THE GOAL: Toning your butt
THE EXPERT: Lee Boyce, fitness writer and strength coach based in Toronto
THE INFO: Chances are you're probably sitting on your behind for most of the day. Our butts often get little movement if we're not working out, so if 2014 is about toning your backside, it starts with what you eat. While many people believe what they eat goes straight to their butts, this theory is actually not accurate. Fitness experts say that while the butt region is considered a trouble area to initially lose fat, limiting processed foods and eating more fruits, vegetables and grains can help you avoid weight gain in that area.
THE MOVES:
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Barbell Romanian Deadlift
Start with a standard deadlift and then stop a few inches short of the ground, and keep straighter legs than you would in a conventional deadlift. Remember to maintain a flat back, with the shoulders pulled back. Perform four sets of 10 reps.
Walking Lunges
Using dumbbells, perform standard walking lunges. Make sure you take long strides, while keeping the emphasis on the glutes and hamstrings pulling you through to the next step. Perform three sets of 20 steps.
Weighted Hip Thrust
Sit down with your upper back positioned against a sturdy bench. Next, place a bar or dumbbell across the hips. With your heels pressed into the floor, thrust the hips upwards to create a "table" with your body, remembering to squeeze the glutes at the same time. Perform three sets of 12 reps.
Barbell Back Squat
Perform a squat while holding a barbell on your shoulders, remembering to press through the heels and aim for full depth. Pull outwards on the bar with your hands in order to maintain the ideal tension through the upper body during the lift. Perform four sets of 10 reps.
Pull-Throughs
Position a cable pulley at the lowest level and attach rope handles. Stand facing away from the machine and straddle the rope and cable so you're holding the handles between your legs. Hinge at the hips and allow the arms to travel through the legs towards the cable stack. Keep a flat back when doing this. Squeeze the glutes and return to the tall standing position. Perform three sets of 12 reps.
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Wide Squat
With feet wider than hip distance apart, turn your toes slightly out. Keep your chest lifted with your belly tight. When lowering towards the ground, open up the hips and angle the knees over the ankles. Hold the squat at the bottom for a count before pushing up slowly back to a standing position. Repeat.
Alternating Lunges With Reach, Step One
Starting with feet together, slowly step the left leg back, taking your left hand across to touch your right toes.
Alternating Lunges With Reach, Step Two
Slowly bring your back leg into starting position and alternate between sides.
Supine Chest Fly
On your back, bring your knees up to 90 degrees, engaging your core. Extend your arms overhead with your palms facing inward, lower the arms down towards the ground, keeping your elbows slightly bent the entire set and exhale as you bring your arms up as if to hug a big bear. Hold your elbows in a slightly flexed position throughout the set.
Staggered Row To Tricep Extension, Step One
Grab a medium set of dumbbells. Starting with your feet together in a closed-legged squat, bring your arms into your body tightly for a row with your palms facing inward and your shoulders drawing down your back. Squeeze your scapula together tight.
Staggered Row To Tricep Extension, Step Two
Step your right leg back as you bring your arms back into extension (which works the triceps). Step the right leg in and row the arms in again.
Staggered Row To Tricep Extension, Step Three
Switch legs to bring your left leg back, bringing your arms into a triceps extension again. Alternate between sides.
Plank Rows, Step One
With medium weights, place your hands directly underneath your shoulders, your feet hip-distance apart in plank pose. Balance on your hands and toes.
Plank Rows, Step Two
With your core engaged, row the arm tightly into the body, drawing your scapula in towards the centre of your back. Stabilize through the body, avoiding hip rotation. Lower the weight to the ground. Alternate between sides.
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Squats
Keep all of your weight in your heels. Keep your knees behind your toes. Hold your shoulders back and keep your core muscles fully engaged.
Lunges
Keep your weight in the forward stepping heel. Dropping the back leg to a 90 degree angle. Keep core muscles fully engaged. Stack shoulders over hips.
Rows
Remain strong in the core. Do not round the back, keep the spine straight. Pull weight up in towards the ribs. Squeeze the shoulder blades together.
Deadlifts
Hold weight in the heels. Keep spine erect. Core muscles fully engaged. Drive through the heels while forcing your shoulders and head straight up
Burpees
Begin standing straight up, bend down and place your hands on either side of your feet. Engage the core and jump both feet back into a push up position. Quickly jump both feet back into place between your hands and jump straight up.
Barbell Romanian Deadlift
Start with a standard deadlift and then stop a few inches short of the ground, and keep straighter legs than you would in a conventional deadlift. Remember to maintain a flat back, with the shoulders pulled back. Perform four sets of 10 reps.
Walking Lunges
Using dumbbells, perform standard walking lunges. Make sure you take long strides, while keeping the emphasis on the glutes and hamstrings pulling you through to the next step. Perform three sets of 20 steps.
Weighted Hip Thrust
Sit down with your upper back positioned against a sturdy bench. Next, place a bar or dumbbell across the hips. With your heels pressed into the floor, thrust the hips upwards to create a "table" with your body, remembering to squeeze the glutes at the same time. Perform three sets of 12 reps.
Barbell Back Squat
Perform a squat while holding a barbell on your shoulders, remembering to press through the heels and aim for full depth. Pull outwards on the bar with your hands in order to maintain the ideal tension through the upper body during the lift. Perform four sets of 10 reps.
Pull-Throughs
Position a cable pulley at the lowest level and attach rope handles. Stand facing away from the machine and straddle the rope and cable so you're holding the handles between your legs. Hinge at the hips and allow the arms to travel through the legs towards the cable stack. Keep a flat back when doing this. Squeeze the glutes and return to the tall standing position. Perform three sets of 12 reps.
Have something that needs fine tuning? Let us know in the comments below.
The new year is the time to take on new challenges, so for the month of January and beyond, The Huffington Post Canada's Living team brings you Fine Tuning: daily workouts, with tips on how to tone up, get healthy and stay fit for the whole year. Each workout will focus on one fitness goal or body part, with our favourite trainers showing you simple ways to get stronger and healthier in less than 45 minutes.
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