
Spot Training…and the Great Butt Workout
Did that get your attention? 🙂
We all know that spot training – i.e. working out a specific muscular area of the body in order to lose weight in that area – doesn’t work.
You can’t control where your body loses its fat – it comes off as it wants to (there is research showing that the last place we gained weight is the first place it will come off and that’s always proven true for me).
Some people notice they gain and lose weight in one specific area – like their thighs, or butt. I have always gained weight fairly evenly all over – which as much as that sounds like a good thing, it’s not really, because you can’t camouflage all over, haha.
Anyway, what you CAN do is work out a specific area of the body to tone it up, and have lovely toned muscle there ready to show through when your body does drop the fat. Or perhaps you don’t even need to lose any fat and you just need to develop your muscles a bit more to showcase them! This is when I start to have fun with my circuits, and re-work my workouts to showcase a specific area of the body.
Since I started working full time, I’ve noticed that an area of my body I never used to worry about too much – namely, ahem, my butt – has now become, shall we say, a problem area.
So I devised a workout to do every now and then that is still pretty much a total body workout, but which really focuses on workout out the glutes. It’s fun to throw it in there to mix up my gym routine, and you really feel it the next day!
So if you want to try and sort out that booty, follow along and let me know what you think!
Cardio warm-up
20 minutes on the treadmill at an incline:
- 2 minutes 3.5 mph at 2% incline
- Up the incline to 10% for 2 more minutes
- Increase pace to 4.0mph for 2 more minutes
- Decrease pace to 3.5mph and increase incline to 12% for 2 more minutes
- Increase pace to 4.0mph for 2 more minutes and decrease incline to 10% for 2 minutes
- Repeat the last two steps 2 more times for a total of 8 more minutes
- Lower incline to 2% and pace to 3.5mph for 2 more minutes
Quick circuit (repeat this with 1-2 minutes rest in between for a total of 3 times):
- Plie squat with toe lift (squat, hold and raise heels alternately for 12 reps; lift up)
- Bridge pose – lower and raise by squeezing glutes, 15 times
- Walking lunges – hold 10lb dumbbells (or whatever weight works) and do 20 – 10 each leg
- Donkey kicks – 15 each side
Countdown squats
Lastly, get on the treadmill again at 10% incline at 4.0 mph. You’ll need a stopwatch timer, or do your squats close to the treadmill so you can read its timer.
- Walk for 60 seconds
- Do squats for 60 seconds
- Walk for 50 seconds
- Do squats for 50 seconds (you can also hold the squat for this length of time)
- Walk for 40 seconds
- Do squats for 40 seconds
- Walk for 30 seconds
- Do squats for 30 seconds
- Walk for 20 seconds
- Do squats for 20 seconds
- Walk for 10 seconds
- Do squats for 10 seconds
Stretch
With a good stretch you should be in and out of the gym in just under an hour. Remember to stretch – your butt will scream at you the next day if not!
Let me know how it goes if you do this!
QUESTION:
- What’s the one area of the body you’d like to see a workout regime for?
January 18, 2012
Katie
My butt is such an area that needs work, I really do not have one, haha!
Im hoping insanity gives me one, well a little ; ) we do lots of squats and lunges, so it can help!!
Love these exercises, the treadmill one sounds awesome!
Happy wednesday love!
January 18, 2012
Anna
Better not to have one than to have a huge one! haha or maybe not, the grass is always greener…! Try the treadmill one! Can’t wait to hear how you like it (maybe after Insanity lol).
January 18, 2012
Sara @my less serious life
oooh girl i need to do this with you!
January 18, 2012
Anna
DO it! 🙂
January 18, 2012
Annie @ Naturally Sweet Recipes
Thanks for these ideas! I know I could use these for my bum! I think my number one area is my butt/back of thighs. I feel I get at least my arms and legs exercised everyday- those areas get worked just by living!… But the butt, not so much. I’ll have to try this out- the treadmill I can do easily. Thanks!
January 18, 2012
Anna
Ooh the back of the thighs is always such a sucky area! The donkey kicks will really help with that, and I love hamstring curls on a ball – that really helps!
January 18, 2012
Tessa @ Amazing Asset
Love this! I have a small bum and I want it to be a bit bigger, and strong of course!
January 18, 2012
Anna
Lucky you! But yes, the best thing to do is just to perk it up with tons of butt-strengthening exercises!
January 18, 2012
Emily
Yay! I love a good butt workout.
Unfortunately, I was cursed with “flat-butt syndrome”. I’ve always wanted a bigger butt, as strange as that sounds. Thankfully, since I’ve been doing more weight training, it has definitely gotten perkier! I’m definitely going to try this routine. Thank you for sharing! <3
January 22, 2012
Anna @ The Guiltless Life
I’m hearing from so many people with flat butts who want them curvier – all I can say is lucky you! Haha, no, but I know that it’s frustrating either way. I hope this works for you!
January 19, 2012
Jentry Nielsen
I think every girl would always like to have a more toned behind!!! My problem is more the lack of a butt, which some girls think could be great, but the flatness from my back to my hamstrings is not flattering! And what I do have only sags, so I for one thank you for sharing your workout! I can’t wait to try it out!!! 🙂
January 19, 2012
Anna
That’s true, the grass is always greener – people either want flatter or bigger butts haha. Hope you like it!
January 19, 2012
Suzanne
You had me at butt workout! This sounds like a great workout. I’ll have to incorporate this into my routine.
January 19, 2012
Anna
Let me know how you like it!
January 20, 2012
Laura @ scribbles and sass
I think I need to get on this. No matter my struggles with weight, I’ve never had a butt issue. It’s not big, it’s not saggy, it’s just a butt. It’s a bit flat, but I never minded that since it really was the only thing on me that’s flat (can’t say the same for the front side). As I continue to work on my figure, I think I need to get my butt a little more shapely.
January 22, 2012
Anna @ The Guiltless Life
Ooh you’re so lucky to have no butt issues! But for sure I think we all want one that’s nice and shapely lol. Hope it works for you!
February 1, 2012
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