Firming your buns and building great glutes is a popular trend. The buns, are also referred to as the glutes, and are probably the most focused body part. Toned glutes support your hips and posture, as well as giving a firmer appearance and improving endurance in such activities as walking, running, inline skating, cycling, etc.
Tips and Tricks for Firming Your Buns
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to spend a lot of time, or money to get a toned backside. You can get a quality glute workout under 15 minutes once a week with just the basics.
There are a multitude of machines at the gym that isolate different parts of the hips, thighs, and glutes. Many of these are a waste of time and lead to over training. All you need are squats, stiff-legged dead lifts, and lunges for a workout that’s ideal for firming your buns.
Squats
Squats work the entire leg and glute muscles. If you skip the squats, you are doing yourself a great injustice when it comes to firming your buns. To begin, choose a weight you are comfortable with. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your back straight and lower yourself until your knees are at a 90-degree angle. Rise to the starting position and make sure you contract your glutes at the top of the movement.
Perform 4 sets of squats with light to moderate weight in the 15 to 20 repetition range with one-minute rest intervals. Don’t use excessively heavy poundage if you carry most of your weight in your hips, thighs, and buttocks.
Stiff-Legged Dead Lifts
The stiff-legged dead lifts also help to work the glutes, as well as the hamstrings. This is often a neglected exercise. Form is important. Keep your focus on your hamstrings and glutes, and not the back.
To begin, choose a weight that you are comfortable with. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the weight in front of you. While keeping your lower back tight, slowly drop your hips behind you and allow the weight to fall toward your feet. As you rise, squeeze and contract your hamstrings and glutes. Perform 4 sets of stiff-legged dead lifts with light to moderate weight in the 15 to 20 repetition range with one-minute rest intervals.
Lunges
Lunges work the entire leg and glute area. Ollie Odebunmi at woman.thenest.com tells us, “Lunges and stair-climbing rank among the top exercises for toning and shaping those oh-so-stubborn butt muscles, according to a survey of American Council on Exercise certified fitness professionals” You can choose to do lunges with or without weights. To begin, stand normally. Lunge one foot forward until the knee is at a 90-degree angle, and then resume standing position. Do the same movement for the other legs. Perform 4 sets of lunges with light to moderate weight in the 15 to 20 repetition range with one minute rest intervals.
Keep in Mind…
Resistance training will build firm and toned glutes, but in order to remove the fat, cardiovascular exercise is needed. Any aerobic exercise is good for burning calories and burning fat, but choosing the ones that target the legs and glutes are even better.
Power walking, jogging, sprinting, in-line skating, and the elliptical are the best for leaning up the lower body and glutes. Perform these at least 3 times a week for 20 minutes and progress each week from there.
I must caution you about the stepper and treadmills set on incline. Yes, these are great for building the legs and glutes, but if added size is not your desire, it’s best to avoid these. If you are unsure of the proper form on any of the exercises, please have an instructor show you.
