8 Exercises for a Firmer Butt

A sagging butt is no joke. It doesn’t matter how firm the rest of your body is, if you suffer from droopy, squishy or cellulite covered glutes then you’re going to be needing some emergency repair work. Not only will a butt focused workout give you gorgeous glutes, it will also provide you with the self confidence to step out onto the beach with confidence, knowing that your rear end kicks butt.

Here are 8 glute focused exercises that will get you the butt you deserve.

1. Squats
2. Box Jumps
3. Deadlifts
4. Lunges
5. Straight Leg Deadlift
6. Kick Backs
7. Hip Thrusts
8. Two Way Butt Kicks

Squats:

Start with your feet shoulders width apart and ensure your back is arched. Hold your hands out directly in front of you, palms parallel to the ground. Slowly bend your knees and lower your body until your thighs are parallel with the ground. 

Keep your back straight and avoid bending throughout the movement. Don’t worry if you can’t get your thighs lower than parallel to the ground to start. This can be your goal over time. Don’t sacrifice a straight back and good posture by trying to go too low too soon.

After a month of doing body weight squats, you will be ready to add some resistance. Assigning weight to your workout will allow you to shape, firm and tone your muscle. The movement is performed in the exact same manner as above, except that you perform it inside a squat rack with an Olympic bar placed across your back at the trapezius muscles. Make sure that you are looking up as you descend into the movement and do not bounce in the bottom position.

Box Jumps:

Start with your feet shoulders width apart and ensure your back is arched. Hold your hands out directly in front of you palms, parallel to the ground (you can add weight as you progress by holding a book in your outstretched hands throughout the movement). Slowly bend your knees and lower your body until your thighs are parallel with the ground. Keep your back straight and avoid bending throughout the movement.

Deadlifts:

Stand with your feet between hip and shoulder width apart. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and keep your lower abs drawn in. This will keep your spine in a neutral position. With a barbell in front of you, bend your knees and push your hips back, keeping your head and chest up.

With your knees and hips square and pointing forward, take hold of the barbell at slightly more than shoulder width apart, using an overhand grip. Putting your weight through your heels, push through your feet, straighten your knees and bring your hips forward, bringing the barbell close to your body.

Keep your head up during the movement and your shoulders back in the standing position. Pause at the top and the return to the start position by bending your knees and pushing your hips back and down.

Lunges:

Stand with feet shoulder width apart and hands on hips. Take a large step forward, planting your heel first. Keep your back upright and straight throughout the movement. As you move into the lunge concentrate on keeping your hips facing forward.

In the forward position your front leg should be at a right angle and your rear knee should almost touch the ground.

Drive back with to front foot, returning to the start position.

As you gain confidence and strength you can add resistance by holding light dumbbells in your hands.

Straight Leg Deadlift:

Stand with your feet between hip and shoulder width apart in front of a barbell. Bend over and grab the bar with a shoulder width grip. Stand up to bring the bar up to your mid thigh level. As you rise, retract your shoulder blades and lock out your knees.

From this top position, lower the bar, keeping your legs straight and the bar close to your body. Now drive through your heels, flexing your hamstrings and glutes to bring the bar back to the starting position.

Kick Backs:

Position yourself on the floor on your knees and forearms. Raise one knee slightly off the floor. Squeeze with your glutes as your drive that foot towards the ceiling. Keep the core tight and look forward throughout the movement.

This exercise can also be done with resistance. You can place a small dumbbell in the rear crook of your knee and bring your calf back to hold it in place. Alternatively, your gym may have a cable machine on which to do this exercise.

Hip Thrusts:

Sit in front of a seat or bench with your upper back supported by the bench and your arms outstretched and resting on the bench (make sure the bench is stable). Have your legs out in front of you with knees bent.

Drive your heels into the ground as you squeeze your glutes to push your torso up, allowing your core to lift as high as possible. Hold for a second to fully contract the glutes.

Come all the way down, so your butt touches the floor and then repeat.

Two Way Butt Kicks:

Lean on a bench with your arms extended and locked at the elbows. Keep your legs together and directly under your hips so that your body forms a right angle. Keeping just a slight bend in your left knee, extend your straightened right leg directly back and up, squeezing the glutes tightly.

Bring your right leg back until it just about touches the ground, then move it directly to the side and up. Again squeeze your glutes tightly as you do this movement.

Do all of your reps on one leg and then repeat with the other.