9 Great Butt-Toning Exercises

9 Great Butt-Toning Exercises

The ten following exercises are excellent for toning your butt. As you do them, pay attention to form because the quality of an exercise is much more important than the number of reps.

Hip-Lift Progression

This is a great way of alleviating tension in your lower back while working your butt. It is recommended to use a pillow to cushion the tailbone.

How To:
1. Lie down on your back.
2. Place your arms by your sides, bend your knees, and keep your feet on the floor.
3. Lift your hips towards the ceiling.
4. Hold to the count of one, and then lower your hips again.
5. Repeat this exercise for 60 seconds and make sure that you squeeze your glutes and your hamstrings during each lift of the hips.

Note: Do not over arch your spine on the hip lift.

Toe Taps

This exercise works the lower part of your butt.

How To:

1. Lie down on the floor.
2. Place your arms by your sides.
3. Lift your feet up until your knees are at a 90° angle and your thighs are perpendicular to the floor.
4. Lower one of your feet and tap the floor with your toes.
5. Repeat the exercise with your other foot.
6. Do this for one consecutive minute.

Single-Leg Front Raises

This exercise improves your balance, stretches your thighs, and tightens the glutes.

How To:

1. Stand up and place your feet a hip width apart.
2. Grip a 5lb dumbbell in each hand.
3. Bend your right leg and lift it three inches above the floor.
4. Extend both of your arms in front of you: keep them at the same height as your chest and ensure that your palms are facing down.
5. Make sure that your arms remain straight as you raise one arm above your head, hold it there for three counts, and bring it back to your chest level.
6. Repeat the exercise four times per arm.
7. Then, repeat the exercise with your left leg.
8. Do 8 reps per leg.

Squat With Kick-Back

This exercise will tone your quads and butt muscles.

How To:

1. Stand up, keeping your legs as wide apart as your shoulders.
2. Perform a squat and move your fists close to your chin.
3. Next, lift your left leg up straight behind you.
4. At the same time, extend both arms forward.
5. Repeat the squat.
6. Repeat the exercise with your right leg.
7. Keep switching sides for one minute.

Warrior III

This yoga pose not only works the butt muscles, but also tones the legs and works the core.

How To:

1. Stand with feet together.
2. Lift the left leg with a pointed toe and place your body weight on the right leg.
3. As you lift your leg, drop your head and torso so they form a straight line (horizontally) from head to toe, while keeping the arms at your sides.
4. Keep the back as straight as possible, and align the left thigh, hip, and toes.
5. Keep looking down and hold the position for 5 breaths.
6. Slowly return to standing.

Note: The perfect posture for this pose will literally turn your body into a “T”

Dumbbell Squats

These squats work your lower back, thighs, glutes, hamstrings, and calves.

How To:

1. Keep your feet shoulder width apart.
2. Hold dumbbells weighing between 8 and 10 lbs in your hands, by your thighs.
3. Squat and ensure that your weight remains above your heels.
4. Squeeze your glutes and go back to the start position.
5. Repeat 20 times.

Plie

Plies are simple and very effective for toning your butt.

How To:

1. Stand with your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing outwards. Stretch your arms out straight in front of you and squat as low as possible without letting your knees go past your toes.
2. Hold for 40 seconds.
3. Go back to the start position.
4. Repeat 20 times.

Lunge

Lunges really stretch your glutes. Practice this move slowly to perfect form.

How To:

1. Stand with your feet together.
2. Place your hands on your hips.
3. Lunge forward using your right leg.
4. While you are doing this, ensure that your front knee is bent at 90° and that it aligns with your ankle.
5. Repeat 20 times.

Clam Dig With Spin

This exercise tones your butt, obliques and shoulders.

How To:

1. Lie on your right side and rest your head in your right palm.
2. Bend your knees in front of you at a 45° angle.
3. Using your left hand, hold a dumbbell weighing between 5 and 8 lbs.
4. Rest your left elbow on your left side.
5. Lift your left leg and your left arm towards the ceiling, at an angle of about 90°.
6. Keep your hips steady and do not dig into your side with your elbow.
7. Hold the position for 2 seconds at least.
8. Go back to the start position and repeat.

Repeat 10 times per side.