Working the Butt w/o squats

[ann22]

I want a tighter butt, but lunges and squats sometimes hurt my knees (since I unfortunately overtrained w/step last year). I do the hamstring curl and leg press machines at the gym, and also take some spinning classes. Are there any other exercises to tighten the area (especially the lower part!) without lunges and squats?

Thanks a bunch

 

[Aimee]

Since you go to the gym

there should be a machine there that's {I think} called the butt blaster. You get on your forearms and knees and the weight pad fits at the back of your knee and you do kickbacks with the weight. When I belonged to a gym, it was one of my favorite machines!! Hope this helps!

 

[kathryn]

Butt work without squats and lunges

I've found that some floor exercises (which most people hate) work the glutes well. If you put an ankle weight on, get on all fours, and kick back your leg (held at 90-degree angle), the glutes and hamstrings are worked well. You can vary the exercise by using a straigt leg, or by crossing your working leg over the "resting" leg when lowering. Be sure not to arch your back when doing this exercise. If you feel you need more back support, you can go down on your elbows.There is also a ball exercise, using a large inflatable ball, that targets the glutes. Lie on your back, with your legs bent and heals on the ball. Press into the ball to lift your butt off the ground. If you use the same position, but are farther from the ball, it tends to target the hamstrings more. The latest issue of "Shape" magazine also showed a ball extension that targets the glutes. Lie face down on a ball, holding onto a stationery object for support. Lift your legs up until your body is horizontal. Why not try 3 sets of 20 reps of each exercise, every other day, for two weeks, so see what happens?

 

[dawny]

Kickbacks for glutes

I agree with Kathryn - esp. about the first exercise she mentioned. Glute kickbacks are great - I do them in the sculpting classes I teach, only we use a dumbbell behind the knee (it is a little awkward at first, getting that to stay put in the bend of your knee). Using dumbbells lets you increase your weight as you get stronger. Go thru the full range of motion, and then add some pulses at the top of the movement to really fatigue the muscle (and then add a few more full ROM reps to finish it out).
Also, if you have a cable machine at your gym, there is an attachment that you can slide your foot into and do standing glute kickbacks. VERY effective for your torso muscles (as well as the other, supporting leg), since there's a lot of stabilization going on (esp. if you don't hold on to anything for balance).

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

cable machine!

Yes, that is a real goodie! The ankle attachment for the cable machine provides and excellent butt/hamstring exercise, not to mention inner/outer thigh exercises too. I agree, the stabilizers are also being quite challenged with these cable machine exercises.