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eLearning Series:
Your Most Popular Exercise & Fitness Questions
Learn the right way to get into
shape...
( 50 articles
in this series )
Want
a Toned and Firmer Butt?
Everyone wants to improve his or her rear
views. For some, it’s too flat; for others, too saggy. Still
more people think it’s just too big. The thousands of different
complaints at the back end indicate that the majority of people
dislike the way their buttocks appear. Fortunately the rear
end is one of the easiest muscles to firm up and will respond
to exercise very quickly, usually within three weeks. Shaping
up the buttocks is not just about looks – a strong and toned
rear end can make your daily tasks easier as well as increasing
your calorie burn during cardiovascular exercise. The muscles
in the buttocks are used to walking, sitting, standing, and
many more movements. When your backside is powerful and well-developed,
you will be able to move better through the day since your
muscles can respond to your body’s needs better than ever before.
The
muscles in the buttocks are actually considered part of
the lower back. A group of muscles known as the gluteals, provide
support and play important roles in development of both the
legs and the torso. The largest one, the gluteus maximus, lies
on the backside of the hip on each side of the body and makes
it possible to extend and move the thighs outward. Just in
front of the gluteus maximus are the gluteus minimus and medius,
which enable the thigh to turn outward. The delicate and complex
relationship between the gluteal group of muscles and the rest
of the body allows you to squat, raise your body back up, step
to the side, and perform dozens of other common daily actions.
When your gluteal muscles are strong and fit, they can do a
much better job of supporting your body throughout your challenging
days.
Before you embark on a program to build a better butt, it’s
important to assess your attitude. Do you consider your back
end to be a nuisance because of its shape? What are your reasons
for changing it? While most Western cultures place some measure
of sexual appeal on the shape, size and firmness of buttocks,
your goal should be to appreciate what you have regardless
of condition. Without being aware of it, your buttocks are
working for you every moment, even when you’re sitting, to
keep your body centered and balanced. Work to change your butt
because you want the strongest, healthiest body you can have.
If your butt fills out your jeans better than ever, that’s
great, but let the change be for the sake of your body.
In
terms of reshaping your buttocks, this can be one of the
fastest and most rewarding fitness goals. If you are overweight,
you will still see results but be aware that burning calories
through aerobic exercise will reveal more of your newly firm
buttocks. Because the muscle group is so large and is used
almost constantly, it responds quickly to conditioning exercises.
Most people see a difference within three weeks and many actually
feel the difference in a matter of days. The exercises below
are all wonderful for firming and strengthening the gluteal
muscles, and should be done in 3 sets of 25 repetitions. Be
sure to maintain good posture with your back straight and shoulders
back. Work on your gluteal muscles three to four times a week
and you will be amazed and pleasantly surprised at the fast
response and amazing muscle tone that quickly becomes evident.
Squats: Prepare for squats by standing about six inches in
front of a straight-back chair with your feet slightly wider
than shoulder-width apart. You may want to put your hands on
your hips or raise them in front as you squat. Begin to slowly
lower your body backwards as though you were going to sit down
in the chair. When you feel your buttocks just barely touch,
slowly stand up.
It is vital to maintain excellent posture during squats to
get the maximum benefit from the movement. Use your heels as
the primary weight-bearers and imagine yourself pushing down
through the heels to the floor. Because the gluteus maximus
is so large, it requires plenty of calories to fuel its movement.
Incorporating squats into an aerobic exercise is a powerful
way to torch even more calories.
Leg
Press: Use the leg press machine at the gym for this exercise.
If the machine is weight-based, adjust the weights to the appropriate
level. If it is hydraulic-based, simply sit down and position
your feet. You should place your body in the seat so that you
are sitting up with good posture. Your legs should reach the
pressing platform without stretching or feeling uncomfortable.
Place the entire soles of both feet against the platform and
slowly push away. When you have extended your legs almost fully,
slowly allow the weight to push your legs back.
Performing this exercise slowly is the key to building up
strength. Be sure to avoid using only the balls of your feet
since that builds the calf muscles rather than the buttocks
and thighs.
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SolveYourProblem.com : 2005
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