So, you want a fine booty…

First things first: there’s no such thing as spot reduction.

If your booty is bigger than you want it to be, all the leg lifts in the world won’t shrink it. In fact, no exercise regime can out perform a bad diet when it comes to fat loss. So before you start sweating up a storm, be honest with yourself about what you’re putting in your mouth. Eat natural, unprocessed whole foods 80% of the time. Limit alcohol, sugar and processed wheat products. And don’t overeat.

There is such a thing, however, as spot production.

Spot production is done with weight. Bodyweight. Barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, screaming children, sandbags, slop buckets and so forth.

Now, let’s define “fine booty.” A fine booty includes, but is not limited to:

A)  A tight and taut appearance, rather than saggy. AKA “perky”

B)  Round, as opposed to flat

C)  Proportionate to the rest of the body, i.e., not too big and not too small (although there are varying opinions on how big is too big)

Now that we’ve clarified, I will tell you exactly what it takes to get your booty in shape this season:

First, thrust those hips! Extend them. That means extend your legs out behind your hips. This will activate your glutes. Do any or all of the following: kettlebell swings (the heavier the better), glute bridges, weighted or single-leg hip thrusts and/or resistance band donkey kicks. These exercises will give you the rounded bubble butt look and build strong, sexy curves exactly where you want them. As always, remember to focus on and squeeze your glutes at the top of each rep to maximize your results.

If you want to build the sides of your butt, aka, your hips, because the powers that be blessed/cursed you with boyish, narrow ones, then work your butt laterally as well. Exercises include resistance band squat walks, side-lying clams, resistance band or weighted lateral leg raises.

If you fear your butt’s largeness, then do this: first, know that, as a woman (if you are a woman) your butt is supposed to be wider and bigger than your waist. It’s what makes you biologically viable. In fact, it is said that the particular fat some women carry on their thighs and butt transforms into the topmost quality breast milk you can feed a baby. So your big butt equals a genius in the family! Score. In other words, I dare you to accept your womanliness, and just tweak it from there (I said TWEAK it, ahem).

Second, What’s going on with your shoulders?

What’s that you say? You thought this was a post about your butt? Well, your butt is a part of the rest of your body, and I know as well as any how easy it is to look in the mirror and only see what I think needs to be fixed. It is easy and human to mentally chop yourself into categories and compartments but that’s not how we are. We are combinations of things. We are more than the sums of our butts. We are whole and complete, if only we’d get out of our own way long enough to see this.

By building your shoulders, arms and back muscles—through resistance training—you will create an aesthetically banging physique that will make your butt look like it belongs on your body. It’s not about starving yourself thin. You’re not meant to be a boy. You are a woman (if you are a woman) with curves, and you have the power and the means to sculpt yourself.

Another good batch of exercises for your butt and overall conditioning are plyometrics—jump squats, switch lunge jumps, cone jumps and rope jumping too. These exercises build muscle and burn tons of calories during and after your workout. They’re the perfect spontaneous go-to exercise as they require little to no equipment.

Feel comfortable working your butt three or four days a week, more if you’re only doing bodyweight exercises.

Happy sculpting!

To find out more about how Performance Fitness can help you get your glutes (or any other part of your body) in shape for swimsuit and summer vacation season, contact us about the 21-Day Summer Vacation Slim Down.