When asked about one's backside, it was overwhelming the response. Everyone wants to have a better butt. More lifted, toned, tighter, curvier, smoother... what can one do? As a trainer and exercise teacher for many years, I have worked on butt exercises for as long as I can remember. Some are good, and some are really good. The key is doing them and doing them consistently. The exercises that I am putting in this little mini butt workout plan, no pun intended on the mini comment, are all great. You will feel them. You will get results in due time.
Here is what you need:
- A sturdy wall
- A deck of playing cards
- A mat
- An exercise ball
There are 10 exercises. You must do them every other day.
1. Wall Sit -- Grab a sturdy wall. Slide your back down until your knees are parallel to your hips and your knees are directly above your ankles. Watch the clock and stay there for one minute.
2. and 3. Take your cards -- Hold 30 cards in your right hand. Put your feet slightly wider than hip distance apart. Squat down and place one card on the ground in front of your feet in the middle. Do this until the cards are all on the floor. With your left hand, pick one card up at a time. You may not be able to do all the cards at first. Your goal is to make the 30 down and 30 up. Belly button pulled in the whole time, back straight, and put your weight on your heels.
4. Hip Lift -- Lay on the mat on your back with your feet slightly apart. Lift your hips up until you feel a stretch across the top of your thighs. Squeeze your butt cheeks tight. Imagine you have a quarter that you are trying to hold between your crack. I know that's graphic, but that is what my track coach taught me when doing the high jump in high school. By the way, I still hold the record. Lift your hips up and then down 40 times.
5. Ball Hip Lift -- Stay in the same position, remove imaginary quarter, put your heels on top of the ball. Leaving your upper back down, bend the knees and roll the ball in toward your butt. Hips come up and then roll the ball back out until your back is back on the floor. Do this 25 times.
6. and 7. Card Lunges -- Stand tall. Hold 20 cards in your left hand. Step forward into a big lunge forward with your left foot. Bend both knees and lower down and deal one card down with your right hand by the inside of your left foot. Return to the starting position. Do this until all cards are down. Beginners, pick up the cards and do it on the other leg. Intermediate or advanced exercisers, stay on the same leg and repeat by lunging forward and picking up one card at a time. NOW, switch dealing hands and lunging feet.
8. Wall Ball Squats -- On the sturdy wall goes the ball and lean your back right in the middle on the ball. Arms are extended forwarded. Lower your body down in a squat until your knees are just above your hips. Make sure your knees are directly over your ankles, not too far forward. Go down and up 40 times. If you can't get 40, build up to it.
9. On all fours -- On your mat, on your hands and knees. Take your right leg and extend it straight back pointing your toe. Touch the toe down to the floor and then lift up and squeeze the butt cheek. Do this 50 times. Repeat on the other side.
10. Standing butt -- Lean a little forward by flexing at the hips slightly. Take your right leg back and lift up with a straight leg squeezing the butt cheek. Do 25 and repeat on the other side.
So take the Kathy Kaehler Challenge! Do them for two weeks and see the difference -- swimsuit season is upon us... again!
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