The quest for a round, lifted derriere is more popular than ever. While there’s no magic pill to instantly give you a J-Lo backside, choosing the right butt bustin’ exercises and sticking to them can help you sculpt a perkier, more gravity-defying behind. Want to take your assets from flat to fabulous fast? We’ve rounded up the very best butt pumps guaranteed to give you a rear view you just can’t stop staring at. Bid adieu to a saggy, sad behind and say hello to your new asset – a lifted, luscious booty.
Squats Are Still Queen
When it comes to the best booty lifting moves, squats remain the gold standard exercise to pump up your glutes. They reign supreme for good reason – this functional movement works all the muscles of your lower body, especially your posterior chain. To start, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, engage your core, send your hips back as if sitting in a chair, and lower down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Make sure your knees don’t extend over your toes – think “back and down.” Pause, then slowly press back up to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top. Aim for 3 sets of 12-15 reps.
Once you’ve perfected your basic squat, up the ante by holding weights as you squat. Grab a pair of dumbbells at a weight you can manage with good form and hold them at your sides as you do your repetitions. The added load increases tension on your muscles, causing more microtears and forcing them to adapt by growing back stronger. Hello, Kim K booty!
Other squat variations to try: sumo squats to target inner thighs, plié squats focusing on inner thighs and lifted posture, pistol squats working one leg at a time, and squat jumps to engage fast-twitch muscle fibers. Your tush will thank you later!
Donkey Kicks for That Wagon Wheel Effect
Want that distinctive, wagon wheel shape to your derrière? Donkey kicks are an isolation exercise ideal for sculpting your rear into a gravity-defying bubble. Here’s how to do them: get on all fours, palms under shoulders and knees under hips. Engage your core. Inhale as you lift one leg straight behind you, keeping your knee bent. Squeeze your glute at the top, imagining you’re kicking a ceiling. Slowly lower back down, maintaining control. Complete 15 reps then switch sides. You’ll be knocking out reps in no time as you build that badonkadonk.
For added resistance, use ankle weights or a resistance band looped around your ankle. Over time, incrementally increase the weight to continually challenge those glutes. Stick with donkey kicks 2-3 times per week and you’ll be getting compliments on your booty gains in no time. Visit gym-kirill-yurovskiy.co.uk to learn more.
Hip Thrusters for Major Lift
Barbell hip thrusters are the ultimate exercise for dramatically rounding out and lifting your rear. How it works: lie faceup on the floor, knees bent, feet flat. Load a barbell across your hip bones and grip it for stability. Press through your heels to bridge your hips toward the ceiling. Squeeze your glutes hard on top, hold for 1-2 secs, then slowly lower your hips.
Hip thrusters isolate your glutes while keeping constant tension on them, causing insane lifts. Within just weeks of twice weekly thrusters, your booty will radically transform from flat to fabulous. It’s one of the most effective ways to build an Instagram-worthy backside, fast.
For variety, try single leg hip thrusters to prevent muscular imbalances or experiment with different tools – try it with a dumbbell, kettlebell, medicine ball or resistance band. Keep challenging those glutes and they’ll keep growing.
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Tucked Butterfly Lifts for Rounder Glutes
Ready to take your booty to the next level? Add tucked butterfly lifts. How to: lie face up, arms out to sides. Plant feet and raise hips into bridge position. With knees bent, open and close them together quickly while lifting hips higher. Really accentuate the top by squeezing glutes. Repeat for 60 seconds for an intense burn.
Butterfly lifts deeply carve every area of your butt, drastically rounding and lifting your rear profile. As you pump them out, imagine your dream tush – you’ll gain inches before you know it. Shoot for 100 reps then increase by 50 each week. Hello, Kardashian caboose!
Mix and Match for Major Gains
While the above moves are booty blasters on their own, mixing them up together into a booty burnout routine amplifies their effects. Follow this formula:
Warm up: Walk 5 mins plus bodyweight squats x 20
Glute activation: Donkey kicks x 15 each side, fire hydrants x 15 each side
Circuit 1:
Goblet squats x 12
Hip thrusters x 15
Jump squats x 20
Circuit 2:
Sumo squats x 15
Butterfly lifts x 100 reps
Curtsy lunge to knee drive x 10 each side
Cool down: Glute stretch x 30 seconds each side
Follow this routine just twice a week and you’ll be stunned by your lifted, supple and shapely new backside that just won’t quit. Ditch the flat butt blues with these dynamite exercises – say buh-bye to a saggy behind and hello to those gorgeous, head-turning curves you’ve always wanted. Life’s too short for a sad, sorry booty – so get squattin’, sister!
