A well defined booty is a goal for many women and one that men can appreciate too. Visit any gym on Monday and you are sure to find guys working their chest on a bench press. Go to the same gym on any given day and you will see several women looking to improve the look of their backside. Aussie bombshell Lily Bowman takes you through her favorite exercises to build a rounded booty! This article will give a brief anatomy review of booty muscles, ideal exercises to help build it, and additional benefits derived from working these muscles. ANATOMY OF THE BOOTY As you are probably aware, the main booty muscle is the gluteus maximus. This muscle’s main function is to provide hip extension as can be demonstrated by standing up from a squat. The muscle action is assisted by the gluteus minimus and the gluteus medius. The glute muscles share some common attachment points with the hamstring muscles, and some back muscles as well. In addition to hip extension, the glute family helps stabilize the hip during locomotion, either in walking or in running. Glutes, hamstrings, adductors (think groin muscles), abductors (outer thigh), low back and abs all help provide a strong core.A strong booty is essential to maintaining back health and increasing the efficiency of all other activities; both fitness and those required for daily living. IDEAL EXERCISES To build a booty you have to squat! Heavy back barbell squats should be performed regularly to increase the size and the strength of the gluteal muscles. Use a weight that you can only lift 6-8 times for sets of 3 to 5. In addition to back squats, you should perform squat variations such as front squats, hack squats, Smith machine squats, and dumbbell/kettlebell squats. Lunges need to be a staple of your backside training. Lunges can be performed in a variety of planes allowing you to target the muscles at various angles. Perform forward lunges, back lunges, angled lunges, and explosive lunges that involve jumping to switch your leg positions. Stairs or steps should also be included in your booty routine. Perform these for endurance by climbing stairs, either in the gym on a machine, or on an actual set of stairs. Use step ups (placing a foot on a step/bench) and also step downs (start elevated on a bench/step and slowly lower yourself). Work hamstring muscles with exercises such as deadlifts, good mornings, and hamstring curls. It is also important to train the core muscles with exercises such as back extensions, planks, and lat pulldowns. Perform exercises that target both the inner and outer thighs. These can be done on a seated abductor/adduction machine or by doing side lying leg lifts. SAMPLE BOOTY DAY: - Stairs: 10 minutes as fast as you can maintain good form - Back Squats 3 x 6 - Front Squats 3 x 10 - Deadlifts 3 x12 - Back Lunges 2 x 10 each side - Hamstring Curls 3 x 15 - Back Extensions 3 x 8 - Hip abduction/adduction machine 3 x 10 each direction - Step Up 2 x 10 each leg - Plank 3 x 1 minute BOOTY BENEFITS Working your glutes on a regular basis allows you to run faster and for longer while staying injury free. Glute health is essential for hip stability which often translates to having less knee pain. Because the glutes are the biggest muscles that connect to the pelvis, training these muscles regularly maintains a healthier back and allows for better performance of ab exercises. To build a better backside you need to train not only the glute muscles,but also all of the muscles that assist the glutes in their function. When you think about booty training, remember to also include leg muscles, back muscles, and ab muscles. Training for a strong booty will lead to improved posture, a tighter backside, and better function in all activities. Train your booty in order look better and feel better.
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