Although starting your fitness journey can be intimidating, there are steps to make it easier. My best advice is to grab a friend. If you’re on campus at FSU, head to the Leach Center or the FMC and get a feel for the place. You don’t have to start working out but just get acquainted with the machinery and how others use it. Going with someone you trust will not only alleviate stress and self-doubt but will help motivate each other and make the grueling exercise more doable.
DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF!
A way I combat feeling overwhelmed at the gym is dividing the exercises up: legs on Monday, arms on another, back and biceps on Sunday and so on until you get to the best day of the week: glutes.
Building muscle in my glutes–or more well-known as your butt is probably my favorite pastime since I discovered it. Perfecting my form has taken time and effort but I’m finally ready to share my five most leg-burning exercises that can add perkiness and definition to anyone’s butt.
1. BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUATS
Bulgarian split squats, more casually known as plain “split squats”, are an innovative way of targeting the glutes that also allow you to hold some weight in your hands through dumbbells. Do be warned though, these will light your booty, hamstrings and calves on fire, so start with practicing the movement to get accustomed without weights and then move up the rack as you go.
- For these, I recommend flat shoes that will alow stability (Converse, Vans, any flat shoes).
- Find a weight bench or wooden box nearby that is high enough that when you drop down into the split (as shown in video) your knee of the elevated leg doesn’t touch the ground.
- Make sure with the bent leg, that your ankle/end of your shoe kisses the edge of the bench so you’re able to move.
- Keep your back straight at all times.
2. LEG PRESS
A more popular machine on leg days than others, the leg press is a great way to strengthen your overall legs. It tightens your hamstrings and calves and puts pressure on your glutes to make them more firm and round. They were worrisome for me at first since I was nervous they would crush my body, but taking your time to perfect your technique is a must and will lessen your anxiety.
3. HYPEREXTENSIONS
Glute hyperextensions are a relatively new exercise I’ve added to my routine. Usually found around the dumbbells/stretching zone, this technique can target both your back and glutes. However, today we’ll be focusing on just the glutes. To target your butt muscles, when raising from the bent angle your body is in, squeeze together your glutes to bring you up. Don’t rely on anything else and that’s when you’ll feel the burn.
- Make sure your feet are touching the very back of the footrest and the mat placement comes up to your hips.
- Try finding a low-weight plate (the flat ones the man in the video used) or a dumbbell, holding it vertically so your hands are wrapped around it as you do the exercise.
4. BARBELL HIP THRUSTS
Hip thrusts are truly one of my favorite exercise techniques for glute gains due to their real-time effect on your body. As someone who does not work well with the hip thrust machine, I find that barbell hip thrusts work well for me and don’t bruise my pelvis, given that I use a mat as a cushion.
- Find a wooden box or a bench you can lean your weight on. Make sure it is high enough.
- Place the barbell weight in front of where you’ll be and then sit criss-cross applesauce style to make it easier to get on your lap.
- When lifting the bar, make sure your legs form a 90-degree right angle, like the woman in the video.
5. RDLs
RDLs, also known as Romanian deadlifts, is the final exercise I recommend to get to your ideal butt, as it is truly one of the most effective techniques to gain muscle in your glutes. Proper form is crucial for the movement to target your glutes. If not done right, it could injure your legs or lower back. I find with this exercise that using heavier weights allows more stability as there’s less wiggle room in my hands to mess up the movement.
- Slowly lower the weight down your legs, bending your legs as you go, trying to push your butt in the air as much as you can. Bring the bar down until it reaches half of your legs, and then quickly bring up the weight again to your hips, unbending your knees and straightening your back.
And there you have it, my top five recommended exercises to grow your booty. Nevertheless, to gain muscle, you do have to increase your calorie intake as well as lift weights regularly to maintain them, but we don’t have to talk semantics just yet. Now, go set forth on your fitness journey!
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