I have been posting many bootyliscious butt workouts on Pinterest so I thought I would write a blog on my favorite moves broken down by beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels for all of you! I have pinned just about all of the routines and, taken group exercise classes focused on the lower body and even bought the Brazilian butt lift DVD series. I am Italian and we naturally have a lot going on back there so I work hard to keep it tone and lifted while also making it shapely. The key is to do a variety of moves to work all areas of the muscle so below I have a few routines I came up with based on your fitness level, enjoy!
Beginner
Bodyweight lunge
Stand with your feet hip width apart. Step forward with your right leg, bending your right knee until both legs make a 90 degree angle. Use the explosive movement of your right leg to propel you back to your starting position. Stay lunging forward with the right leg first and after you complete 15-20 reps switch to your left leg. Staying on the same leg instead of alternating will be more of a challenge. Aim to complete three sets.
Romanian deadlift
Stand with your knees slightly bent, feet hip width apart holding a pair of dumbbells (choose weight based on your fitness level). Slowly bend over at the waist and lower the weights as far down as possible without rounding your back. Your back should remain flat, arms strong, and abs tight. Rise back up and squeeze your glutes together as you come up. Repeat for 20 reps
Step up with a knee raise
Find a step with 2-4 risers for this move. Holding your arms at your side place your right foot on the bench and step up with your left leg bringing this knee forward until your thigh is parallel to the floor. Lower your left leg and repeat for 12 reps then switch to the right.
Outer thigh leg lifts
Stand with feet a little bit farther then hip width apart. Extend your right leg out to the right of your body while keeping your left leg firmly planted on the floor and your body straight not tilted to the left. Continue to raise and lower your right leg for 20 reps and then once those are complete hold it halfway up and do 30 little pulses (1 inch up and 1 inch down). Then do the same series on the left side.
Froggy Glute Lifts
Lie flat on your stomach, palms crossed in front of you, elbows wide. Bend your knees so feet go towards the ceiling and place your heels and toes together with toes facing up. Lift your knees off of the ground using your glute muscles while keeping your feet together and toes towards the ceiling. Slowly lower your thighs back down and then repeat for 20 reps
Intermediate
Squat with a dumbbell swing
Grab a dumbbell, anywhere between 5-15 pounds depending on your fitness level. Stand with your feet hip width apart, hold the dumbbell with both hands and let it rest in front of your body. Sit back into a squat, your arms and the dumbbell with be in between your legs. Stand back up and at the same time swing the dumbbell upward until it is directly overhead and remember to squeeze your butt as you stand. This should be a fluid movement; you should not pause in between but instead perform all reps continuously.
Elevated reverse lunge
Get a step and use 0 – 2 risers depending on your fitness level. Stand on the step with your feet hip width apart. Step backwards off the step with your right foot and lunge until your right knee is a few inches from the ground. Return your right foot back to the bench and repeat. You may alternate if you want but as mentioned above I like to complete all reps on one leg and then switch to the net because it seems harder.
Sumo squat with a side crunch
For this move you will need a medicine ball anywhere from 3 to 10 pounds. Stand with your legs a little more then shoulder width apart and your toes turned out to 45 degrees. Lower down into a squat holding the medicine ball down between your legs. Stand and lift your right leg so your knee is above hip level and at the same time circle the medicine ball clockwise so it is above your right shoulder. As you are doing these movements use your right side oblique muscle to crunch to the right. Return to the start and repeat for 15 reps on the right side then complete the same moves on the left.
Side lunges
Stand up straight with feet spread wide apart, hands by your sides. Maintain the position standing straight ahead, bend your right knee and lunge towards the right side so that your knee is directly above your right foot. Go back to the start position and lunge towards the left. The deeper the lunge, the more challenging just be sure your knee does not go past your toes.
Squat Arabesque
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Lower your hips until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Butt back, core tight, shoulders back, and knees stay behind your toes. Rise up from the squat position and raise your arms in front of you as you lift your right leg straight back as high as you can. Return to starting position and alternate lifting leg. Aim to do two sets with 24 on each side, it’s hard!
Advanced
Alternating Lunge Jumps
Lunge forward with your right foot while keeping your arms at 90 degrees. Jump straight up into the air as you thrust your arms up towards the ceiling. While in midair switch your legs so when you land your left leg is now in front. Continue jumping and switching your legs. Remember really work on getting some height, make sure you land softly and go at a pace you feel comfortable with to avoid risk of injury. Aim to do 3 sets with 15 reps (or 30 if you are counting per jump)
Bench squat with a lateral side leg raise
Gran a step and chose 1-3 risers depending on your fitness level. Stand on the step, left foot in the middle of the bench, right foot on the edge. Take your right foot off the bench and squat down a few inches. As you rise back up take your right leg and lift it out to the side. You may stop to regroup and then start again or for the more advanced make it one continuous movement where your right foot never touches the bench, instead you move straight from the lateral side leg raise towards the floor into a squat and then push it back up back into the lateral side raise. I do this one a lot and it works so many parts of your glutes, you will definitely be sore in the morning!
Curtsey Lunge
Stand with feet hip width apart. Step back with your right leg crossing it behind your left leg. Bend your left knee and lower into a lunge position where left knee is a few inched from the ground and right leg is in a 90 degree. Straighten back up, tap the left leg to the side and then drop back into the curtsey lunge. Repeat 20 reps on each side, not alternating.
One Legged Romanian Deadlifts
Stand with your feet together, holding a dumbbell in your left hand. Tighten your stomach, pull your shoulder blades down and back without arching your low back. Slowly lift your left leg a few inches off the floor as you begin to bend forward at the hips. Balance on your standing leg. As you begin to get comfortable with the exercise aim to have your lifted leg parallel with the floor. As you bend forward allow your left (dumbbell) arm to straighten toward the floor. Continue bending forward, allowing only a slight bend in the knee until your torso is at, or near horizontal to the floor and your arms hang straight down from your shoulder. Maintain your balance by keeping your weight into the heel of the standing foot. Try to straighten your standing leg and point the toes to help with control through the movement. Slowly rise back up to the start position. It is fine to place your foot down on the floor, but as you get more advanced you can try to keep it off the floor the entire time. Work your way up to 15 on each leg for each set.
Prisoner Squat Hold with Pulses
Stand with feet hip width apart. Place your hands behind your head. Lower down into a squat (see above for how to). Core tight, chest lifted, shoulders back and chin up. Hold this squat position for thirty seconds. Then pulse up and down for 30 reps (1 inch up, 1 inch down). Then hold for an additional 30 seconds. Ouch is all I have to say!