As the biggest muscles in the human body, your glutes or butt muscles are essential to building core strength. Your glutes and hips region connects your upper body to your lower body and your butt muscles must be strong enough to absorb heavy loads. When you lift something heavy, if your butt is not turned on neurologically, the load will transfer to the next nearest muscles, which in this case is your lower back or hamstrings.
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1. One Leg Bench Bridge The one leg bridge is an essential warm up technique designed to fire up your glutes. START First, sit on the floor and lean up against a bench with your arms spanning comfortably across the top, as show in the picture. Next, lift your left foot off the ground. ACTION To begin, as you press your heel into the ground, drive your butt towards the ceiling and go as high as you can. If your heel comes up, you can force it down by pointing your toes into the air. Perform 10 times on each side. Scroll over the image to see the top position. After you perform a set or two of one leg bridges, progress to a barbell bench bridge to advance the exercise. |
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2. Barbell Bench Bridge Barbell bench bridges are one of the best butt-targeting exercises. Women can start with 30 to 40 pounds and keep increasing the weight to 60 pounds or more until you can perform 20 repetitions with good form. START Sit against a bench with a folded exercise mat under your butt. Next, place a padded barbell across your belt-line. Its easier if you have a partner help you get the barbell across your lab. ACTION To begin, while driving off your heels, press your butt high into the air so that your back is in a straight line with your thighs. |
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3. Deadlifts To get into position, hinge your hips back, lower your rear end, and grab a barbell tightly with both hands. One hand should grip the bar the opposite way. Retract your shoulder blades, slightly arch your back, tighten your abs, squeeze your butt, and stand up. Use every muscle in your body. Perform 6 to 10 times. Reverse your grip the other way halfway through the repetitions. Barbell deadlifts are an advanced exercise and many people lack the proper mobility to get into the starting position. I recommend you hire a Core Trainer or visit www.corediets.com to view instructional videos. Otherwise, you can hurt your lower back ACTION Squeeze the bar, lock your shoulder blades in place, and then stand up. Basically, your butt should be making a backwards and forwards motion as well as absorbing most of the weight. Perform 5 to 10 repetitions depending on how heavy the weight is. |
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4. Deep Squats A Core Squat involves the addition of any kind of front loaded weight, such as a set of dumbbells dumbbells, a kettlebell or a barbell. START To begin, grab two dumbbells and stand with your feet shoulder width apart and feet facing forward. Next, hold the dumbbells in the air as shown in the picture. Do not rest the dumbbells on your shoulders. ACTION Sit back as if you are going to sit down on a chair. Your knees should stay where they are and your butt should hinge wards. Keep your chest up the whole time to make sure your chest does not collapse forward. Perform for 10 repetitions. Women can start with 12 to 15 pounds in each hand and men can use 20 pounds or more. If you have a problem collapsing forward during a squat, you can try placing two 10 pound weights under your heels. |
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5. Barbell Bridges A reverse lunge can also be performed holding a kettlebell, medicine ball or you can hold a barbell over your head. START Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a set of dumbbells in front of your body. Scroll your mouse over the image to see the starting and finishing position. ACTION Take a deep step backwards and then attempt to kneel on the rear knee. Go down to the point in which your front thigh is parallel with the floor. Next, press off your front heel to return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side. Alternate back and forth until you’ve completed 10 repetitions each side. |
