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A Tight, Round Butt

Who doesn't want a tight, firm, round derriere? Some individuals have naturally voluminous butts, even in the absence of exercise. However, if they don't eventually incorporate butt-toning workouts in their lives, they will ultimately end up with sagging, mushy bottoms.

Most ample, round butts are seen in women. Women in general have much less natural muscle mass, and more natural body fat, than do men. The volume in a non-exercising woman's derriere that makes it enviably shapely is body fat. A popular belief is that ample body fat in a woman's lower body is believed to be an advantage in fertility and pregnancy.

However, when a woman with low levels of body fat in her butt (and thus, a not-so-round butt) routinely does intense exercise that recruits fast-twitch muscle fibers, this will shape, harden, and possibly add volume to that area. The volume, though, will be in the form of strong muscle.

This is why track sprinters, long-jumpers, speed skaters, gymnasts, beach volleyball players, ballet dancers and bodybuilders almost always have wonderfully tight, steel-hard, curvaceous butts.
A women with a lot of natural butt body fat, who takes up strength training, will never suffer from a droopy butt later in life.

Forget the "butt blaster"
Manufacturers give exercise equipment spiffy names that will attract people a nd thus sales. The "butt blaster" does not isolate the gluteal muscles, especially when this machine is used ineffectively, which is very common. Rather, this apparatus primarily works the thighs. The ultimate butt blaster is the one-legged squat! This can be done on a Smith machine, hack squat machine, against the wall with a stability ball, or with a leg press machine.

Smith machine. Make sure you're already familiar with using this apparatus and have excellent form, and start with very light weights to figure out just what position beneath the bar your body can adjust to. Go to a 90-degree squat with only one leg.

Hack squat machine. Most people set the seat too high up, thereby limiting range of motion. Regardless of your height, set the seat low enough to allow your leg to bend 90-80 degrees. Start with very light weight. Some hack machines don't have adjustable seats, but instead, the unit's carriage can be adjusted.

Stability ball (Resist-A-Ball). Keep back contoured tightly against the ball, and vertical at all times. Do not lean forward as you lower. Keep arms straight at sides or on hips, but not on thighs. Getting to a 90-degree, one-legged squat can be very difficult for even experienced exercisers. In fact, the average gym-goer will not be able to hit 90-degrees, and may need a partner's shoulder to hold onto even to get to 70 degrees.

Leg press. Discard your ego and use weights light enough to allow your knee to come close to your armpit instead of nearly resting atop your chest. Most people use heavy weights and bring the solitary leg down only half way, sometimes not even that. To recruit as many glutes as possible, position your leg so that your knee comes past your chest, toward your shoulder. This means tilt the knee outward to allow for the room. Placing feet very high on the platform will aid in glute recruitment.

Sets and reps: One-legged routines are inherently uncomfortable. Aim for 8-20 reps, six sets per week.

Learn more about this author, Lorra Garrick.
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