Ok let’s be honest for a hot minute. Some of us just weren’t born with the juiciest of peaches… AND THAT’S OK!! We’ve all got amazing features we absolutely love about ourselves, but there’s nothing wrong with wanting a little more junk in the trunk.
Here’s the thing - growing and building a booty is a thing - a REAL thing. It takes time, it takes consistency and it takes hard work - but you can totally do it. And there a several things that you can do in the building process to help with that. One of the best? ACTIVATING YOUR GLUTES. Before you engage in any kind of booty, lower body workout routine, you should ALWAYS take time to activate your glutes before starting. So we’re going to give you 10 of the best booty exercises to help you fire up your glutes so you can get the most out of your workout.
Try doing 2 sets of 20 of set 1 before your next workout. And then if you want to change things up try 2 sets of 20 of set 2 another time!
SET 1
1. SUMO SQUAT
It's recommended that you use dumbbells or a heavy item. Hold a dumbbell/heavy item in each hand in front of your hips. Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes slightly turned out. Push your hips back and squat down, keeping your chest up and knees out.
2. GLUTE BRIDGE
Lye down on your back and try to bring your heels closer to the glutes. Extend your arms straight to stabilize the core.
Stabilize your back and squeeze your muscles and try to maintain the balance with your arms.
Now push up through the heels while maintaining a flat lower back. Raise your body as high as you can while keeping the weight on the glutes. Lower the back to come to the normal position.
3. DONKEY KICKS
Get on all fours so that your hands are shoulder width apart and your knees are straight below your hips.
Bracing your abdominals and keeping your knee bent, lift one leg up behind you until it is in line with your body and your foot is parallel to the ceiling.
Stabilize slowly and land back to normal position and repeat with the other leg.
4. FIRE HYDRANTS
Another one on all fours! Position yourself on your hands and knees on the ground. This will be your starting position. Keeping your knee in a bent position, abduct your leg, slowly moving your knee away from the midline of the body. Pause at the top (the angle between your knee on the ground and the knee up beside you should roughly make a 90 degree angle), and then slowly return to the starting position. Complete all reps on the same leg before switching to the other leg.
5. CURTSEY LUNGES
Start from a standing position with your hands on your hips or out in front of you at shoulder level. Step your left leg behind you and to the right so your thighs cross, bending both knees. Then bring your left leg back and return to the starting position. You should begin to feel this one in the side of your glutes! Complete all reps on the same leg before switching to the other leg.
SET 2
1. SQUAT WITH DOUBLE PULSE
Start by standing with your feet roughly hip-width / shoulder-width apart. Then sit your butt back and get into a squat squat position. Keep your chest up and your core engaged. Once you’re in the squat position, you’re going to pulse (small bounce) for 2 reps, and then push up through your glutes and return to the starting position.
2. CLAM OPENERS
Start by lying on one side with your knees at a 45-degree angle and your legs and hips stacked. Contract your abdominal muscles to engage your core. Keep your feet in contact with one another as you raise your upper knee as high as you can. Make sure you don’t move your hips or pelvis! (And don't allow your lower leg to move off of the floor either.) Hold momentarily and then bring your lifted knee back down and connect it with your other knee. Complete all reps on the same side before switching to the other side.
3. STANDING STRAIGHT KICK BACKS
Start by standing with your feet shoulder width apart. Keep your left leg braced, kick your right leg back, relatively quickly (so you can feel the top of your glute muscle starting to activate). This will feel almost like a pulse. After each rep, don’t return fully back to the starting position, but instead, place your toe back down behind you for balance and then pulse again to begin the next rep. Complete all reps on the same leg before switching to the other leg.
4. SQUAT WITH SIDE LEG RAISE
Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width distance apart, feet parallel. Bend your knees, lowering your hips deeply, so you fall into a squat position.
Then rise back up, straightening the legs completely and lifting the right leg out to the side, squeezing the outer glute. As you bring your raised foot back into the starting position, start lowering back down into your squat again.
Then push up through your heels and do a side leg lift on the left side. Lower the leg back to the starting position. Alternate each time.
5. REVERSE LUNGES
Start by standing upright with your feet slightly separated. Take a large step backward with your left foot and then lower your body so that your right thigh (front leg) becomes parallel to the floor with your right knee positioned directly over your ankle. Your left knee should be bent at a 90-degree angle and pointing toward the floor with your left heel lifted. Return to standing position and then switch to the other leg. Alternate legs until all reps are completed.
Hope you find these useful, girl! Give them a go before you try out any of our Squat or Lower Body App Challenges!
