Why We Need a Strong Booty!

Who’s ready to go over some exercises to help build, tighten and strengthen your buns? BUTT…HaHa.. let’s go over Why we need and not just want a strong backside.
You might be concerned about sculpting a strong booty to fill out your favorite pair of jeans, but there’s so much more to a tight tush than the way your pants fit! Your backside consists of three major muscles: the glute maximum, glute medius, and glute minimus. This important group of muscles extends the hip (pulls the thigh behind you), abducts the hip (your lateral movement to the side), and does internal and external rotation of hip. In short, they’re incredibly important, but they’re often weak and underworked.  This leads to many issues of: low back pain, knee pain, weak core, saggy buns…I could go on and on.

Pain or just Weakness

Next question? Who has had some sort of knee issue, injury or pain and still tries to stubbornly ignore it and continue to do exercise that makes it worse?  ME!!!!!  Haha I will fully admit it.  This very stubborn, I call it determined fit diva has already had full ACL reconstructive surgery years ago and I have now re-injured that ACL ligament to the point where it is now just hanging like a loose rubber band.
In case you were wondering…The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is one of the two ‘crossing’ ligaments within the knee. It attaches to the back of the thigh bone and the shin bone at the front and prevents excessive forward movement of the shin on the thigh bone. It also controls the knee during twisting or rotational movements.
Other knee pain can come from just having weak leg and glute muscles.  Possibly arthritis, which still requires doing strength work for the lower half of your body and or other former issues or injuries.
With this said, squats and lunges are excellent exercises to help build and strengthen your booty and legs, however they may get too painful for knee issues.  AND……
We still need and want to get our booty and legs stronger, tighter and sexier of course.  Is it possible to still work those buns without squats or lunges?????  YES!!!!!!
Lets go over some moves!

Exercises for the Backside

There are many exercise that will help build and tighten your buns without the stress of squats or a lunge.
Here is SECRET #1:
THINK about what you are actually working!!!!   I know! Simple but SO overlooked.  The saying….sound mind sound body really does work.  Any exercises I do, I focus on what I want and what I am really working and how I see that body part!  IT truly helps!
For the following exercises….vision a tighter booty, concentrate and enjoy it!

Circuit Style

Do the following as a circuit.  Meaning, do the following 4 moves in order, rest 30 seconds and then repeat 4-5x  15-20 reps each leg
#1. Weighted hip thrust

This one can be tough to get into but most gyms have barbell racks. Start with 30 lbs to get form.  Shoulders on bench, bar on hip flexers, keep knees in line with hip bones.  Let your booty dip and then raise to the top and squeeze butt 2 seconds.  Also you raise your hips push through your heels to activate your hamstrings and butt muscles even more. Repeat for 15-20 reps  Till you burn!

#2 Single leg dead lift

Another super concentrated move yet SO good for the booty, hamstring and balance.
One leg at a time.  Focus on a spot in front of you.  Bend from the waist with a flat back.  Meaning, boobs out, butt out and tummy in.  As you lift back up, drive the energy through your heels.  2 seconds down and 2 up.  12-15 each leg.  I totally feel my low back burn, but in a good way.  Start with 5-7 lbs weights in each hand.  Work up to 10-15 lbs DB each hand.  You know your body better then anyone else!  So challenge yourself.

#3 Single leg bridge

LOVE this move!!   Keep legs at 90′, keep heel on the edge…press through heel, raise booty to the very top, squeeze butt cheek and then lower ALL the way down.   This move is a must “think about move”  15-20 each side.

#4 MAD DOG  Bella Divas Signature move!

15-20 each side.  Mad dogs are the detail work for your booty.
If you need further explanation or help, contact me and I will go over these moves for you in further detail.

Bottom line

Hope these few moves help you incorporate some new serious booty toning action without knee pain.  There are so many exercises out there, but these are a few of my favorites.  If you need full video, go onto my IG page or FB page…Bella Diva Fitness
Never ever give up on fitness if something is bothering you.  There is ALWAYS a way to re-route!  Us tough divas only know one way……Carry on and kick Bella Bootyyyyy
xoxoxo
Ciao Bellas