ShareIf you’re looking to tone and tighten your backside…
…then today I’ve got 7 easy exercises to help get that shapely, sculpted look.
You see, not everyone was genetically blessed with a round, shapely backside like Jessica Biel… but that doesn’t mean you can’t get the same sexy shape!
But forget doing endless squats and lunges. After all…
Using my simple three step formula, you can hit every muscle group and tighten your backside with my sequence of targeted exercises. I’ll show you exactly how at the end of this article.
Activate – Strengthen – Fatigue
Why is this so effective?
Without activation, you simply cannot strengthen a muscle to it’s full potential. By performing a simple activation exercise, you’re getting more nerves firing to the muscle. And the more nerves firing – the more muscle activation. Boom!
Simple, right?
That’s why so many people struggle to get a firm, toned backside.
They spend all day sitting (like 8-12 hours) – which by the way, is no good for shaping your backside… In fact, it instantly switches your glute muscles off and tightens your hip flexors…
Even worse, most people only do squats and lunges for hundreds and hundred of reps which only make this imbalance worse…
So if you want to effectively work your glutes, you need to get those muscles activated and firing first. And work all three major gluteal muscles (gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus), not just squats and lunges.
Now we’ve got that out of the way, here are 7 exercises you can use to shape and tone your backside in half the time…
1. Glute Bridge March
This is hands down the best way to get your glute muscles firing. I recommend you do this exercise (or a variation of it) as part of your warm up for every single workout. Not just on your leg day. Why?
This movement is the opposite of what you’re doing while sitting at your desk all day. And it “wakes up” the muscles in your backside.
Too easy? Try weighted hip thrusters. Place your upper back on a bench, a barbell across your hips and do a glute bridge. See, it’s fun right?!
2. Kettlebell Swing
If you asked me to pick just one sexy butt building exercise that burns fat at the same time – this would be it!
Why?
While it’s a super efficient total body exercise that speeds up fat burning and improves your aerobic conditioning, the powerhouse behind the move is your glute and hamstrings (posterior chain). Again, it’s the opposite movement to sitting all day at your desk.
Problem is, most people struggle to nail down the correct technique. And end up with a sore back.
If you make sure you activate your glutes first with a glute bridge… you’ll find it easier to initiate the movement and power from your hips and glutes.
Plus, you can practice the HardStyle plank to activate your lats (big powerful muscle in your lower back).
Here’s how to do the Kettlbell Swing for a shapelier backside… (Click the image to enlarge it!)
3. Lateral Lunge on Sliders (or Towel)
Forget the inner/outer thigh machine at the gym… while this exercise is simple, here’s a warning – you’ll feel it tomorrow.
The best part? You hit every muscle in your lower body…
But why use sliders or a towel? Great question!
You increase the tension in the muscles of both legs… so you’ll get faster, sexy results. Just try it ok… you’ll see what I’m talking about!
4. Romanian Deadlift (RDL)
Sounds scary, right? No need to be afraid, ok. 
Why do I prefer the RDL over all the possible deadlifitng variations that train the same hip hinge movement pattern?
Simple. It works your glutes and hamstrings more than a traditional Deadlift, because your quads don’t contribute as much. You’ll also improve your hip hinge movement pattern – which is very important for everyone to master!
But be careful not to round your lower back. It’s the most common mistake I see peeps make… and there’s no need to bend all the way down until the weight touches the ground. That’s a huge no-no!
5. Single Leg RDL to Curtsy Squat
You know I’m a huge fan of the curtsy squat, and I’ve raved on about it at length in this previous post.
But what’s even better you ask?
This hybrid exercise I created! (that’s why you won’t find it in any magazine… yet!)
Here’s why it rocks:
This move not only targets all three muscles in your glutes, hamstrings and abs (indirectly) it’s great for challenging single leg and hip stability – perfect if you’re a runner.
And by doing the Single Leg RDL first, you’re pre-exhausting your glute maximus and hamstring… so when you immediately follow up with the curtsy squat, you’ll have greater engagement of your glute medius (outer glute muscle)
Remember, it’s all about quality of the movement. Don’t rush the reps. Take your time, and focus on squeezing the muscles you’re working.
6. Pistol Squats (Single Leg Squats)
It’s considered the ultimate lower body exercise that hits every muscle fiber in your legs…
And maybe that’s one reason this exercise is not as popular as it should be: it’s just plain tough.
If you can’t do a full bodyweight pistol squat just yet, regress the move by using a TRX or suspension trainer. Or you can try using a box or bench for guidance. Take a look at this video demo here for help with correct form.
7. Step Ups
This is a simple exercise – but one of the best for getting a sexy backside. And the higher the step, the greater glute activation you’ll get.
You may have seen plenty of variations, so here’s how to do it and get the most bang for your buck:
Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them at arm’s length at your sides. Stand in front of a bench or step and place your left foot firmly on the step, high enough that your knee is bent 90 degrees.
(A) Drive your weight through your right heel as you step up – and make sure squeeze your butt extra hard to maximize the muscle involvement. Push your body up until your right leg is straight and you’re standing on one leg on the bench, keeping your left foot off the step.
Note: You shouldn’t feel pain in your knees. If you do, check you’re not driving weight through your toes. And concentrate on stepping straight up – not up and forward. The way I like to think of it? Imagine you’re in an elevator, not an escalator.
(B) Lower down until your left foot lightly touches the floor. Keep your right leg on the step the entire time – and keep the muscles engaged. You’ll feel burning in your butt and thighs… and that just means you’re doing it right! Do 8-12 reps on each leg.
As a sexy bonus, this move will help you climb stairs like a ninja
There we have it! The top 7 moves for a shapelier backside…
Now I bet you’re wondering how many reps/sets for each move… good question!
How to Use my 3-Step Formula to Tone and Tighten Your Backside
Here’s a sample workout you can try…
(A) Activation:
Glute Bridge Variation x 15-20 reps
(B) Strengthen:
Single Leg Squat or Single Leg RDL to Curtsy Squat x 8-10 reps each leg
(C) Fatigue:
Kettlebell Swing or Step Ups x 30-45 seconds.
No rest between the moves. Repeat the circuit for 3 rounds total
Add this simple targeted circuit into your program 2-3 times per week to tone and tighten up your backside.
Speaking of exercise routines, if you’d like a step-by-step program to tighten and tone your backside without lifting a single weight, then check out the 14 Day Better Butt Challenge at this link here:
==> Take the 14 Day Better Butt Challenge
Your Coach,
Kate Vidulich
Exercise Physiologist
