With more women in mainstream media baring toned thighs and round bottoms, it seems that America has become obsessed with obtaining buns of steel. Some have gone as far as going under the knife to obtain the perfect bum, but surgery is costly and those procedures don’t always produce natural-looking results.
If you don’t have the funds or the desire to surgically alter your body, you are in luck! There are safe and simple exercises that you can do at your local gym or right in your own home that can help you tone and build up your lower body to your standard of acceptance.
1. Squats
Squats done properly help to build up the glute muscles in the buttocks. They come in a variety of forms, from wide-leg squats to knee-to-ankle squats, and assisted squats with a bench press machine. To perform a simple squat properly, place your feet shoulder’s width apart and squat as if you are about to sit in a chair, making sure your knees do not extend past your toes. You can place a chair behind you and tap the seat as if you are about to sit down and pop back up to standing position. Do this movement 10 times, take a break for 30 seconds and do four more sets in the same manner and you will see results within two weeks with consistent work. Adding weights to this exercise will help to accelerate the building of the muscles. Ten pound dumbbells will do the trick to start.
2. Walking Lunges
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Walking lunges help to build up the quads and hamstrings within the thighs, giving your legs an all around tight and firm look while helping to keep the knees healthy and providing a great base for your newly formed bum! To properly perform walking lunges, begin with your feet together and place one foot flat on the ground in front of the other with the leg behind extending out and squat down making sure not to let your knee extend past your toes. Bring the extended back leg up to the front leg to come into a standing position and repeat the same movement with the second leg. That entire movement counts as one walking lunge. Do 20 of these walking forward and 20 walking back and you will feel the burn! With pain (the good kind) comes the gain of fuller and more toned thighs!
3. Kickbacks
Kickbacks are a floor exercise that will require a yoga mat or a cushioned workout mat. These movements help to build the hamstrings and buttocks as well. To perform this simple exercise, get down on the floor on all fours with your hands flat on the mat and your arms extended a few inches in front of you. Lift one of your legs straight back and up towards the sky to squeeze that glute muscle, and then bring the leg back down into its starting position without touching the mat. Repeat this movement 12 times on both legs and do four sets, making sure to take a 30 second rest between each set.
4. Pelvic Raises
Pelvic raises help to even out the hips, tighten the butt and strengthen the quads and hamstrings in the thighs. This exercise is simple and comfortable to perform and also requires a yoga mat. Start off by lying on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, your arms at each of your sides and your palms flat on the mat. Start by raising your pelvis off of the floor towards the sky and hold the position for two seconds. Your shoulder blades and hands should remain in place on the floor leaving only your pelvis to do the work. Do 12 of these pelvis raises, rest for 30 seconds and repeat the set of 12 a total of four times. Make sure to squeeze your glutes at the top of the raise to get the most out of your workout.
5. High Kicks
High kicks combine cardio and strength training to give your legs double the workout of burning fat and building muscle. To perform this exercise, start with your legs together and your knees slightly bent. Bend your elbows and bring them into your sides and kick one of your legs up toward the ceiling with your toes pointed up. Bring that leg down and kick out the opposite leg in the same manner and repeat these movements for one minute. Take a 30 second break and repeat this one minute exercise a total of five times.
