First off, guys--this one is for you too! Both genders can (and in my opinion, should) build a Squat Booty!
Second, Squats are one of the most traditional, common weightlifting exercises known to mankind, but myself and many, many others in the fitness world would advocate that there are actually better exercises to target and develop a squat booty, than the squat itself.
Third, realize that some people are genetically pre-disposed to have a certain body type. However, genetics is just the starting platform. Almost anyone can develop the body they want with effort, patience, and consistency.
These are all exercises that are very effective at building muscle (or as women prefer to call it, "getting toned") to develop, tighten, and harden the glute muscles in your ass, your hamstrings (back part of your thigh), and also secondarily, your quadriceps (front of your thigh).
1. Butt lifts / Glute raises / Hip Thrusts (there's several names)
This exercise directly targets your glutes. You can do this with just your body weight (as seen in the picture), or you can hold a light curl barbell laying across your hips for additional resistance. Lay your arms out so you can focus on contracting and squeezing your ass at the top part of the movement, then go back down and up for another rep. Most people would go to the back corner of the gym, the ab workout area since the movement can definitely... garner attention.
2. Sumo Deadlift
This lift will really hit several muscle groups throughout your lower body. Stand as wide as you comfortably can, shoulder width grip and focus on a good, clean movement all the way up.
3. Glute kickbacks / Glute extensions
This exercise can be performed with your body weight, with an ankle cable attachment, or on a dedicated glute kickback machine if there is one at your local gym. Similar to the glute raises, focus on stabilizing your body so that your glutes and hamstrings will be doing all the work, contracting your targeted muscle group at the very peak of the repetition movement.
4. Lunges
If you want to use a barbell over your shoulders, you can, but I don't recommend it. Holding dumbbells at your sides, as seen in the picture, is much safer. You can do this standing, alternating leg advances, or you can slowly walk if your gym allows for it. There are two ways to do lunges. 1) a larger stride will target your entire leg muscle groups holistically and glutes, or 2) a small stride will focus primarily on the quads. So for the purpose of this MyTake, we want to do larger strides.
5. Wide stance squat
Lastly, of course we have to include the revered Squat. Squats are such a fundamental exercise because the weight is at a higher placement than literally any other lift, which requires your entire body to support the weight and your entire lower body to lift the weight. One trick here, to engage your glutes better, is to have just a little bit wider of a stance than you otherwise would. Stand in the squat rack like you are used to, shoulder width apart. and then move each foot just a little bit wider than you are used to. If you are unsure of your stance, practice the feel of the movement with very light weight.
Lastly, the form in the Squat movement is something I want to point out. Squats can really hurt you if you aren't careful. Look at the gif here, notice how her back is not arching, she is facing forward, and her head is totally aligned with her feet. This is perfect form. With one exception being, with her doing body weight squats here, it requires her to lift the heels of her feet up, you definitely do not want to do that with a weighted barbell on your shoulders, so make sure to push UP with your heels flat on the floor at all times.
Please comment if you like. The beautiful thing about fitness is there isn't one right exercise or one right workout program. There's gobs of exercises I've left out. If you have a favorite, feel free to share! :)
NOW GO KICK ASS!!!!!!!!!
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