and on the seat, respectively, is key. The movement is elementary in that you simply keep the inside of your knees pressed firmly against the pads as you move them together.

i. Leg Press

Tips: Sitting on a leg press machine, position your feet together against the crosspiece about should-width apart and toes pointed slightly outward. Grasp the handle grips or sides of the seat. Bend your knees and lower the weight as far as possible without changing the position of your hips.

Do not lower the weight so far that your hips start to curl up off the seat! Then slowly push the weight back up using your heels, not your toes. Do not lock your knees at the top, but rather take the weight to just before lock. Then being to lower the weight again SLOWLY. You can change your foot positions to vary the angle on the muscle.

Try it with feet high on the foot pad (you can also add a medicine ball between your knees to add increased adductor involvement).

j. Weighted Back Extension

Tips: Lie face down on a hyperextension bench, tucking your ankles securely under the footpads. Adjust the upper pad if possible so your upper thighs lie flat across the wide pad, leaving enough room for you to bend at the waist without any restriction.

Start with your body in a straight line. Cross your arms in front of you or behind your head. You can also hold a weight for extra resistance. Slowly bend forward at the waist as far as you can while keeping your back FLAT. Do not round your back. Slowly raise your torso until your legs and upper body are in a straight line again. Do NOT arch your back past a straight line!

Try with pad placed low on your hips (squeeze your glutes and hamstrings to lift the upper body-holding at the peak contraction).

k. Weighted Hip Raises

Tips: 1. This exercise is great because unlike crunches, this works mostly the lower abs. 2. Use your abs to pull your legs up. Rotate your pelvis foreward to really “crunch” your abs. 3. Try not to swing. Using momentum in any exercise is cheating! 4. Squeeze your abs at the top! Keep your legs together.

l. Glute Kickbacks

Tips: While on the floor on all fours, extend one leg and with the foot cocked to a point that places it in line with the head. Then raise it to a 45-degree angle with the foot elevated above the head. The key to maximum results is to concentrate on contracting the glutes throughout the full range of motion.

m. Stiff Leg Deadlifts

Tips: Bend at your waist with your head up, back straight and knees nearly locked. Hold bar with hands about 16 inches apart. Straighten up while holding the bar at arm’s length. Lower back down to the floor but do not let plates touch.

This can be a dangerous exercise if not done correctly or done with weights that are too heavy. Can also be done standing on a bench or box (so that plates don’t touch the floor) or with dumbbells.

n. Other Tips

You can add a few of these exercises in during your regular leg workouts. I try to work on these, three at a time, twice per week. Once I get to a satisfactory point, once per week for maintenance. I try to do 3-4 sets of 20 repetitions.

Your glutes and hamstrings are a very large group of muscles and are directly tied into each other. One doesn’t usually work without relying on the other. So I naturally train them together. It is so critical to really employ a mind to muscle connection when working the glutes. You need to squeeze HARD at each peak contraction. Your glutes go deep and you need to reach those far removed fibers to really see results.

Don’t rely on momentum to get you through an exercise. It’s better to lighten the weight first so you’ll get more out of the exercise because the only one you’ll be cheating is you. Don’t be afraid to increase your weights each week.

You want to use a weight heavy enough to make you struggle through those last few reps of each set. You’ll just be adding insurance that your glutes are getting a seriously awesome workout. It takes many years of heavy, hard training to build hulking muscles.

Cardio is another key component to sculpting shapely glutes. It is true that you can’t choose a specific area on your body and work the fat off just that spot. Muscular definition will come with overall body fat loss. This can be achieved with the help of cardio.

Some excellent sources includes walking on a steep incline, running in soft beach sand, the elliptical trainer, the Gauntlet (rotating stair case) and group fitness classes like kick boxing, step aerobics and spinning. Try to workout for at least 45 minutes to really break into your fat burning zone.

HIIT (high intensity interval training) is also another fantastic way to shape your lower half. Try sprinting for 45 seconds and jogging at a moderate speed for a 1-2 minute recovery .

Slowly build your endurance by increasing your sprint times and decreasing your recovery times. Do this for a series of 10 sets of sprints/jogs. You’ll really feel the burn. You can also employ this technique on a spinning bike or elliptical machine for added variety.

Conclusion

The final piece to those coveted glutes and hamstrings is consistency. I can’t emphasize enough how important careful attention to your diet will be. It’s the most critical pawn in this game. If you truly stick to your diet for at least 6 weeks, you will see changes.

Your diet is something that you can control. You may not be able to do 20 sprints or squat 80 lbs on the first day, but you know you’ll be able to build up to it.

In order to maintain energy levels, lose body fat and create beautiful muscles, your diet is the number one factor to your success. Now get going on those gorgeous glutes!

By:Sara Morin  Courtesy Bodybuilding.com

As you and I know we have all been blessed with different body types. Some may think of their derriére as a blessing, while others would rather say their rear is a curse! I say, let’s work with what you have and turn your butt into your sexiest and most loved body part!

I have outlined for you some of the most affective proven butt building exercises. Each day that it’s time to train your lovely lower body, choose three exercises from the list below. Consistency is absolutely key in seeing, and feeling results.

The Resistance Exercises

Squats:
Squats are an excellent and proven way of training your gluteus maximus (butt). You can add resistance by performing them while holding dumbbells in your hands or with a bar across your shoulders. If you opt for the bar (advanced), make sure you have a spotter unless the resistance is very light.

Varying the width of your feet will change the emphasis of the exercise. The closer together your feet are, the more your quads (front of the thighs) will work. As you move your feet further apart, you’ll feel the exercise more in your hips and butt. You should always have someone check your form to be sure you’re doing squats properly.

If you go to a gym, the leg press machine may be easier to use than doing squats with a bar, and it attacks the same region.

Lunges:
Lunges are another exercise that works your glutes. Singer Jessica Simpson was noted to have fallen in love with lunges as she sculpted her body to fit her daisy duke shorts in The Dukes of Hazzard.

Here are several different types of lunges:

o Stationary lunges
o Walking lunges
o Alternating lunges
o Side lunges

Dumbbell Lunge
Hold two dumbbells to the side of your body. Bring one leg forward and stand so that you have good balance. Bend both legs and allow the dumbbells to bring your body down towards the ground, making sure your front knee does not go past your toes. At this time the other knee will almost touch the floor; then come back up. Do all of the reps with one leg forward and then continue with the second leg.

Hip Extension:
Hip extension is a movement that I will always include in my pre-contest training or when I want my butt to look its best. This exercise, which I have learned as “Flutter Kicks” will surely make your hamstrings and glutes burn with delight. OK, maybe this doesn’t sound like fun to you, but if you simply give me a chance here, you may start enjoying it as much as I do.

On a step or platform, (or on your bed if you train at home) lie facedown with hips on the edge of the step, legs straight with toes resting lightly on the floor. (If you are using a bed, your legs will be off the edge and your feet high off the floor.) Squeeze your glutes and hamstrings and straighten the legs until they are level with the hips.

Lift one leg higher then the other and alternate. Move each leg as though you are doing a flutter kick in water. Try doing 3 sets of 20 repetitions on each leg.

Do you want more? Once you have done your 3 sets of Flutter Kicks, in the same position, contract your glutes and hamstrings so that your legs are parallel with the floor and move your legs open, then close. When you close them, have one leg cross over the other. Alternate each rep, which leg is crossing over. Try doing 2-3 sets of 20 repetitions on each leg.

Deadlifts:
Deadlifts are excellent for your hamstrings, butt and lower back, but form is critical! Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart, and your weights in front of thighs (bar or dumbbells). Keeping back flat and abs in, bend forward from the hips and lower your torso until your weights reach your shins.

This is where it’s time to SQUEEZE your butt to raise back up. Remember to keep your weights (bar) close to your legs throughout the entire range of motion, with just the slightest bend in the knees. Make sure that you don’t hyper extend your knees. Do 3 sets of 8-12 reps.

Stepping Your Way To Tight Buns

Stairmasters and climbers when used at a slower frequency with honest, normal steps will recruit your butt muscles into action. Do you ever see people at the gym leaning on the machine with their arms and staying on their tiptoes? You have either seen them, or are one of them.

Spending 30 minutes on the climber, cheating your way through each step will not bring you results. Feel your body weight as you step down through your heel of each foot. The benefit of completing full steps rather than short mini steps is that your legs and glutes will be enjoying a better workout, as will your heart.

Yes this way may be more challenging but it’s the challenge that will raise your cheeks and heart rate = burned calories = fat loss. If you think that steppers will make your butt bigger, you may be eating more then you think. Steppers and a treadmill (on a high incline for walking) have been the foundation for keeping my butt firm, and round.

Start at 20 minutes 3 days / wk. If you want to make noticeable changes, step your way up to 30 – 45 min sessions, 5 – 6 days a week.

Final Points

Before I let you hit the gym, there are a few points that are important to know.
You can’t choose where you gain weight. If you start eating more and lifting weights, there is no guarantee that your butt will be the area reaping the benefits.

The shape of your butt is primarily based on genetics. Looking at your parents or other relatives you will probably notice that you have inherited some of their genes.

Doing lower body exercises (along with upper body training and cardio) and eating more calories than you burn can help you build muscle but your genetics will decide how much your butt can really change.

There isn’t one magic exercise that will make your butt change. Consistency in the gym paired with a nutrient packed eating plan with adequate amounts of protein will be your keys to bringing out the best your glorious glutes have to offer!

By: Fawnia Mondey
Courtesy Bodybuilding.com

1. The right lower body exercises can be performed in just under 30 minutes a day, without weights or gym machines.  Who doesn’t have that bit of time in their schedule to have a fantastic lower body of which they are proud?

2. Athletes know what works for slimming their legs, toning their glutes and effectively burning calories, so why not learn from them?  The right exercise program will show you exercises that aren’t touted by fitness enthusiasts.

3. Performing exercises properly makes all the difference!  Muscles will respond only when they are worked correctly and together as a whole in the leg, hip, and butt and thigh areas.

4. Clothes that have been in your closet for months, maybe even years, will finally fit again.  With the proper exercises, you’ll gain muscle tone, which always makes you look better in your clothing.

5. You’ll look forward to swimsuit season because your legs, hips, thighs and butt will be toned and sexy!  You can finally leave the cover-up at home.

6. You’ll never spend money on miracle creams or pills again!  Spend that money instead on some new clothes that compliment your new, improved lower body.

7. You’ll enjoy an improved sex life!  Lower body exercises, when done correctly and consistently, will help to improve your flexibility and strength for daily activities and lovemaking.  Wow!

8. Those saddle bags that prevent you from wearing the styles you love will no longer plague you once you incorporate the right leg, hip and thigh exercises into your daily fitness regimen.

9. Your inner thighs will no longer jiggle when you wiggle!

10. Effective lower body exercises will combine cardio at the same time, which will kick your metabolism into high gear, burn more calories, and deliver fantastic results in a short amount of time.

11. Cellulite won’t have a chance to stick around or to appear if you are consistently exercising your lower body.  You’ll be back in shorts and a two-piece swimsuit in no time!

12. You’ll have a great “rear view” in everything you wear, whether it’s shorts, Capri pants, jeans, dress slacks, dresses, or skirts.  Men do NOT like a butt that looks saggy and mushy.

Ok, now that you know all of that, where do you go from here?  Are there specific steps to take to make lifelong changes to your body and for your health?  Yes!  How do you begin?  First, let’s look at the top 5 things you need to do to get on the right track for success.

The Top 5 “How-To’s” For Making Changes To Last A Lifetime

1. The first and most important change to make is to change your mindset about your health, your body image, and exercise.  This will take time.  It means basically, that you’ll make a decision to alter your thinking process when it comes to the way in which you see yourself.

2. Educate yourself!  As mentioned previously, every woman is different and unique.  Her body type belongs just to her.  Her metabolism may be very different than her mother’s or sister’s metabolism.  She might love to exercise, or she might hate it.  Learn what works for YOU and your body and focus on those habits.

3. Create a vision in your mind that shows you a healthier, stronger, and more fit YOU.  When you look into the mirror a month from now, six months from now, what will you see?  Thinner thighs?  A tighter butt?  More curves?  Close your eyes and imagine what you’ll see when you are more fit.

4. Make exercise and healthy eating a natural part of your life.  Eventually, including exercise and tasty meals will become second nature to you and you won’t give those things a second thought.  But, it takes a bit of time to incorporate them properly into your daily schedule, so give yourself some slack.  Just don’t give up!

5. DO IT.  Treat yourself to exercise!  Treat yourself to that vitamin and mineral packed meal that will make you feel fantastic for the rest of the day, not only physically, but emotionally as well.  You are unique and special!  You deserve to be your very best for yourself and for your loved ones, so get fit!

You are probably wondering at this point, what lower body exercises program do I need to be following to achieve the results I want and then, how do I maintain my new lifestyle?  Here is the good news:  with simply an exercise mat, exercise ball, and a towel, you can achieve dramatic results in the comfort of your own home.

Yours in fun, health and fitness
Mandy Gibbons
Virtual Fitness Trainer

© Mandy Gibbons, Virtual Fitness Trainer
Persons who are of good health, suspect of their health or are aware of any conditions, physical deficiencies or diseases should always consult a physician before undertaking any eating or exercise program. Mandy Gibbons, Virtual Fitness Trainer, www.virtualfitnesstrainer.com and www.virtualfitnesstrainer.com.au disclaims any liability or loss in connection with the above program or advice given in this article.

We all want to be attractive and sexy and as a follow up to last week’s article LESS FAT MORE SEX (and to fulfill a promise we made in Week Fourteen when we discussed developing great abs), we devote this week’s column to tips on creating glamorous glutes.

Few things about one’s anatomy turn heads like a great set of glutes.

The problem is that this is the area where women accumulate most of their fat. After all, women are baby machines and nature has designed lower body fat cells to serve as a reservoir of energy for pregnancy and lactation. So when women overeat and don’t exercise, they are going to gain a lot of the weight in the hips, butt and thighs.

Diane: As a weight loss consultant, one of the universal problems I see with most clients is that the concept of what constitutes overeating is not understood by many. During a recent vacation, Richard and I heard many confessions on the difficulty with losing weight. And yet pantries remain stocked with a large assortment of junk foods. And for those that leave the junk foods at the grocery store, the delta to glamorous glutes results from hearty foods cooked with large amounts of fat and/or fattening additions of cheese and butter added to normally nutritious foods like vegetables.

So for women, remember that nature will work against you in your efforts to lose in the hips, butt and thighs. Add in hormonal fluctuations and a slower metabolism for the over 40 crowd and the battle becomes a bit more difficult. Just remember…a bit more difficult does not mean impossible. Harder, yes. Impossible, no way! Eat small portions of nutrient dense foods spaced throughout the day and glamorous glutes are well within your reach. Even for us Babyboomers!

While men are not fighting nature in the hips, butt and thighs, men won’t have glamorous glutes if they have pinchable love handles. Men do get to ingest more calories than women each day, but men still need to remember the concept of portion size.

Richard: I can’t count how many fat rear-ends I’ve seen in my life and it’s getting worse. I’m shocked at the fat thighs and butts I see strolling on stage at beauty and bodybuilding contests I’ve judged! So it’s not just your average sedentary, over-40 babyboomer that is overweight. Believe me, young people today are getting fatter every year. I live in Panama City which boasts the “World’s Most Beautiful Beaches,” and it amazes me how much “cottage cheese” I see on the legs and huge, saggy rear-ends of even the youngest of the bikini clad vixens roaming the beaches here. We have a major glute crisis in America!

Granted, like all other body parts some people are just gifted with great genetics, but whatever you see coming out of the shower as you look back in the mirror can be improved. { Diane: Believe me…Baldwin checks his physique out in the mirror daily. And that’s what keeps him from eating junk food and his butt looking in competitive shape, even at 55 years of age.} So if you want to build your own pair of glamorous glutes within your genetic limits, read on!

The glutes (butt, buns, ass, tush, rear-end, whatever you personally prefer) primarily consists of the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus. These muscles are difficult to isolate, and we see very few workout routines that list glutes as a special area of training. Although you actually don’t need to worry about isolation to get head-turning results, it is possible with some special workouts and special machines to target this area.

Before we get to those concentrated “glamorous glute” producers, let us give you three major secrets to success:

• You must eat nutritionally sound meals
• Concentrate on flexing those glutes!
• Do your cardio.

Putting The Secrets To Work:

Do unilateral movements:
Exercises like lunges and glute kickbacks allow focused concentration and isolated contraction of the glutes.

Flex your glutes during the entire range of motion:
Practice squeezing your glutes throughout the range of movement and I guarantee you will shape those sexy buns!

Now we let you in on the greatest glute shapers you can do without weights or machines :

Leg Lift
Grabbing the top of a chair back to brace yourself, stand up straight, lift one leg behind you while keeping the other leg straight. Bring the raised leg back to the floor and raise it again for 10 repetitions. Then do the same for the other leg. Three to five sets of these leg lifts, if you are concentrating on flexing the glutes so that you feel them do the work, should begin to tighten and firm these muscles.

Glute Kickbacks
A variation of the leg lift is the glute kickback. While on the floor on all fours, extend one leg and with the foot cocked to a point that places it in line with the head. Then raise it to a 45-degree angle with the foot elevated above the head. Again, the key to maximum results is to concentrate on contracting the glutes throughout the full range of motion.

The Butt Lift or Bridge
Lying on your back with your knees bent, lift your hips off the floor while keeping your back straight. Remember to keep your glutes tight!

Here are the greatest glute shapers you can do with weights or machines :

One-Legged Cable Kickback
If you have access to a low cable machine, the one-legged cable kickback is a great way to carve shape into those sagging buns. Hook a leather cuff to a low cable pulley and then attach the cuff to your ankle. Face the weight stack from a distance of about two feet, grasping the steel frame for support. While keeping your knees and hips bent slightly and your abs tight, contract your glutes to slowly “kick” the working leg back in a semicircular arc as high as it will comfortably go. At full extension, squeeze your glutes for peak contraction. Bring your working leg forward, resisting the pull of the cable until you reach the starting position. After completing the desired number of reps, switch legs and repeat this movement for the other bun.

The Glute Machines
Many gyms now are equipped with special equipment for isolating the glutes, such as the Mega Glute Blaster. This is a great way to isolate those beautiful muscles. The great thing about these machines is that you are locked into position so that you can concentrate fully on contracting those muscles.

Lunges
With your feet about shoulder width apart, using a barbell on your shoulders, a couple of dumbbells in your hands or just a broomstick for balance, move your left foot forward. Keep your knee centered over your foot as you lunge forward on that leg, never letting your knee go further than right over your toes. Push back from the heels as you contract your glutes. Come back to the starting position and repeat for the other leg.

The Stiff-Legged Dead Lift
Many bodybuilders like this exercise because it really concentrates on the tie-in between the glutes and the hamstrings and thereby adds even more to a nice shape to the glutes. It is performed by picking up a dumbbell or barbell and standing in an upright position. Then bend over without curving the back or bending the knees. You should feel a real stretch of the hamstrings as you lower and raise the weight. Remember to squeeze those glutes!

The Routines

Try all the above exercises and pick two or three of them that really seem to work those glutes. Then work them hard 2-3 days per week for 3-4 sets of 10-12. Variety keeps boredom from interfering with intensity, but once you find the 4 or 5 exercises that you like, rotate those as needed. The point is don’t waste time doing exercises you don’t like.

Cardio

Unless you are gifted with an incredibly fast metabolism { Diane: like Richard} , you will need to engage in cardiovascular activity. Ask any fitness model which cardio activity helps to keep the fat off the hips, thighs and butt area and you will find a universal answer…running. Just remember, that’s running, not jogging! If you are a boomer that’s never engaged in running, it’s not too late to start. Start slow, with short intervals of jogging and fast walking. As you progress, make the intervals longer. Work up to a comfortable jog speed for a few miles. Once the jogging goal is met, add in some short intervals of running, then longer intervals. After some time, you’ll find yourself running and enjoying the large amount of calories burned in a relatively short amount of time.

For those with joint problems that make running an impossible task, try setting the incline on a treadmill and walk uphill. For gym quality treadmills, you’ll want to work up to a goal of 3.0-3.5 miles per hour, at an incline of 75-100% of maximum. Now, here’s a trick I learned from 40 year old, Team Universe winner, Skip LaCour . Squeeze your buns while climbing that hill. Don’t hold the rails. Trust me, this is a killer workout.

Spinning classes with a demanding instructor will also provide a great caloric burn in a short amount of time. When out of the saddle, keep your butt low, just above the seat. And once

Find a Photo that Inspires You

Nothing keeps us more determined to progress than finding inspirational photos. If you are female and want great buns, take a great photo from someone you admire and stick it to the mirror in your bathroom so that you see it every morning and evening when you brush your teeth. Burn in your mind a picture of the glutes you want!

Richard: Some of you may be thinking, why haven’t you suggested squats and leg presses? Given that the glutes are very involved in those movements, why have we left those out? Because they cause the gluteus medius to become overdeveloped resulting in a square ass rather than a nice round one. That’s okay for your guys out there, but my personal preference is for round, female-looking glutes rather than square male-looking glutes. I hate female butts that look like a guy’s butt.

Diane: Others may be saying, “What about the guys?” Believe me, some guys’ butts are looking pretty grim these days too.

Then there’s the “flat-butt” look? A friend of mine forced her boyfriend to start doing squats because he had NO butt to speak of. I suggested he squat since he needed some glutes FAST. It worked, but I just would not suggest deep squats or leg presses with emphasis on the glutes. In fact, I would suggest concentrating on isolating the quadriceps since these are great thigh builders.

Well, there you have it. This should set you on your way to Glamorous Glutes!

Train hard, train smart and make it a legendary week!
By: Babyboomers Richard and Diane ….

Courtesy
Bodybuilding.com

Wouldn’t it be great if you could get rid of that excess fat on your stomach or tighten up those hips and thighs? How many times have you tried diet and exercise to target your trouble spots only to see slow or no progress? How many people do you know that have been down that same path, probably multiple times?

Having worked with hundreds of individuals, mainly women, the two things that I found with almost every client was that they ALL had specific areas of their body that they really wanted to change.

For some it was the back of their arms and for others it was their rear end. And the second thing is nearly all of those people also felt it was impossible to achieve their goals . Oh, I forgot to mention, there was a third similarity among all those individuals… SHOCK! Shock when I told them not only could they flatten their stomachs , lose their love handles, thin out their thighs, and get rid of the flab on the back of their arms, but they would do it with just 15 minutes of exercise just three times a week! You are probably finding that you are just like the people I’m talking about.

People are constantly looking for the quick fix to get rid of their problem/trouble spots and often never find out there is a “secret” method that does work, and not only does this secret method work, but it’s EXTREMELY effective!

So by now you’re probably wondering what this secret is, right? The “secret” method for eliminating those trouble spots is a technique I like to call “BLASTING”. Before I tell you what it is and how it works, it’s important that you understand a few basic principles of how the human body responds to exercise.

The reason most diet and fitness programs fail to deliver the desired result is simple; they aren’t progressive! Part of the blame can be put on the so-called “experts”. Have you ever heard or read anywhere that exercise needs to be progressive? If so, you are one of the few. And even still, the rare few out there often fail to emphasize the importance of it and often don’t explain it in a way that is simple and easy to understand.

So let me give you my explanation and show you why it’s the most important factor when it comes to exercise, especially when you’re really trying to make big changes in those trouble spots.

Progressive exercise means forcing your body to work a little bit harder each time. That doesn’t mean you have to build up to doing 60 minutes of aerobics like many people do, nor does it mean you should try to keep piling on the weight on the strength training exercises.

You just need to challenge the body with a stress that is strong enough to force the body to make improvements. You can do this in so many ways but here are just a few:

For strength training

• Increase resistance
• Perform more reps
• Move the weight slower
• Add an additional set
• Use static holds
• Change the exercises

For cardiovascular exercise:

• Go faster
• Increase workout time
• Incorporate intervals
• Use an incline (if possible)
• Cross-train (change activity)

How To Tighten & Tone Your Hips & Thighs

Let’s say that you are really trying to tighten and tone your hips and thighs. Rather than waste your time on the inner/outer thigh machine week after week, you should incorporate some of the techniques I described above and use with caution my BLASTING technique which I’ll cover now. Just as it sounds you are trying to really shock the muscles into making large improvements in a short period of time.

Normally you would strength train a muscle group once or twice a week at a moderate to hard intensity level. When you are trying to BLAST an area you train it more often, perform more sets and reps, and with higher intensity.

Here’s a sample strength training program that uses multiple techniques combined over a 5 week period for a BLASTING effect on the hips and thighs:

Workout A

• Leg curl
• Leg extension
• Glute machine / raise

Workout B

• Leg press (wide stance)
• Hamstring bridge
• Wall sit

Workout C

• Stationary lunge
• Leg curl (no rest to next exercise)
• Squat

This is just a quick example I just came up with off the top of my head and it may not be right for you but I just want you to get the point. You need to force change. The human body doesn’t like it… it disrupts things. I should also say that techniques like this should NOT be uses often as you can quickly and easily over train and that does not help you meet your goals.

If you apply just some of the techniques I talked about you will be sure to see some noticeable if not dramatic changes. Just remember, work hard and smart!

Jesse Cannone, from the Healthy Back Institute is a certified personal fitness trainer, post-rehab specialist, nutritionist, and a national fitness presenter.