The secret to looking better from behind is working your glutes, a shorthand term for the three main muscles in your butt -- the gluteus maximus, medius and minimus. This intense workout incorporates 10 moves that emphasize all of the muscles in your glutes. The glutes are a powerful muscle group that respond very well to workouts with little to no rest, so this workout will challenge your entire lower body and cardiovascular fitness, with moves that require your hips and glutes through all ranges of motion. Perform each move below for one minute with no rest between any of the sets. You can repeat this workout as many times as you'd like with good form or combine it with any of our other 10-minute workouts, including one for arms, legs, abs and back.
1.Goblet Squat
Place your heels shoulder-width apart and turn toes open to 11 and 1 as if you were standing on a clock. Maintain contact of the weight at your chest throughout the movement as you hinge at the hips to squat back and drive back up. Your knees should be above your ankles at the bottom of the move, and you should drive into your heels to return to the standing position.
2. Lunge
Consider this a front-leg exercise; 90 percent of the effort should be focused on the glutes and quads of the front leg. Step forward and att the bottom of the move, your front knee should be slightly forward of your front ankle allowing modest ankle flexion. Both knees should be bent to 90-degree angles. Press into the front leg to push upward from the bottom, emphasizing the glutes. Alternate which leg you step forward with.
3. Single-Leg Dumbbell Deadlift
Focus all of your attention to the standing leg and allow a slight bend at the knee. Keep your eyes focused throughout the movement on a spot a few feet in front of your standing foot. Allow the dumbbell to move naturally, ending directly below your shoulder. From the bottom, bent forward position, drive into the heel of the standing leg to create the force to press you back up to the starting position. Do 30 seconds on one leg and switch to the other for the remaining 30 seconds.
4. Fire Hydrant
For this exercise, you'll start on all fours. Keep your hips locked and stable as your leg moves out and away from your body. Pause at the top for a full three seconds. Keep your head and neck in alignment, head looking down at the ground. Do 30 seconds on one leg and switch to the other for the remaining 30 seconds.
5. Pistol Squat
This one is a difficult balancing exercise, so use your arms in any manner to assist the move and your balance. Standing on only one leg, you'll lower yourself to the ground, the free leg extended out in front of you. Exhale before you move from the bottom to the top. Imagine that your knee stays stable in space and your body is moving around that pivot point. Drive into your heel to stand up. Do 30 seconds on one leg and switch to the other for the remaining 30 seconds. If you can't do a full pistol squat, either hold onto something sturdy to help you or do another round of single-leg squats.
6. Crescent Kicks
Brace your core strongly to minimize lower back and pelvis movement as you bring your leg up and around in a semi-circle kick in front of your. Use your arms for balance and to assist the move. Stand with a long, tall spine and focus your effort on the hip of the leg that is moving.
7. Single-Leg Squat
Focus all of your attention on the standing leg and use the opposite leg for assistance if needed. Lower your hips until the top side of your active thigh is parallel to the ground. End with your knee directly over your toes or very slightly in front of. Contract your glutes to stand back up to starting position. Do 30 seconds on one leg and switch to the other for the remaining 30 seconds.
8. Speed Skaters
As you bound side to side, keep your hips lowered, dropping your body weight toward the ground as much as possible. Keep your chest lifted and eyes looking forward. Brace your core tightly and use it as the foundation to maintain your balance throughout the movement.
9. Jump Squat
Lower your body weight as you squat toward the ground to create the energy to spring upward. After the jump, land very gently with bent knees and aim to make as little sound as possible. Use your arms on the upward swing to pull you and generate force for the move.
10. Dumbbell Sumo Squat
Keep your chest lifted and your shoulders relaxed and down away from your ears throughout the move. Hold a dumbbell at chest level and keep your feet wider than in a traditional squat. Pause at the bottom for a full two-second count and drive into your heels to return to standing. Allow your hips to move upward and downward more than backward in space like a traditional squat. For this kind of squat, the toes do line up end directly above or behind the toes.
No comments:
Post a Comment