I have always hated my butt.

As long as I can remember, I have always hated my butt.  That’s not an exaggeration.  Way back in high school, I remember most of my friends being able to wear boys Levi’s. Me? Nope.  I had hips and a butt.  To get them to fit, I’d have to go up a few sizes.  You would think the light bulb would have gone off in my head that men’s Levis were made for MEN to wear. Not women. But no it just made me sad that I couldn’t wear them with my earth shoes or sneakers and look as cute as all my friends.

Fast forward and my butt is still not fashionable. Why? I don’t have a bubble butt and for several years now the focus is on having this butt that for me without surgery ain’t gonna happen. But now I no longer hate my butt.  I really don’t care what it looks like behind me because I’m focused on keeping it strong.

Most of us probably aren’t aware of the many things our butts do for us.  It cushions our insides when we sit down. It helps us get up and out of the recliner. It helps us walk. It even helps with hip rotation.  Think about those simple things.  Now imagine how hard it would be to do any of them without a strong butt.  Changes the way you look at your behind doesn’t it?

Beyond the aesthetics of a strong butt, hopefully you understand why it is important to exercise that part of your body.  What is the best exercise to strengthen your behind?  There are several but one of the best by far are squats. Squats, squats, squats. But you must be sure you are doing it right.  (Always check with your doctor before adding new exercises.)

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Stand with your feet hip distance apart.  Bend your knees and imagine you are sticking your butt behind you or that you are going to sit down into chair.  Most important is to ensure that your knees stay behind your toes.   Weight heavy on the heels to help you stand back up.  Start with three sets of eight to 10 reps.

A few more exercises to strengthen your glutes include:

• Lunges.  Step one foot forward. Bend your knees and bring the back leg down toward the floor. Repeat on the other side.  Again be sure your knees do not go beyond your toes.
• Climbing steps.  When you climb steps or simply step up and down on a platform, you activate the majority of the butt muscles. Step up 10 times on your right foot, then switch to your left foot.
• Bridges.  Lie down on the floor with the soles of your feet on your mat.  Squeeze your butt and raise your hips towards the ceiling.  Slowly lower back to your mat.  Repeat for three sets of eight to 10 reps.

Because many of us spend our days sitting on our butts, we may end up with injuries in our hip flexors, knees and lower back.  Taking the time to keep our behind strong will help keep your body injury free AND make sure you can get out of your chair.  Have a great week!

To your health,

Denise