Increase Your Glutes

If you're among the many people who complain their butt is too big, too flat, or covered in ugly cellulite, consider exercise to increase your glutes.

While the term gluteals or "glutes" is thrown around in the fitness world, not everyone understands that this muscle group helps stabilize and hold the body upright. These muscles are composed of the:

• Gluteus maximus – (big muscle that covers the butt)
• Gluteus medius
• Gluteus minimus

One of the reasons butts go flabby or flat is that they are worked too little throughout daily life. If you sit at a desk all day, the only exercise they get is when you stand from a sitting position or take the stairs instead of the elevator. If you want to increase your glutes, you're going to have to do better than that.

You can give your rear a lift and attain that defined muscular look by working the muscles during your strength training routine, but to get the results you're after, correct form is imperative. The following exercises can increase your glutes, but this growth takes place during the rest period between workouts. For this reason, they should not be repeated more frequently than every other day.

For this exercise use a high step or bench that allows your knees to bend to 90 degrees or less.

1. Stand in front of step or bench.
2. Step onto the bench with your right foot and follow with your left.
3. Stand with feet side-by-side on the bench at the top of the movement.
4. Lower right foot to the floor, followed by the left. This counts as one repetition.

1. Stand with feet flat, toes pointed outward and legs more than shoulder width apart.
2. Tighten stomach muscles, posture straight with your chest out.
3. Bend knees into a squat. Lean into your heels.
4. Return to starting position. As you do, squeeze your butt and inner thighs, and be sure to keep your feet flat on the floor.

1. Stand with your feet together.
2. Tighten stomach muscles, posture straight with your chest out.
3. Put hands on hips or at your sides.
4. Take one large step forward.
5. Bend knees but don't let the shin of your front leg go beyond your ankle (lower back knee until it almost touches the floor).
6. Return to start and repeat with the opposite leg. Count lunges for each leg as one rep.

1. Lie on the exercise ball face down with your stomach and hips poised on top of the ball.
2. Reach arms out and in front of you (if you need to, stabilize yourself by holding onto a piece of furniture).
3. Hold legs and feet together and lift from the floor (don't raise higher than your hips).
4. Squeeze butt and hold.
5. Lower legs to almost starting position but don't allow your feet to touch the floor.

To further work to build your glutes, the following cardio exercises can be added to your fitness routine on your "rest" days.

• Biking: While biking is a great cardio exercise, it also works the hips, thighs and those glutes. Spinning is another option to check into at your local gym.
• Hiking: Hiking that includes walking up inclines is the perfect way to work your glutes even when you want to get away from it all.
• Running or Jogging: Running or jogging work the glutes especially when you include hills in your route.
• Walking: Like running, if you add hills into your walking route, it targets your glutes.

Along with providing you with the muscular profile you covet, strong glutes can also:

• Improve your posture
• Ease back pain
• Strengthen your stride

So while you may start out wanting sexy glutes, when you take the time to work these muscles you'll feel better overall, have more energy, and you'll be able to take the stairs with no problem at all.

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