Tone That Tushie with Our Butt-Sculpting Workout!

You’ve got crunches for your abs, tricep and bicep curls for your arms, but what about your butt? A flabby bum isn’t good for anyone’s sense of wellbeing, but how do you get your butt wellness – yes, that’s a thing – into shape? Luckily, we’ve recruited fitness expert and certified personal trainer Nicole Nichols, who has designed an equipment-free workout to help you use your own body weight to target and tone your butt from every angle in just a few minutes per day. Try to limit how much you rest between exercises and do the full circuit at least once, but up to three more times.

 

1. Donkey Kicks: Nichols instructs, ‘Begin on hands and knees, wrists directly under shoulders, arms straight but not locked, knees directly under hips, and spine neutral. Engage your abs by pulling your belly button toward the spine (but without moving your back). Keeping hips level with one another, and both knees bent at 90 degrees, lift your left thigh up until parallel to the floor (or as close to parallel as you can), ankle flexed and foot flat and parallel to the ceiling (pictured). Slowly return to starting position without resting knee down. Repeat on same leg for one full minute. Switch sides.’ Make sure you keep your hips level with one another and your weight is as balanced as possible in both arms. Also, don’t let your back arch or round at all.

 

2. Single-Leg Bridges: ‘Begin lying on your back with feet flat, knees and ankles hip-distance apart, knees bent, back straight and arms lengthened at your sides,’ Nichols states. ‘Extend right leg as straight as possible toward the ceiling, keeping thigh in line with your hip. Squeeze the muscles in the back of the legs and butt to lift hips off the ground while keeping right leg extended toward ceiling (pictured). Slowly return to the start position, keeping right leg lengthened. Repeat on same leg for one full minute. Switch sides.’ Remember to activate your glutes in order to keep both hips as level as possible, pull your abs in tight to protect your back, and use your foot, shoulder blades and arms – not your head or neck – for support.

 

3. Reverse Lunges: For this one, you can hold onto a wall or chair for balance. Nichols details, ‘Begin standing with feet hip-width apart, toes pointing forward, back straight and arms extended in front of shoulders (or on hips). Relax shoulders away from the ears. Engage the core, pulling belly button toward the spine. Starting on right leg, take a large step back to create a wide stance between the feet, making sure both feet still point directly forward. Slowly bend both knees, working toward a 90-degree bend, lowering the body toward the floor (pictured). Straighten legs and step forward to starting position to complete one rep.  Repeat on same leg for one full minute. Switch sides.’

 

4. Sumo Squat: Nichols comments, ‘Begin standing with legs and toes turned out from the hips, feet in a wide stance (wider than hips), back straight and hands on hips. Keeping back straight, bend both knees (making sure they’re pointing in same direction as the toes) and squat down, aiming for thighs to be parallel to the floor (pictured). Straighten legs to complete one rep. Repeat for one full minute.’ With this move, don’t bend at your hips but from your knees, and keep your back upright and straight. In order to achieve a wide-leg squat and full range of motion, you need to take your feet as wide as you can.

Categories: belly button, floor pictured, glutes, hips level, minute switch, pictured slowly, reverse lunges, starting position, straighten legs, switch sides, toning, wide stance

Love Your Lower Half with these Spectacular Moves!

Your lower half isn’t always the easiest area to love, but FITNESS advisory board member Joe Dowdell, author of Ultimate You: A 4-Phase Total Body Makeover, has created movements that can turn your wobbly bum and thighs into a lower half worth your affection. Not only is getting fit good for your wellbeing, but toning exercises like these are vital to your weight loss wellness. According to Dowell, ‘It’s about the quality and not the quantity of movements,’ so make sure you give each move your best work!

 

1. Split Squat: This move targets your bum and legs. Kneeling on the ground with a dumbbell in each hand and your palms facing in, bring your left knee up so it’s at a 90-degree angle to the floor. Curl your right toes under and push through your left heel to stand and, with your arms by your sides, lower on a count of three until your right knee is a few inches off ground and both knees are bent 90 degrees. Hold for one count, stand, do eight to 10 reps, switch sides and repeat.

 

2. Two-Arm Swing: As well as toning your bum and legs, this move tones up your shoulders and abs. Standing with your feet slightly wider than your shoulders, hold a single dumbbell with both hands in front of you, palms facing in. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at your hips to bring the dumbbell back between your legs. Immediately return to a standing position, swinging your extended arms up to chest level, and repeat for 12 to 15 reps.

 

3. Lateral Squat: This is another move that gives your bum and legs a great workout. With your legs wide and holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your hips, shift your weight to your left leg and bend your left knee slowly. On the count of three, you should end up in a squat with your right leg extended out to side and dumbbells lowered towards the ground. Return to the start, do eight to 10 reps, switch sides and repeat.

 

4. Modified Deadlift: This is a great move for working your back and hamstrings. With a dumbbell in each hand and arms by your sides, stand on your left leg with your knee slightly bent and the toes of your right foot on a step behind you. Bend forwards at your hips on a count of three until your back is nearly parallel to ground. Return to the start, and do 10 to 12 reps on each side.

 

5. Rollout: This move targets your back, abs and arms. Kneel down and interlace your fingers atop centre of a stability ball. Lean forwards slowly on a count of two to roll your arms over the ball until your body is at a 45-degree diagonal to ground. Make sure you keep your abs tight, arms extended and body in a straight line from shoulders to knees. Roll back to start to complete one rep, and do as many reps as you can.

 

6. Dumbbell Push-Up: This move works your shoulders, chest, triceps, and abs. In a full push-up position – holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms turned toward each other at a 45-degree angle – bend your elbows to lower your body towards the ground on a count of two. Return to the start position, and do as many reps as you can. If this move is a bit tricky at first, do the same thing with modified push-ups where you start on your knees.

Categories: bum, degree angle, dumbbell, ground return, left knee, left leg, legs, palms facing, repeat nbsp, reps switch, switch sides, tone

30 Minutes is All You Need to Tone and Tighten

We all complain that we don’t have enough time to get toned and fit each week, but what if the answer was found in a 30 minute strength programme? It isn’t a fad – this really works your body out and tones in such a short amount of time. These moves are great for losing weight, but they also help you achieve a sleeker body and boost your calorie burning rate all day long, because you’ll be building extra muscle. Each movement calls on multiple muscles, so your body ends up burning more calories than it would if it were doing exercises that only work on a single area, such as bicep curls. Every move is designed to shape your muscles, as well as improving your posture and building your core, so everyday activities become easier and your wellbeing is improved. However, if you’ve recently had a baby, it may be best to get your GPs approval before embarking on this workout. You can begin with an alternating overhead squat which builds your core, legs and shoulders. Begin by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out and a dumbbell in each hand. Keep your spine lengthened and your core engaged as you squat down, pressing your hips back. At the same time, press a dumbbell overhead and reach the other towards the floor, then return to the starting position. Repeat this squat with the opposite arm, and that will be one rep. You need to do two to three sets of 8-15 reps.

The side plank with a rear dumbbell fly will work your core and shoulders. Position your body with your left (bottom) leg bent and your right (top) leg extended, with your left hand under your left shoulder. Your body needs to be in a straight line with your hips lifted and your shoulder pressing away from your ear. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand and have your arm hanging straight down from your shoulder. Hold your body still and arc your weight out and up until your right hand is directly above your shoulder. Squeeze the backs of your shoulder muscles for one count, then slowly lower your arm to the starting position. Do 8-12 reps, then switch sides and do two to three sets.

The lunge row and press works the legs, back, core and shoulders for a great overall workout. Stand with your feet together and hold a weight in your right hand by your shoulder, with your elbow bent. Lunge forward with your left leg and bend your knees while rotating your torso and  lowering your weight down towards your left ankle. Push off your left foot to return to the starting position, while pulling your hand back to your shoulder height. Push the dumbbell straight up and return to the starting position. You need to do 8-12 reps of this, then switch sides and repeat. Do two to three sets of these. The bird dog may have an unusual name but it works a number on your core, upper back and your bum. Get down on all fours and keep your abs engaged, while you lift your right arm and left leg, so that they’re in line with your torso. Reach your hand and foot away from each other and hold for a moment, being sure to keep your abs tight the whole time. Return to the starting position, and repeat with the opposite arm and leg. That’s one rep – do two to three sets of 8-15 reps.

Categories: body, Core, exercise, fitness, hand, left, left leg, shoulder, starting position, switch sides, weight