Best exercises to tone your glutes. Let’s face it, for most of us no matter how desperately we want a toned mid section, it’s much easier to get perfectly toned glutes. Luckily, there are only a few exercises that you need to do, 2-3 times a week.

BEST EXERCISES TO TONE YOUR GLUTES

Plie and releve. Having taken ballet for so many years, I can absolutely attest to the fact that your glutes get a major workout in class. Try lifting your leg as high as you can and hold it. I guarantee, you’ll start feeling a lot of muscles you didn’t even know existed. The fact is, however, that not everyone loves ballet or wants to take the time to learn it properly. The simplest exercises are easy though, because when it comes down to it, they are just knee bends. Start with your feet set a little wider than hip width apart, toes pointing out to the sides. (Tip. Rock back on your heels and let your toes turn out. Place your feet down and there’s your natural turn out.) Now slowly bend your knees, ensuring that they point over your toes and then straighten your legs, while squeezing your glutes. Now rise up onto the balls of your feet, (keep squeezing those glutes) lower down and repeat. Do this 20x to feel a great burn.

Lunges + walking lunges + explosive lunges. Lunges are great because they not only work out your legs, (summer is just around the corner) but they give your glutes a great workout as well. Walking lunges are a great option because they force you to focus on your core (remember those abs?). Another option in this series are explosive lunges. Basically, you’ll start in a lunge position, push off your front or back foot and come into a balance, hold it for 10 seconds and return to the start. Do 15 reps on each leg. If you need more of a challenge, try standing on an uneven surface with the working leg. Hold weights for an even greater resistance.

Hip lift. This is such a standard in so many fitness routines. Simply start lying on your back, with your knees bent feet hip width apart, feet flat on the floor. Squeeze your glutes and lift them straight off the floor, keeping a straight line with your core. Need to make this more challenging? Simply place your feet on an exercise ball (you can keep your legs straight or bent) and repeat 20x squeezing those glutes. Another option to increase the tension is to place an exercise band over your hips. Hold one end in each hand on the floor.

Downward dog. Not only is this a great stretch, but when you lift one leg toward the ceiling you will also be working your glutes. Add some gentle pulses while aiming your heel to the ceiling for an added burn.

Side leg lifts. There are so many options with this exercise and they are all great. My favourite is, lying on your side (without collapsing into the floor and keeping your abs engaged) point your toes as you lift your leg about a foot into the air and flex your foot as you return to the start position. The idea here is to keep your body and hips as still as possible, only your working leg is moving. Repeat this movement 20x and then keep the leg in the air, do 10 small pulses and return to your starting position. Repeat this 10x. Now (yes we are still on the same leg) lift your leg up again and do tiny circles, 5 one way and 5 the other way. Repeat 10x. This combination is definitely a killer!

So you see, glute exercises are fairly simple to do, you just need to be consistent. If all else fails, stair climbing is another fabulous option.

What are some of your favourite glute workouts?

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