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Love Your Assets- 4 Exercises For a More Toned Tush!

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at VCU chapter.
Whether it’s to fill out your jeans or to look fit, your butt is an important asset to your look. Many women may be self-conscious when it comes to their butt but by doing these simple booty exercises you’ll have a nice, toned, lifted tush in no time!
  • Butt Squeezes: a great warm-up to the other butt exercises
1. Stand with feet slightly apart (4-6 inches) and place hands on hips
2. Lightly thrust your hips forward. At the end of your thrust, squeeze your butt cheeks together. This is one rep.
Do 3 sets of 30 reps.
 
  • Squats: you’ll definitely feel it in your thighs; toned thighs help hold up your firm butt ;]
Variation One:
1. Spread feet a little more than shoulder width apart, feet facing forward with arms out straight across and palms down
2. Slowly squat, making sure your knees don’t go over your toes and you back is straight
3. After coming up from your squat, squeeze butt cheeks together. This is one rep.
3 sets of 15 reps.
 
Variation Two:
Repeat step 1 of Variation One
2. When you squat, take your right leg and place it behind your left (as if you were doing a curtsy).
3. Coming from your curtsy squat, go back to standing position in step 1. This is one rep.
Do 3 sets of 15 reps.
Do the same for your left leg, placing it behind the right, then come back to your original standing position.
 
*To add a level of difficulty, hold a weight (dumbbell or medicine ball) while doing both variations of these squats. The weight may vary based on your personal reference.

 

  • Dead lifts: helps the lower butt
1. Stand with feet slightly apart (4-6 inches) with feet facing forward. Have your arms down and fists touching.
2. Bend over while keeping your back straight and looking forward. Have fists pointing to the ground
3. When coming back up, squeeze your butt cheeks together. This is one rep.
Do 3 sets of 25
 
*To add another level of difficulty, hold a weight (dumbbell or medicine ball) while doing these dead lifts. The weight may vary based on your personal reference.

 
 
  • Butt Bridge: feel the burn!!
Variation One:
1. Lay on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the ground shoulder width part. Place your arms by your side with palms down
2.  Thrust your hips up and squeeze your butt cheeks at the top, keep your head and shoulders on the ground
3.  Lower your hips down but not all the way, about 2 inches from the ground. This is one rep.
Do 3 sets of 25 reps.
 
Variation Two (more advanced): 
1. Lay on your back with your feet flat on the ground, knees bent and touching. Place your arms by your side with palms down. With a straight leg and pointed toe, lift your right leg off the ground but still keep your knees touching
2.Thrust your hips up and squeeze your butt cheeks at the top, keep your head and shoulders on the ground and right leg up
3. Lower your hips down but not all the way, about 2 inches from the ground. This is one rep.
Do the same for the left leg
Do 3 sets of 20 reps.
 
Variation three: 
Repeat steps 1-2 of Variation One
3. Thrust your hips up and squeeze your butt cheeks at the top, keep your head and shoulders on the ground. Hold this position
Do 3 sets for 30 seconds each
 
*You can also do this with the leg position of Variation Two for a more advanced exercise. To add another level of difficulty, place a dumbbell across your lower abdomen level for both variations. If you choose to do this, you may hold the dumbbell to keep it in place.
 
These exercises will help you tone that booty of yours! Start off with the easy variations then move to the advanced ones.  Remember, when exercising in general, drink plenty of water. Also, listen to your body.  If you need a break, take one! Enjoy these butt exercises and have fun!!!
 
Secrets to a Toned Toosh
Many women may be self-conscious when it comes to their butt. By doing these simple booty exercises you’ll have a nice, toned, lifted toosh in no time!
 
Butt Squeezes: a great warm-up to the other butt exercises
1. Stand with feet slightly apart (4-6 inches) and place hands on hips
2. Lightly thrust your hips forward. At the end of your thrust, squeeze your butt cheeks together. This is one rep.
Do 3 sets of 30 reps.
 
Squats: you’ll definitely feel it in your thighs; nice and toned thighs help hold up your firm butt ;]
Variation One:
1. Spread feet a little more than shoulder width apart, feet facing forward with arms out straight across and palms down
2. Slowly squat, making sure your knees don’t go over your toes and you back is straight
3. After coming up from your squat, squeeze butt cheeks together. This is one rep.
3 sets of 15 reps.
Variation Two:
Repeat step 1 of Variation One
2. When you squat, take your right leg and place it behind your left (as if you were doing a curtsy).
3. Coming from your curtsy squat, go back to standing position in step 1. This is one rep.
Do 3 sets of 15 reps.
Do the same for your left leg, placing it behind the right then come back to your original standing position.
*To add a level of difficulty, hold a weight (dumbbell or medicine ball) while doing both variations of these squats. The weight may vary based on your personal reference.
Dead lifts: helps the lower butt
1. Stand with feet slightly apart (4-6 inches) with feet facing forward. Have your arms down and fists touching.
2. Bend over while keeping your back straight and looking forward. Have fists pointing to the ground
3. When coming back up, squeeze your butt cheeks together. This is one rep.
Do 3 sets of 25
*To add another level of difficulty, hold a weight (dumbbell or medicine ball) while doing these dead lifts. The weight may vary based on your personal reference.
 
Butt Bridge: feel the burn!!!
Variation One:
1. Lay on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the ground shoulder width part. Place your arms by your side with palms down
2.  Thrust your hips up and squeeze your butt cheeks at the top, keep your head and shoulders on the ground
3.  Lower your hips down but not all the way, about 2 inches from the ground. This is one rep.
Do 3 sets of 25 reps.
Variation Two (more advanced): 
1. Lay on your back with your feet flat on the ground, knees bent and touching. Place your arms by your side with palms down. With a straight leg and pointed toe, lift your right leg off the ground but still keep your knees touching
2.Thrust your hips up and squeeze your butt cheeks at the top, keep your head and shoulders on the ground and right leg up
3. Lower your hips down but not all the way, about 2 inches from the ground. This is one rep.
Do the same for the left leg
Do 3 sets of 20 reps.
Variation three: 
Repeat steps 1-2 of Variation One
3. Thrust your hips up and squeeze your butt cheeks at the top, keep your head and shoulders on the ground. Hold this position
Do 3 sets for 30 seconds each
*You can also do this with the leg position of Variation Two for a more advanced exercise. To add another level of difficulty, place a dumbbell across your lower abdomen level for both variations. If you choose to do this, you may hold the dumbbell to keep it in place.
 
I hope these exercises help you tone that booty of yours! Start off with the easy variations then move to the advanced ones.  And remember, when exercising in general, drink plenty of water. Also, listen to your body.  If you need a break, take one! Enjoy these butt exercises and have fun!!!
 
Mymy Dinh is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, pursuing a career in pharmacy. Born on January 20, 1992, she is the second oldest out of 5 children. She is also majoring in science with a double minor in chemistry and biology. She enjoys volunteer work, being around her family, organizing desks and rooms, shopping, meeting new people, and traveling.