Build A Better Booty Workout

All week long I’ve been counting down to my next bodybuilding bikini competition and along the way I’ve been sharing the 7 Secrets I Learned from Bodybuilding.  We’ve already covered Mental Tricks to Get You Past Quitting, Finding Balance and Overcoming Fear.  Now comes the one you’ve all been waiting for:  How to Build a Better Booty.

Before I started bodybuilding I was like a lot of women out there, which is to say I had this sort of a**leg blend thing going on.  I don’t know how it happened, or where it went, but after having two kids my butt went south for the winter and showed no signs of wanting to come back.  During my first competition I had a series of blog posts called Operation A** Lift talking about my goal of growing a cute, rounded backside.

One of the top reasons I love bodybuilding is that you create a body part that wasn’t there.  What I tell my clients is that if I was able to get my droopy 40-something booty to lift, anyone can.

Special thanks to my gym fashion sponsor, Shine Athletica for providing the workout clothes for these videos.  Check out their website – they have really cute clothes! www.shineathletica.com.

Here’s your workout:

 General notes:

Do 3 sets with 10-12 reps of each exercise, with a 45 second rest between each set.  The goal is to find the right weigh for your body.  If it feels like you can do another 5 reps, then the weight is too light.  If you can barely lift more than 6 reps, the weight is too heavy.  If you feel exhausted by the last rep but are able to complete all 10-12 reps, then you have the right weight!  And remember, not all exercises are right for everyone.  You should always talk to your doctor first before doing any exercise program.  The exercises here are meant for information only 🙂

You may note that in some of these videos I’m scowling; that’s because these exercises are tough!!!  Fitness is not always pretty 😉

Plie Squat

This focuses on those hard to work inner thighs.  Hold a barbell across your back, with legs wide apart and toes pointed out.  Slowly inhale as you lower down, keeping your abs tight and hips thrust out.  Exhale as you rise and squeeze your glutes at the top.  Modification:  To focus more on your quads (thighs) put your heels on two small plates and push through your toes.  To focus more on your hamstrings and glutes, put your toes on the plates and push through the heels.

Split Lunges on Smith Machine

We all have body imbalances, so it’s important to work each leg independently so you can achieve symmetry.  This exercise hurts, but is effective. Keep your hips in alignment and both knees at 90 degree angles as you lower down to almost touching the floor.  When you raise up, remember to squeeze your glutes!

Trap-bar Deadlift

Single Leg Curls

Keep your right leg aligned with your hip and move your left leg out of the way.  Exhale as you curl your leg back, squeezing your glutes.  Repeat on the other side.  Modification:  Point your toes as you curl your leg and you will elongate your hamstrings as you work.  Flex your foot and you will focus on the contraction.

Leg Curls with Dumbbells

Not every gym has a leg curl machine, so this is one exercise you can do with a bench and a dumbbell.  Lie on your stomach, put a dumbbell between your feet and flex your feet to keep the weight in place.  Slowly raise your legs, trying to get as close to your butt as possible.  This is a killer hamstring exercise!

Pop Squats on Step

Jump up on the step up and jump off into a plie squat, making sure to tap the step with your butt.  This is a great plyometric exercise to help you sneak some cardio in.

Bulgarian Split Squats

With a dumbbell in each hand put your left foot on a bench and jump the right foot forward so you are almost in a split position.  Bend down keeping your front knee at a 90 degree angle.   They work your quads but if you focus on pushing through your heels while keeping your hips back you will feel it in your glutes too.

Leg press

Load up the machine to a weight you can lift, sit back, activate your core and lower your legs down, getting your knees as close as you can to your armpits, then press through your legs to lift them back up while exhaling.  The first set you should position your feet at the top, pushing through your toes.  The second set your feet move to the middle.  The last set you move your feet to the bottom and push through your heels.  The foot position dramatically effects where the muscle is being worked.

Hope you enjoyed this workout!  As a bikini competitor I work out my legs and glutes at least three times per week with my coach, Robin Johnson Jr.

***BIG NEWS*** On weekends this fall I will be working at the same gym as him, Conquer Fitness in Round Rock, teaching a Bootcamp for Your Booty.  (More details to come…I’ll keep you posted.)

Speaking of posts, if you like the ones I’ve been doing all week, please feel free to share, repost and retweet them.  Thanks!

Lisa 😉

Lisa Traugott is a Mom’s Choice Award winning writer, fitness blogger, wife and mom of two. Her book, “She’s Losing It!” is available at Amazon.com (and has a 5-star review rating!)

ShesLosingIt.com (c) 2015 Lisa Traugott. All rights reserved. No portion of this blog, including any text, photographs, video, and artwork, may be reproduced or copied without written permission.