By: Lindsay Messina
There is a lot of hearsay about fat burning, muscle toning and such like; A popular myth is spot reduction fat loss, this is supposedly achieved by doing exercises that focus on a certain area and will specifically burn fat in your target regions. For example, people will do sit-ups all day to try and get a flat stomach or they will run to try and get leaner legs. Let’s state the fact now ladies; spot reduction is nothing but a myth.
There is truth in saying that these exercises will strengthen and build muscle mass when you perform them on a regular basis, but these exercises will not magically cut off a layer of fat. The body works as a unit and every part of it requires energy, not just the area your brain thinks it is targeting.
For example, if you want to build and tone your glutes. You must address strength training, cardio and a healthy nutritionally balanced diet.
What are the best exercises to HELP shape my butt?
Squats
First and foremost are squats. Squats are a very effective compound exercise and works more than one muscle group. The squat works your glutes (your rear), thigh muscles which are the quadriceps (front of the leg) and hamstrings (back of the leg)
The squat is a great exercise that many people use as the foundation of any leg/ lower body workout. It is a safe and natural movement with great potential for muscular gains, strength and toning. The more muscles involved in an exercise, the more calories we burn and we can push our bodies harder to get an effective workout. It’s about quality in the gym, not quantity.
By becoming leaner, the muscle mass you have will be more visible on your physique and your shape will greatly improve. Making you look much more athletic.
Lunges
These are another great movement build your thighs and glutes, the best way to emphasise your glutes in this exercise it to do long strides. If you want to work your quadriceps more, then the aim would be to take short step lunges. Lunges are a relatively easy exercise to perform for beginners and can yield great results too.
You can perform lunges using your bodyweight, with dumbbells or a barbell. It is recommended to try them just using your bodyweight until you get the hang of balancing correctly.
Another variation is the plyometric lunge, where the athlete jumps explosively between lunging positions.
Deadlifts
Deadlifts are another great compound exercise that a lot of people associate with bodybuilders and power lifters. Get rid of that idea as they can be just as great for women who are wanting to build up their Gluteus Maximus. The deadlift works your entire posterior chain; the centre of your posterior chain is your glutes.
The deadlift involves tipping your torso forward from your hips and keeping your legs straight or bent a little. Engage your spinal erectors to engage your back, when the weight is lowered to the floor, the idea is to tighten your butt and hamstrings, driving the weight back up through your heels. Ladies, please don’t be intimidated by this exercise, it really works wonderfully!
So there you have it ladies, try these exercise and you will be well on your way to a new shapely butt, also remember what was said about incorporating a clean diet, strength training and cardio. For best results, you need all three.
Good luck, stay safe and happy lifting.
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