Seven moves for a better behind

The best exercises from kickboxing to yoga!

By Michele Meyer for Lifetime Television


Nobody — OK, except maybe J.Lo — actually adores her derriere. It's just one of those tough-to-love spots, partly because, as women, we're naturally predisposed to collecting fat cells there. And even if your butt is bootylicious, you may still feel insecure about it, because at the end of the day, it's hard for you to see. If you want to start feeling better about your butt, the best thing you can do is take a proactive approach and start sculpting it. Drawing on moves used in Pilates, kickboxing, weight lifting, yoga, step aerobics, water ballet and Swiss ball, we've come up with an unbeatable program for whipping your gluteus maximus into shape:



Pilates: Leg beats
Pilates instructor Linda Farrell says nothing lifts the butt like this fierce floor exercise. Lie facedown with your palms on the floor, bending your arms so your elbows point out to the sides and your fingertips touch. Rest your forehead on the backs of your hands. Keeping your stomach pulled in tight, inhale and squeeze both your stomach and butt muscles to slowly lift both legs a few inches off the floor. With your shoulders relaxed and legs straight, rotate raised legs so knees and toes point outward to the sides and heels turn in; focus on squeezing your thighs together. Then return to the starting position. Quickly repeat this rotation 25 times. Once you're done, stretch your back by moving into yoga's Child's Pose: Bring your knees under your chest, so your derriere sits on your heels, your forehead rests on the floor, your arms are next to your sides and resting on the floor, and your hands are on the floor next to your feet.



Kickboxing: Slo-mo side kick
Stand an arm's length away from and perpendicular to a wall, with your left shoulder facing the wall. Place your left hand on the wall for balance. Bend your right knee and raise it to hip level. Keep your left leg straight, with your knee and hip aligned above your feet. Kick your raised leg out to the right side in a slow and controlled manner. Keep your right leg parallel to the floor at hip level with your foot flexed for a count of four. Return to the starting position. Do eight to 10 repetitions; switch sides. Do one to three sets. This really works the glutes in both your standing and raised legs, says Keli Roberts, author of 'Stronger Legs and Lower Body.'



Weight lifting: Debutante lunges
This move 'is almost like a curtsy,' says Wendy Winkelman, head personal trainer at The Aspen Club in Aspen, Colorado. Stand with your feet together. Take a 12-inch step to the right and stretch your left leg behind you and as far to the right as possible, keeping it straight. Bend your right knee, going no deeper than 90 degrees, while keeping your upper body upright with your shoulders over your hips. Return to the starting position and repeat 10 times. Then switch to the other side.



Yoga: Warrior one
'This deep-lunge move helps your glutes develop endurance in addition to making them longer and more dancer-like,' says Roberts. Start by standing with your feet together; then take a large step forward with your right foot. Point your left foot forward at a 45-degree angle. Bend your right knee until your thigh is parallel to the floor; make sure your knee doesn't extend beyond your toes. Keep your left leg straight and shift your weight to the outer edge of the back foot. Reach both arms to the ceiling, keeping them parallel and gazing forward. Hold this pose for a minute while breathing deeply and slowly. Return to the standing position. Alternate legs and repeat this pose two to three times on both sides.



Step aerobics: Marching jump
Place your right foot on a step, keeping your left foot on the floor; both feet should face forward. Your back should be erect but not arched. Exhale, and in one brisk motion, raise your left leg, bringing the knee to hip level, and straighten the right leg. Then lower your left foot onto the step, next to your right foot. Once you're accustomed to the move, add a small hop to the upward movement, making sure your knee does not come higher than your hip. Repeat 10 times on each side. 'The more you use the leg on the step and the less you push off the leg on the floor, the more you will be working the butt,' says John White, director of movement and aquatic therapy at Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona.



Water ballet: Arabesque
Stand in waist-deep water near the side of a pool. Place your left hand on the pool rim. With legs straight, heels together and toes pointing out at a 45-degree angle, lift your right leg behind you approximately 10 inches, keeping your knee rotated out to the side, toes pointed and hips level. Squeeze abdominal muscles in to prevent arching your lower back. Repeat 10 to 20 times and switch to the other leg. 'The more you can turn out the leg as it goes back behind you, the better,' says White.



Swiss ball: Bridge
Sit on a 55-centimeter exercise ball (hips should be at knee level). Walk your feet forward until you're leaning back on the ball with your shoulders and head resting on it, your knees bent at a 90-degree angle and your feet flat on the floor. Drop your arms to the sides, with your fingertips touching the floor — or, for a more intense workout, cross them on your chest. Slowly lift your hips so they're in line with your shoulders and knees, creating a flat, table-like surface. Keep feet flat. Hold for a count of four and then slowly lower your hips. Repeat eight to 12 times. 'Because of the unstable nature of the ball, the glutes have to work overtime to hold the hips up and stabilize the body and the ball,' says Roberts.

Re: Seven moves for a better behind

what a great list!! can't wait to add these to my workout!

Re: Seven moves for a better behind

Thanks for the list!!! Sounds great!