Five Ways to Lift Your Butt

Did you let your fanny go over the winter? If so, you’re not alone! It’s easy to hide a sagging butt under sweats or a heavy coat, and you know what they say: Out of sight, out of mind.

But now it’s shorts and swimsuit season, and there’s no hiding anymore—so if you’re experiencing a major case of butt sag, it’s time to fight back with these “buns of steel’ exercises. They look simple, but you’ll definitely feel your glutes the next day. Do all five exercises at least every other day, and you’ll start to see results in a couple of weeks.

1. Plié Squat

Stand with your arms at your sides, your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart, and your toes turned out.

Squat, simultaneously raising your arms until they’re horizontal to ground. Hold for two seconds and then return to your starting position. As you squat, make sure your knees don’t go forward past your toes. Repeat 20 times.

Bonus points: Occasionally pulse 10 times at the bottom of a squat.

2. Squat with a Kick-Back

Stand with your arms at your sides, your feet shoulder-width apart, and your toes pointing forward.

Sink down into a squat, keeping your weight on your heels and making sure your knees don’t go forward past your toes.

At the bottom of the squat, lift your right leg straight behind you and extend your arms horizontally in front of you. Return to your starting position and alternate sides.

Bonus points: At the bottom of your squat, before lifting your leg, pulse five times.

3. Clamshell

Hold a light weight in your left hand. Lie on your right side, propping your head up with your right forearm and hand. Bend your knees at a 90-degree angle. Now lift your left leg and arm simultaneously (as if you’re a hinged clamshell opening). Do 20 repetitions on each side.

Bonus points: Rest the weight in your top hand against your leg to provide resistance as you lift.

4. Bridge

Lie face-up on the floor with your arms at your sides and your knees bent.  Lift your hips about five inches off the ground, and then lift them one inch more and hold for five seconds before returning to your original position. Repeat 15 times.

Bonus points: Try lifting your hips and pulsing 15 times with one leg extended toward the ceiling. Switch legs and repeat.

5. Curtsy Squat

Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Keeping your weight in your left leg, step back with your right leg, crossing it behind your left leg as if you’re doing a curtsy. Lower yourself until your left thigh is parallel to the floor and then return to your starting position. Alternate sides, doing 20 squats on each side.

Bonus points: Do this squat while holding light weights in each hand.

Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!