Exercises for Toning Glutes
1. HIP EXTENSIONS
LEVEL - Low to Medium Intensity
TARGET MUSCLES - Gluteus maximus
AVOID: Jerking your movements, keeping feet too close to the butt
Lie flat on your back. Bend your knees, so your soles are on the floor and your legs form a 45 degree angle. Feet should be shoulder width apart. As you breathe out, raise your butt up, so you form a straight bridge with your back, but keep your head and shoulders on the floor while squeezing your glutes. As you breathe in, lower yourself down.
If you would like to maintain a low intensity, place your butt for a second on the mat each time you lower yourself down.
If you would like to increase the intensity, you could do one or a combination of these:
- Keep your butt in the air all the time, pulsing it up and down without touching the mat
- Hold a static position for a few seconds at the top of the movement, while squeezing your glutes all the time
- Pulse your butt at the top of the movement and squeeze it each time you press up
- Move your feet further away from your body
- Move your toes off the ground.
Repeat 10-20 times.
2. SINGLE LEG BRIDGE
LEVEL - Medium Intensity
TARGET MUSCLES - Gluteus medium and minimus
AVOID: Jerking your movements, keeping feet too close to the butt
Lie flat on your back. Bend one knee so that the sole of one leg is on the floor and the leg forms a 45 degree angle. Raise the other leg straight up in the air with you heel flexed, so it points up. As you breathe in, raise your butt up, so you form a straight bridge with your back, but keep your head and shoulders on the floor while squeezing your glutes. As you breathe out, lower yourself down.
If you would like to maintain a low intensity, place your butt for a second on the mat each time you lower yourself down.
If you would like to increase the intensity, you could do one or a combination of these:
- Keep your butt in the air all the time, pulsing it up and down without touching the mat.
- Hold a static position for a few seconds at the top at the top of the movement while squeezing your glutes all the time
- Pulse your butt at the top of the movement and squeeze it each time you press up
- Move your feet further away from your body
- Move the toes off the ground.
Repeat 10 times on each side.
3. WALK OUTS
LEVEL - Medium to High Intensity
TARGET MUSCLES - Gluteus maximus and lower back
AVOID: Jerking your movements, keeping feet too close to the butt
Lie flat on your back. Bend your knees, so your soles are on the floor and your legs form a 45 degree angle. Feet are shoulder width apart, your butt is just off the floor. As you breathe out, walk your feet out, one at a time, so you form a reverse plank. As you breathe in, walk your feet back, one at a time, to the original position.
Repeat 5-10 times for each side.
If you would like to reduce the intensity, repeat the above exercise, but keep your butt on the floor and walk your feet out one at a time. Then walk them back to the original position and pulse your butt up.
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4. WIDE LEG WALKOUTS
LEVEL - Low Intensity
TARGET MUSCLES - Gluteus medium and minimus
AVOID: Jerking your movements, keeping feet too close to the butt
Lie flat on your back with your legs wide apart. Bend your knees, so your soles are on the floor and your legs form a 45 degree angle. Your butt is just off the floor. As you breathe out, walk your feet out, one at a time, so you form a reverse plank. As you breathe in, walk your feet back, one at a time, to the original position.
Repeat 5-10 times for each side.
If you would like to reduce the intensity, repeat the above exercise, but keep your butt on the floor and walk your feet out one at a time. Then walk them back to the original position and then pulse your butt up.
Repeat 5 -10 times for each side.
5. REGULAR SQUATS
LEVEL - Low Intensity
TARGET MUSCLES - Gluteus maximus, quads, hamstrings
AVOID: moving your knees forward, pointing your knees and toes in
Stand upright with your back straight. Place your feet more than a shoulder width apart and your knees and toes pointing out. As you breathe out, push your butt back without moving your knees forward and push your palms forward to maintain a balance. As you breathe in, travel back by straightening up your back and your hands, bringing them next to your body. You can use a chair to gauge the depth of a squat.
Repeat 10-20 times.
6. PULSE SQUATS and SQUAT HOLDS
LEVEL - Medium Intensity
TARGET MUSCLES - Gluteus maximus, quads, hamstrings
AVOID: moving your knees forward, pointing your knees and toes in
Start in a squatting position with your arms and palms stretched out in front of your body for a balance and your knees and toes pointing out. Start pulsing by moving your butt only fractionally up and down at a low position. Make sure that you butt is pushed back, your back is straight and your knees do not move forward.
Repeat 10-20 times.
You can also maintain a static squat. Make sure that your butt is pushed back, your back is straight and your knees do not move forward.
Stay for 15-30 seconds.
7. JUMP SQUATS
LEVEL - High Intensity
TARGET MUSCLES - Gluteus maximus, quads, hamstrings
AVOID: moving your knees forward, pointing your knees and toes in
Start in a wide squat position with your arms and palms stretched in front of your body for a balance and your knees and toes pointing out. Your upper body should form a straight line. As you breathe in, thrust up. At the same time straighten your body and your arms, placing them next to your body. As you breathe out, jump again into a squat, with your arms and palms stretched out in front of you.
If you would like to intensify this exercise further, do an extra pulse in a squat position.
Repeat 10-20 times.
8. WEIGHTED SQUATS
LEVEL - Medium to High Intensity
TARGET MUSCLES - Gluteus maximus, quads, hamstrings
AVOID: moving your knees forward, pointing your knees and toes in
Stand upright with your back straight and your feet more than a shoulder width apart. Keep your knees and toes pointing out. Hold your weights (1-5kg) in front of your body with your arms straight, As you breathe out, push your butt back without moving your knees forward and lower your body so the weights almost touch the floor. Keep your back straight and look in front. As you breathe in, travel back by straightening up your back and your hands, bringing yourself to the original position.
Repeat 10 times
9. KICK BACKS
LEVEL - Medium Intensity
TARGET MUSCLES - Gluteus maximus, quads
AVOID: Flaring your legs and foot
Go on all fours on the mat, keep your back in neutral position. As you breath in, bring your bent knee toward the chest (same side) and as you breath out, lift up your leg with a bent knee. Keep your foot flexed. Repeat 10 times for each side.
10. SIDE KICKS
LEVEL- Medium Intensity
TARGET MUSCLES-Gluteus medius and minimus, quads
AVOID: fearing out your foot
Go on all fours on the mat, keep your back in neutral position. As you breath in, lift your bent knee to the side and as you breath out, return to the original position. Repeat 10 times for each side.
11. COMBINED KICKS
LEVEL- High Intensity
TARGET MUSCLES-Gluteus medius and minimus, quads
AVOID: Flaring out your foot
Go on all fours on the mat, keeping your back in neutral position. As you breathe in, lift your bent knee to the side and then back. As you breathe out, return to the original position.
Repeat 10 times for each side.
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