How to avoid a flat butt??!!

K

kimhasbargen

New Member
Greetings! I've been blessed by this website since I found out I was pregnant (my son is now 4 months old) but this is my first post - a little intimidated maybe by all you "die hards"!!!:) I was so encouraged by everyone though. I have finally gotten down to my pre-preg weight and I'm so excited about that!! (I'm 5' 6'' size 8 - I still want to go down a bit more.)
I am wondering if you can control the shape of your butt by exercise, or if the basic shape is genetic. I see so many thin women who have "flatt" butts, and I think that is soooo unattractive! I want to do exercises that will make my butt round, not flat... but I don't want any chunks up by the hips in the back. (I'm not sure how to describe that!!) What do you suggest? The only videos I have of Cathe's right now are IMAX2 and Cardio & Weights. I love them both!!! I'm a "step-fanatic" and always had to add extra stuff into the videos I did until I found CATHE!! More aren't in the budget (YET!) so I'll need to work with what I have and add other exercises in if needed.
I sure appeciate any input. Thanks ahead of time!
 
Hi Kimberly,

Congratulations on your new baby and on deciding to post! No need to be intimidated at all. Many are super-advanced exercisers, others are just starting out- we all come in many shapes and sizes lol!

I think I understand what you are saying about "chunks up by the hips." A kind of shelf-butt? Butts are all the rage today, it seems. If anyone caught Extreme Makeover tonight, you saw the woman getting the "Brazilian Butt Lift."

Not to be overly personal, but I must ask, do you have what you consider a non-flat butt already? I'm wondering if you are looking to build up a flat tush or to avoid losing any of a round one.

I think stepping is a great cardio exercise and can also help tone your legs and butt. Weights are great as well because they can really change the shape of your body. I unfortunately do not have IMAX2 or Cardio & Weights, so I can't offer any advice on tweaking those to fit your goals.

In my opinion, some women are genetically prone to flat butts. These women may be able to build up the muscles with weight training. For others, a flat butt might be the result of a lot of weight loss. We all seem to be apt to lose weight, or at least to notice weight loss, in specific areas. In the case of weight loss, I also think weight training is important, because you don't want to lose pounds of muscle as you are losing fat.

I hope you get some more insightful responses. In the meantime, you may want to search the boards for butts.

Good luck and welcome!

Gina

:D
 
Kimberly,

Welcome to the Forum.

I have a pretty flat butt due to my genetics. However, I have made it much more round and fuller by doing lower body weightlifting as heavy as possible. I find the exercises that help most are: traditional squats, all kinds of lunges (static, forward, reverse, walking, and leaping lunges, etc.), stepups, and the floor exercise where you are on all fours and lift your leg up behind you with an ankle weight.

Pyramid Lower Body gave me some very nice results. PLB incorporates many of the moves I mentioned.

Good Luck!
 
Got rid of mine!

It is VERY possible to change the shape of your body using exercise! I am a former "flat butter" and I got rid of the flat butt with exercise. I used to be overweight and after I lost a big chunk of weight, I noticed that I had a flat rear end! When I thought about it, even when I was heavy, I had a flat butt. I used the Firm and Cathe and at some point, I noticed that I had "cheeks!" I attribute it to the floor work and tall box climbs and squats, personally, but I may not be absolutely correct with that assesment. Cathe or one of the others here may tell you the best exercises for this!

Since you don't have the $$ for more vids, perhaps you can try some through Fit TV? There are other posts on here about that. Or you can do it freely on your own. You must have weights if you do C&W. I highgly suggest picking up a nice pair of ankle weights when you have the cash. Throw those on and do leg lifts and lots of floor work. THey are worth their weight in gold!

I edited this to also say that if you want to avoid that chunk on the side (I know EXACTLY what you mean), floor work will also help with that! I have that naturally and have reduced it a good bit with exercise.

Certainly possible, in my opinion! Good luck!
 
Hi Kimberly and WELCOME!!! We look forward to "seeing" you around. I think the two very effective butt-lifters would be tall box/leg presses & step aerobics. When you get an opportunity to buy another video, Muscle Endurance has three sets of step ups, but until then, just do your own. If you don't have a High Step, just use something sturdy that doesn't bend your knee more then 45* angle. (a chair, Rubbermaid tool box, fireplace hearth) Good Luck and again, welcome!


Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif[/img] If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
 
Hi Kimberly! Welcome and Congratulations!

Yes, genetics do play a strong roll in how much roundness your butt does have, can have, and will have. But that doesn't mean you should toss in the towel if you have a less-rounded butt than you prefer. Certain exercises will give you the best butt that your genetics will allow as long as you are focused and committed.

I just recently contributed to an article on developing the buttocks muscle. I will reveal some highlightes here that I think you will find useful.

The information was based on lunges and their many variations. Plus how wonderful of an exercise they are in developing the glute and buttocks area......

Lunges are an asset to any well rounded exercise program,
and practically a "must do" for any comprehensive lower body workout.
While lunges develop shapely legs by targeting the hips, quads, and
hamstrings, they are particularly helpful in strengthening, lifting,
shaping, and defining the buttocks and gluteal area.

One of my favorites: The Walking Lunge
This exercise requires a lot of space so you may need to take this outside in your driveway or somewhere that allows you to travel a straight distance of say 40 to 50 feet.

How to do it:
Stand with feet hip width apart, legs straight, abdominals contracted, and core muscles engaged. Keep torso centered between both legs as you take a generous step forward with the right foot, bending both knees to 90 degree angles. The right knee stays in line with the right ankle and rear thigh is perpendicular to the floor. The left (or in this case the rear knee) will point to the floor but never make contact with it. Continue to walk forward alternating lead legs until you have alternated the lead for 16 rep's per
side. Do up to three walking sets if possible. Remember that even though you are moving forward in this lunge, you need to keep your stride within the range of a standard forward lunge, therefore keeping the lunging motion vertical and upright. As you step
forward, sink down and feel the hips lower down as the quads and hamstrings activate. Then push off the back foot to propel forward to the other lead leg.

Good Luck Kimberly!
 
Thanks so much for all the input! I really appreciate it. I do have ankle weights, so I will give the floor exercises a shot. I also have an adjustable step that goes quite high, but I'm not sure the "tall box climbs" are. Would someone please explain them to me? (And how many should I do?)

Cathe, thanks so much for the info on walking lunges! I've done them periodically at freeweights classes, but I'm excited to try doing them regularly to see what a difference that will make. I'd guess 2-3x weekly would be your recommendation?

One more thing I would like to have clarified.. all this work won't accentuate the "shelf-butt" look if that's my natural bend will it? My butt isn't too flat - probably because I love to do step - but since having my baby, it's a little more flat than usual, and the "chunks" up behind my hips are a little bigger. I want my butt rounder and the chunks smaller!! ;-) Lord, help me!!
 
I love the walking lunge! I have been doing this exercise for about 6 months now and have noticed a BIG improvement in my glutes. I also have been using the step mill and make sure to push off of my heel instead of the ball of my foot. My typical gym glute workout: squats, walking lunges, reverse hack squat (looks like the football training equipment, hamstring curls and the butt blaster.

I have worked hard at improving my rear and it's showing.

Tamikka
 
Tamikka, I agree I do alot of lunges front and back and side and the butt blaster and rope squats, I can really feel it in my glutes..... Rhonda:7
 
Ok Are you talking chunks down on the legs before the butt on the backor side or are you talking above the butt what are often referred to as love handles and did you gte specifics for getting rid of these
just wondering But for the butt step ups an dlunges an dsquats will do the trick Love Muscle endurance used to hate it but now that Ia m stringer i like it
Lisa Corse edit here Ilove all of Cathes and am never disappointed
with her workouts
 
Howdy!
Thanks for the response. I'm talking about the chunks just above your butt... kind of hard to explain. I think of love handles as up a little higher, more part of your waist, but maybe I have it backwards!! :7 I'm pretty sure people were mostly suggesting floor work with ankle weights to help reduce those "chunks".. I'll have to give it a try.
 
Talk about flat...my scrubs slide off all the time...and in jeans my hips are about as straight as a boys. It's all bad. It would be nice if everything else was flat though.
 
Okay, I have a question. I think I know what "chunks" you're referring to, and of course, any muscle can suffer from overdevelopment. My question is, to get a round or "bubble" butt, don't you need a little bit of a shelf? Otherwise, the way I'm picturing it, it's not really round, but more sloped.

Kickboxing and Tae Kwon Do have given me that shelf of muscle (I think this is the gluteus medius we are talking about here - anyone know for sure?), but I prefer to think of it as a sign of a strong booty.

Or maybe I'm just chunky.;-)
 
I just had to respond to your exercising banana image on your post! I think it's great! And as a reward, I'm quoting myself below to give you a recipe that's part of a post on another topic, wherein I gave this delicious Banana Walnut Ice Cream formula that I think you'll love, and which will not make you gain weight (unless you eat 2 or 3 per day in addition to everything else you already eat!): "Sorry, can't seem to break away, PPS: Here an example of a healthy dish you'll probably like, if you have a VitaMix, or a superstrong blender that won't break under the strain of making this. Take 1/2 cup of soy milk, the best tasting brand is Silk, made by White Wave, pour it into a VitaMix (go to VitaMix.com if you don't know what one is), add about 2 ounces of organic Walnuts, then add 16 pieces of frozen banana (how to prepare in a second) and blend slowly until everything is a well mixed blend of creamy smooth stuff and serve. Voila! Quickly made delicious Banana Walnut Ice Cream! With all the flavor, but none of the mucous causing and cholesterol raising effects of regular ice cream.
Now about the frozen bananas. First buy organic bananas they really taste much better, then wait until they are completely ripe, no green on the skin at all, even if they are a little overly soft to where you might not want to eat them ordinarily (but not to where they are rotten or bad tasting). Next, cut them up into approximately 1 inch chunks and put them in an air tight freezer bowl and freeze for 2 days (not just 12 hrs or one day). Then use them as above. Got to sign off now, or I'll never leave! Bye!"
 
I am also working on my flat butts. I have found some great suggestions here for me. Now squats, all kinds of lunges including with resistance booty bands and PLB are my go-to exercises. Love you!
 
sophiaj990 said:
I am also working on my flat butts. I have found some great suggestions here for me. Now squats, all kinds of lunges including with resistance booty bands and PLB are my go-to exercises. Love you!
Click to expand...

Hi sophiaj990, you might be interested in trying one of Cathe's Rock Bottoms rotations.

June 2006: https://cathe.com/forum/threads/june-06-rock-bottoms-rotation.236281/
June 2011: https://cathe.com/feb-2011-rock-bottoms-rotation/
and
November 2013: https://cathe.com/cathes-november-2013-rock-bottoms-rotation/

If you search the forum for "rock bottoms rotation", you'll come up with several postings from people who have had good success with these.
 
Hip Thrusts, lunges, and every kind of squat you can think of. To not have a flat butt I need different parents. We all suffer from that NAAA disease (No A#@ At All).
 
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