How to shape a teardrop butt

How to shape a teardrop butt

One of the questions my fitness students and clients often ask me is how to tone their butt.

Well, almost any leg exercise will tone your butt. In general, ballet dancers, sprinters, gymnasts and figure skaters have well-shaped butts. This is because they use movements that lift the leg back AND rotate their foot outward.

Most butt exercises work the leg from front to back, such as running, cycling, stair climbing, leg extensions, squats, and some butt isolators. These types of movements primarily target the large gluteus maximus muscles and the thighs.

To get more of a teardrop-shaped butt, you'll need to use some of the muscles underneath the glutes. Namely the periformis muscle, which ROTATES the leg. Check out the difference between female weightlifters, joggers, distance runners and cyclists compared to sprinters, figure skaters, ballet dancers and practitioners of Ashtanga yoga and Pilates.

Try the following movements 3 times a week for the next 3 weeks,

THE SIDE KICK

Stand about three feet from a wall.

Hold the belt buckle (or navel) and left foot toward the wall and lift the right leg behind you.

Keep your upper body upright.

Raise your leg as high as possible and hold it. You should feel your glutes (butt muscles) contract.

Now turn your foot outwards so that it is parallel to the floor.

Pull your toes toward you and straighten your heel. (Most people do this wrong and point out their toes and never get the effect.)

You should look over your shoulder at your extended leg. Don't give in to the temptation to let your support leg turn sideways. Your hips should face the wall.

This is like a martial arts side kick. Try holding this for 10 to 30 seconds at a time, then switch legs. After working on both legs, walk around for a minute to loosen your muscles.

Or go to a martial arts club and learn a few kicks. Most kickers have hard asses and narrow waists.

THE BUTT SQUEEZE

OK, get over the funny name. You can do this exercise with weight over your shoulders or simply without weight.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and keep your back straight. Bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor.

Straighten your legs and then squeeze your butt as if you were trying to hold a coin between your butt cheeks. Squeeze firmly for 2-3 seconds.

Squat again. Do 10 to 20 times and then add some weight.

Make sure you don't lift your heels or squat. (That's a different technique.)

You'll probably find that you can only do half the squats you normally can. That's normal.

If you do this exercise first thing in the morning, you will feel “toned” all day long.

SKATING

Ice, rollerblading or inline skating at a good pace can't help but get your butt in shape. Use exaggerated skating movements to build the side leg and butt muscles.

Inspired by Doug Setter