Everyone loves a full and round tushy – there’s more songs and social media about booty’s than any other part of the female physique. Big booty will turn some heads. Granted there are some women that are more genetically gifted in that department than others, but there’s nothing to worry about when you strategically choose how to build the booty of your dreams.
I’ve heard of a lot of women speak of cutting fat by doing cardio to get the booty and body that they want. Although having a lean physique does help, weights are going to build the muscle needed to create the round, full bubble butt and athletic look. Just lifting weights is not enough – the weight needs to be heavy! Legs are large muscles and must be challenged to grow. When trying to build a booty, be dedicated and diligent. Consistency and determination are going to be your best friends.
Strategically Plan Booty Gains
By successfully integrating exercises targeting the glutes, hip abductors and hamstrings into your weekly split, you can sculpt and reach your full potential. This does not mean that you need to integrate leg exercises into every day of your weekly training split. One or two days per week of hitting legs hard is more than enough to make muscle gains.
Each exercise should be no more than three to four sets of about five to twelve reps. If you can exceed more reps than this consistently for a few sets, the weight is way too light!! You should be struggling to get to the last reps of each set. Try to graduate the weight each set to end up lifting about eight-five percent of your one rep max. Even if you can’t make it through all the intended reps, lift for as many as possible with the heavier weight and drop weight as needed to complete the reps. Remember to keep proper form and lift as heavy as possible without breaking it!
What Needs to Get Done
Squats are the Holy Grail of building legs and glutes. Not only does squatting target the glutes, but will also nicely shape and build the core, lower back and hips. The key to making a squat target the glutes is form and dropping below the parallel. When doing a barbell back squat without dropping the tushy below the knee level, you are placing more emphasis on the quadricep muscles. Getting low and deep enough into the squat, which is below parallel, will really work the glutes and hamstrings.
Another aspect of the squat to pay attention to is your stance. Where your feet are placed will dictate which muscles are being worked the hardest. The closer your feet are together, or narrow stances, the squat will target the quadricep. To build the booty, keep your feet shoulder width apart and point the toes slightly outward.
Weighted walking lunges are excellent booty builders if done correctly. Grab some dumbbells to hold at your sides and alternate legs lunging forward. When rising from the lunge position be sure to drive through the heel. A good rule of thumb is to keep your front knee from passing over your toes of that foot. Try to drop the back knee as close as possible to the floor. Or, if you really want to challenge yourself, tap your back knee on the ground as you’re working through the lunges. This exercise really gets the heart pumping and you majorly feel them the next day!
Glute bridges are my favorite booty builder for the upper gluteus muscles. This exercise is hands down one of the best, if not the best, activation of that muscle group – yes, better than squats and deadlifts! The best way to perform this exercise is with your back resting against a bench rather than laying on the ground. Resting against a bench allows you to have a much bigger range of motion with the bar resting on your hips.
To get the best form possible, start sitting in the ground in front of the bench with your back resting against it and the Olympic bar in front of you. Make sure you put some padding on the bar where it will be resting on your hips or you’ll be all bruised and sore! With your knees bent in the sitting position, place your feet shoulder width apart on the floor in front of you. The full range of motion will entail starting from your butt on the ground, raising the hips while squeezing the glutes and end with your torso parallel to the ground. Your body will be in a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
Stiff leg deadlifts are excellent glute and hamstring builders. To specifically target these muscles with this exercise, form is going to be key. Kick your hips back as far as possible and keep a slight bend in the knees. Make sure you really feel the stretch in your hamstrings and the glute to hamstring connection when bending forward. Your feet should be about shoulder width apart but can be placed wider if you’d like to change things up for yourself. Don’t forget the proper deadlift form – keep the back flat, shoulders square, and look up. By keeping your focus forward or up towards the ceiling, the less inclined you’ll be to round your back and shoulders.
Using these core exercises one or two days a week will be a great foundation to build the booty. But, you can get creative. Add an exercise or two in addition, like curtsy squats or lateral leg extensions to challenge yourself further. The best way to work hard is the make the most out of what you’re doing in the gym rather than focusing on the volume of exercises. Quality of form and heavy weights over quantity of exercises completed.
Written by: Samatha Meinrod
IG: @sammiegirl_fitness
Email: sammiemeinrod@gmail.com