​How To Work ALL The Muscles Of Your Butt

​These easy exercises sculpt your rear and help prevent low back pain—double whammy!

By Brook Benten Jimenez, ACSM-certified Exercise Physiologist, Prevention

The muscles in your butt not only give your backside definition, but they also support your body’s frame. If your glutes are not as strong as they should be, there's a good chance you're experiencing nagging aches and pains elsewhere in your body. (Dealing with sciatica? These 6 yoga poses can help ease your pain.)

Sometimes, pain in the lower back is caused by weak gluteus medius muscles, located on the side of your rear. Immobile hips are usually to blame for this weakness. The skinny of it is this: You need to do moves that abduct the leg (or take it away from the body), or else you will have tight hips and weak gluteus medius muscles.

Tone your core and butt with the marching bridge:

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The more robust middle part of your butt is the gluteus maximus. If this powerhouse is weak, you will have trouble doing everyday tasks, like lifting from seated to standing and climbing stairs. From both a fitness and function standpoint, you need to be doing exercises that work ALL the muscles of your butt (the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius, as well as the gluteus minimus). Here are two that do just that!



1

Kick Backs

If there's one exercise that fires up the gluteus maximus (biggest guy in the big house), it’s a kick back! This move engages the middle-butt and low back. It is done on “all 4s,” so it’s also easy on the knees. (Try these 4 moves you can do on all 4s to sculpt your upper body.)

1. Assume quadruped (all 4s) position on a mat or cushioned floor by placing your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
2. Extend your right knee and hip to even your right leg with your torso. Be sure your foot is flexed and your neck is neutral by looking down towards the ground. Hold momentarily. Return to starting position.
3. Repeat 12 times on the right leg. Switch and repeat 12 times on the left leg.

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2

Hydrants

We call it like we see it, hence the name of this move. It's a fantastic way to strengthen the gluteus medius and minimus (the little helpers in the big house). These side muscles in your rear end will never be as powerful as the larger “middle” butt muscles, but their strength is paramount for keeping your lower back happy and your entire booty toned. This move will make your hips more limber while firing up the side-butt muscles. (Here are 3 stretches that also help with tight hips.)

1. Assume quadruped position on a mat or cushioned floor by placing your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
2. Abduct your right knee to the right side while keeping your knee bent. Raise until the leg is at or nearly at hip height. Hold momentarily. Return to starting position.
3. Repeat 12 times on the right leg. Switch and repeat 12 times on the left leg.

Do these moves two times a day, twice a week, for a toned tush and more functional body!