3 Exercises to Build a Better Butt

Does The Average Runner Care About US... Shoe Talk: ASICS GEL-Kayano 22

3 Exercises to Build a Better Butt

This article first appeared on Women’s Running.

Squats and lunges are great for building your glutes, but they can miss your gluteus medius—or the side of the butt. Those muscles are key in the quest for a firmer derriere.

David Kirsch, founder of David Kirsch Wellness Company and author of the upcoming book, David Kirsch’s Ultimate Family Wellness: The No Excuses Program for Diet, Exercise and Lifelong Health (December 2015), has three signature moves that will tighten the side of your tush and lead you to a better butt.

Photo Gallery

1 of {count}

Back to Start

View Larger Image

Sumo Lunge With Side Kick

(1) Stand in a "sumo" position with your feet slightly wider than hip width, knees bent, and your body weight in your heels. (2) Take a large step sideways with your right leg, bringing your right knee in toward your chest and then over to the right in one continuous motion. (3) As soon as your right foot touches the ground, bring your knee back into your chest and complete a side kick, kicking your right heel out to the side into the stomach of an imaginary opponent (or jaw, if that imaginary person is height-compromised). (4) Lower your right leg to the floor into the sumo position. Squat down while sticking your butt out. Keep your knees just above (not in front of) your toes. (5) Spring up while thrusting your arms overhead. Land on your heels, rolling forward onto your toes. Repeat with a sumo lunge and side kick with your left leg and another frog jump. Continue alternating right to left until you have completed 10 lunges on each side and 20 frog jumps.

View Larger Image

Platypus Walk

(1) Grab a medicine ball with both hands and extend your arms overhead. Squat in a sitting position with your knees aligned with your toes and your butt sticking back as far as you can get it. (2) Keep your core tight as you walk forward, pushing off through each heel. If you perform the move correctly, your butt and inner thighs will be on fire. Walk across the room in one direction and then reverse and walk backward. If your room is small, repeat crossing the room one time.

View Larger Image

Bent Left Deadlift

(1) Holding a body bar, dumbbells, medicine ball, or even a broomstick in a pinch, stand with your legs shoulder-width apart. (2) Bend forward, hinging at the waist. Keep your knees soft and back flat. Come back to starting position. (3) Make it easier: If you're feeling shaky, hold the back of a chair or the edge of a table for balance. (4) Make it harder: If you're feeling great, try lifting your alternate leg as you go down.

Related Galleries