The Best Exercise for a Tighter Sexier Butt and Thighs
The answer to your quest for the best buttocks exercise is not in some fancy machine or butt blaster. In fact, most of your best butt exercises are simply done with bodyweight or free weights. I'll cover one of the most effective exercises for tightening the old buttocks in this article.
It's called the single-legged Squat. It's a great exercise for firming both the buttocks and the back of the thighs. Also, because this is a single-legged exercise, it really helps strengthen your ankles and other stabilizer muscles throughout your legs.
Once you get this down and practice this killer butt and thigh exercise regularly, you'll be well on your way to showing off a tighter, sexier butt!
The answer to your quest for the best buttocks exercise is not in some fancy machine or butt blaster. In fact, most of your best butt exercises are simply done with bodyweight or free weights. I'll cover one of the most effective exercises for tightening the old buttocks in this article.
It's called the single-legged Squat. It's a great exercise for firming both the buttocks and the back of the thighs. Also, because this is a single-legged exercise, it really helps strengthen your ankles and other stabilizer muscles throughout your legs.
Once you get this down and practice this killer butt and thigh exercise regularly, you'll be well on your way to showing off a tighter, sexier butt!
Single leg squat exercises
Muscles involved: gluteus, hamstrings, quadriceps and core (back and stomach muscles).
Joint motion: hip extension, knee extension.
Sports applicability: All sports, particularly running.
Conditioning benefits
General.
The single leg squat makes a useful alternative to the barbell squat. Indeed, it could be argued that the emphasis between the two exercises should be the other way round, with the barbell squat being a great alternative to the single leg squat. Even without added weight, the exercise develops real strength. And if weight is added, because this does not have to be supported through the back, there is little danger of back injury (see variation, below)
Sport specific.
This is one of the most effective sport specific resistance conditioning exercises available. Most sport skills are performed with an alternate/independent leg action – running being the obvious example – and the single leg squat develops this independent strength. This will:
* Permit the development of more symmetrical leg strength;
* Integrate the core (abdominal and back muscles) into the movement in a way that is highly complimentary to sport performance. During the execution of many sport skills (as with the single leg squat) the core muscles act to ‘brace’ performers to hold them firm, allowing for the optimum expression of power without wasteful lateral movements;
* Develop balance (because the movement is performed from one leg)
Start position
- Stand straight, with your body weight supported on your right foot, which should be flat on the floor. Tuck your left heel up behind you, with your lower leg roughly parallel to the ground and your left knee aligned with the right. Balance;
- Look straight ahead and don’t arch or curve your back but maintain neutral spine position;
- Keep arms by your sides.
Action
- Flex your knees and hips to ‘drop’ your butt towards the floor. Keep your chest lifted;
- Lower to the point where it becomes difficult to maintain your balance, pause and flex your knees and hips to return to the start position. Make sure you do this in a controlled fashion;
- To prevent knee injury:
* Ensure that your knee hinges in a straight line, with lateral movement kept to a minimum;
* Make sure your knee does not travel beyond your toes when lowering and rising;
* Don’t lock your knee out – ie completely straighten it – at the top of the movement.
Training tips
To aid balance you may ‘dab’ the floor with your unsupported foot. Fixing your gaze straight ahead and really focusing on the dynamics of the exercise will serve a similar purpose. Start with 3 x 10 reps, to a one-up, two-down count, with a one-minute recovery between sets. Once you can perform this number of reps with little wobbling from either leg, you are ready to progress to the following exercise variation.
Variation
Single leg squat with hold. Assume the same starting position as above, but this time lower only to a three quarter squat position (with your upper thigh at an angle of about 45° to the ground). Hold your balance for 10 seconds and then push back up to the starting position. The interim (hopefully!) static position will really focus your mind and muscles on stabilisation, and this will strengthen your muscles and joints in a way that will help to prevent sports injuries as well as improve performance. Perform three sets of 10 reps on each leg, alternating between right and left leg. Once you can perform these two single leg squat exercises with ease, you can add to their difficulty in numerous ways. For example, you could hold a medicine ball on your chest, or over your head, or hold dumbbells by your sides while performing the exercises.
