Butt and Thighs

Butt and Thighs

Are you happy with your butt? Most of us aren't. They're too small, too big, too saggy, too flabby...this list goes on. The right cardio exercise and weight training activities (like squats and deadlifts) can make a difference in your backside and help you get those buns of steel. Here are some very interesting options to tone up your rear muscles.
Ramp The Ramp brings back the excitement and fun of group exercise with “incline” workouts . A new low impact alternative for cardio programming with more variety than you can imagine. Start out with Incline Walking™ on The Ramp™, the first group-walking program that makes walking a workout! This unique cardio workout with backside toning is like walking up hill, your heart rate increases, and you feel the burn in your rear and the back of your legs.

Next You will need a mat and a set of ankle weights!Put the ankle weights on and come on down to the floor for some fun!!
Start on your left side and do the following
Leg raises (legs are stacked on top of each other) Do 20, on the last one hold it up for a 10 seconds count. Do 20 more leg raises and hold the last one for a 10 seconds count
On the same side - Do a set of leg circles (pretend there is a big marker on your big toe and you need to make nice big circles!) do 10 in one direction then switch directions and do 10 the other way. Then do 10 the other way, and 10 the other way.
So basically you end up doing 20 circles in both directions.
NEXT (still on your left side) you are going to work the inner thigh. So the top leg is going to come out front and you will place your foot on the ground (knee bent).
With the bottom leg you are going to draw the alphabet! Using all CAPITAL letters! (this is awesome).
After you get to Z - do a set of inner thigh leg lifts, after you get 20 hold the last one up for a 10 seconds count. Do another set of 20 lifts holding the last one up for a 10 seconds count.
Draw the alphabet one more time! After you get through the ABC"S a second time do ONE MORE set of leg lifts 20 of them, with a 10 second hold!
OUCH! Ok now you are ready to switch sides! Do the same sequence!

Squats

Squats are one of the best exercises you can do for your hips, butt and thighs. There are many different types of squats, including the Chair Squat pictured here. Stand with feet hip-width apart and squat, keeping back straight, abs in and knees behind your toes. Let your butt lightly touch chair and squeeze butt to stand up. Repeat for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps and add weights for more intensity.


Start by doing squats: 10 SETS of 10!! After you do 10, hold in the squat position for 30 seconds, then continue with the next set until you reach 10! It's a killer!
Next come down on the right side and do leg lifts do 10, and then do big leg circles for a count of 10 and then reverse the direction of your circle for 10, then reverse directions again for 10, then reverse again for 10. Back to 10 more leg lifts, and then the same little leg circle combo again!!

Lunges
Lunges are a challenging exercise because they work so many muscles at the same time. On the front leg, you'll work the glutes and hamstrings and, on the back leg, you'll work the quads and calves. What's nice about lunges is that there are a variety to choose from such as:
0. Side to Side Lunges
0. Reverse lunges
0. Front lunges
0. Walking lunges
0. Wheel lunges (front, side, reverse)
You can also elevate the back foot on a step or platform to really challenge both legs. This is a great move for the glutes and thighs, but please avoid this move if it aggravates any knees problems.

Step Ups

For step ups, you simply place one foot on a step or platform and push through the heel onto the step. This is an excellent exercise for the glutes, providing you use a step that's high enough...just make sure your knee is bent to 90 degrees or less to keep it safe.
The other key to making this move work is to concentrate all your weight on the stepping leg. In other words, lower down gently, barely touching the toes of the other leg to the ground. You'll really feel this when you take it slow and concentrate on the working leg.

Hip Extensions
While I'm fond of more compound moves (like the squats, lunges and step ups listed above) since they work more muscle groups, the hip extension is an exercise that targets the largest muscle in the body...the gluteus maximus.
For this move, you can hold a dumbbell behind the knee or use ankle weights for added intensity. Another interesting variation is to lie with your hips and torso supported by a ball, hands on the floor, and bend the knees. Then squeeze the glutes to send the feet straight up to the ceiling.

One-Legged Deadlifts
Deadlifts are great for your hamstrings, butt and lower back, but form is critical and you should skip this exercise if you have any back problems.
To do this move, take the left leg back just a bit, lightly resting on the toe. With the weights in front of the thighs, tip from the hips and lower the weights as low as your flexibility allows. Keep your back flat or with a natural arch and make sure you keep the abs contracted to protect the back. Squeeze the glutes of the working leg to raise back up. Do 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps.

Lie on your stomach with arms one on top of the other so that your forehead can rest upon them. Bend your legs up and bring your heels together (like a butterfly) so that your knees are facing slightly outward in opposite directions. Also, make sure the feet are flexed so that they are pointed toward the ceiling, not the wall.
Now, very slowly lift the legs and thighs up off the floor, pressing the heels to the ceiling. Depending on the strength of the lower back, some may be able to lift higher than others. That's okay, as long as you are lifting the heels to the ceiling.
Perform 3-5 sets of 8, resting for about 20-30 seconds in between sets.

Hiking
Now the exercises listed above aren't the only strength moves for the glutes, but we often forget that there are cardio activities that will also engage the backside.
Hiking is one of those activities and it also burns tons of calories because you're typically going up steep mountains and maybe even getting into thin air, which requires lots of energy. Also, walking up an incline automatically gets your glutes more involved and, if you're wearing a backpack, you're really getting a workout. Plus, you get to see nature at its best. A 140-lb person burns about 390 calories in about an hour!

Biking
Riding a bike is great for your heart and it also targets almost every muscle in your hips, thighs and butt. On a stationary bike, alternate 3 minutes at 70-80 RPM with 2 minutes at 100-110 RPM for a calorie-blasting 30 minute workout. You can also try Spinning at the gym or riding outside. Gear up to really work your glutes! A 140-lb person burns 335 calories in 45 minutes.

Running
Running, like walking is accessible, easy to learn, reduces stress, helps in weight loss, and it makes you feel good. Plus, it really works your butt, especially when you add a few hills to your regular running route. Sprints are another option for folks wanting to both burn more calories and tighten up the old tush. A 140-lb person burns 475 calories during a 45 minute jog.

Kickboxing
Kickboxing was a hot item back in the day, but it's still a great workout. Controlled kicks work your hips, thighs and butt while complex combinations that include punches will target your abs to make them stronger. A 140-lb woman will burn up to 500 calories with 45 minutes of kickboxing.
Switching to kicks, starting on the left your going to do 10 front kicks, and then 10 side kicks - then switch over to the right. Run through this little sequence 10 times!!

Walking
Walking is easy: you can do it anywhere, anytime with no special equipment. There's no learning curve and it's something you can incorporate all day long. If you walk up hills, you can really target your glutes and, if you pick up the intensity, you'll burn some of that extra flab off your buns! A 140-lb person burns about 300 calories an hour during a brisk walk.

There are some people especially women, who tend to carry more weight on the thighs and buttocks. No matter what diet is used losing weight from the thighs always seems very slow. Some weight loss may be experienced but it is often lost from other, less problematic places and not from the thigh or buttock area. This is mainly due to our genes, our genetics determines where the majority of fat cells will be placed. Unfortunately for some there are more fat cells around the thighs. We cannot change the numbers of fat cells present around various areas of the body. However, for these people there is a chance for thinner thighs. What one must do is shrink the amount of fat within those fat cells in order to make the thighs leaner and thinner.

There are two ways to achieve slimmer thighs, burn the fat from all areas and eventually fat will remove from difficult spots or tone and firm the thighs quickly with the best thigh exercise of all. Toning the thighs will help burn some fat indirectly because the best thigh exercise helps raise the metabolism causing more calories to be burned, if regular aerobic exercise is performed as well as the best toning thigh exercise results should be seen quickly.