Want a better booty? Just about anyone who know fitness (including us) will tell you the squat is where it’s at. And it’s true; the cross-functional movement that mimics sitting back into an imaginary chair and standing up again, either with just body weight or added dumbbells, barbells and the like, can do amazing things for your backside and your stems.
But what if you have knee or lower back problems that prevent you from squatting without pain? Or maybe you squat all the time, and you’re kind of over it. How’s a girls supposed to get a sculpted lower half?
Fret not! We’ve got you covered. Even though squatting kicks some serious booty, it’s certainly not the only the only exercise out there that targets the lower zone. Next time you’ve got a leg day planned, give the following a try to see results sans squats.
Dumbbell RDLs: Also known as Romanian deadlifts, RDLs are an amazing exercise to target the butt and hamstrings. To do, hold two dumbbells in front of your body with your palms facing you. With feet about hip-width distance apart, bend from the waist and slowly lower the weights toward floor, keeping your back straight and a slight curve in your lower lumbar. When you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, squeeze your glute muscles to come up to an almost-standing position, where your body is angled at about 45-degrees.
Single Leg Deadlifts: Get ready to feel the booty burn with this bodyweight exercise. Stand with feet hip-width distance apart, and knees slightly bent. Extend your right leg behind you, so that the leg is straight and your toe is rested on the floor. Place both hands on your hips or in front of your body. With a flat back, bend forward at the waist, so that your upper body is parallel with the floor and your back extended leg lifts from the floor. Return to the starting position to complete one rep on one leg.
Frog Lifts: Frogs maybe be little, but they’re legs are strong. Mimic their strength with the intense exercise. On a mat, lie facedown and open your bent knees to each side. Flex your feet and press your heels together, and stack your hands in front of your so that you can lower your forehead on top. With heels together, squeeze your butt and raise your thighs off the ground. Hold and squeeze for one count before lowering back to the starting position.
Wall Bridges: Up the intensity on a standard glute bridge by taking your feet up the wall. Lie on the floor with your butt at the corner of where the wall and floor meet, and your arms extended palm-side down at your sides. Place the soles of your feet on the wall, with your knees bent. Squeeze the glutes to lift your butt, hips, and lower back up and off the floor. Slowly lower back to the starting position to complete one rep.
Glute Kicks: End strong for a strong end with an exercise that kicks up the bun-burning heat. Upon a mat, lower to all fours, with your hands below your shoulders and your knees below your hips. Find balance in your hands and left leg as you lift the right leg behind you, so that your thigh is parallel with the floor and your leg is bent with the sole of your foot toward the ceiling. Squeeze your glute muscles together and pulse the bottom of your foot up and down in small movements. You really won’t be moving your leg that much, as the pulses help to keep the intensity on the muscle.
Sample Workout
Complete the following exercises in a circuit-style routine, doing three rounds total, with 30 seconds of rest between each exercise, and one-minute rest between each round.
Dumbbell RDLs, 60 seconds
Rest, 30 seconds
Single Leg Deadlift, Left, 60 seconds
Rest, 30 seconds
Single Leg Deadlift, Right, 60 seconds
Rest, 30 seconds
Frog Lifts (first set of two), 60 seconds
Rest, 30 seconds
Wall Bridge, 60 seconds
Rest, 30 seconds
Glute Kicks, Left, 60 seconds
Rest, 30 seconds
Glute Kicks, Right, 60 seconds
Rest, 60 seconds
Carrie Anton is a freelance writer focusing on health, fitness, and sports. She's been published in Self, Women's Health, Oxygen, and Maximum Fitness.
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