It’s leg day and you want to target those muscles in your butt. That said, it’s not just a matter of getting up off the darned thing.  Yes, moving around instead of staying seated at your desk is certainly a good start.  However, if your goal is to take aim at toning the lower body cheeks, then you’ll need to do more than just standing.

Which Exercises Target the Muscles in Your Butt?

Do you know which moves are the best to get the job done? Typically speaking, you won’t just access the muscles that make up your seat but will need to work your hips and thighs as well. Remember that all these muscles work together and form the whole shape and strength of your backside. Not that this is a bad thing. Those muscles all work in combination with each other for the same movements and all complete the look and function of your posterior.

Therefore, your goal isn’t just to target the muscles in your butt – that is, the ones directly behind you.  Instead, it’s important to focus on exercises in the entire muscle group.  It’s important to be sure the entire area receives the necessary attention. This way, the body’s shape and strength will be supported in a balanced way, and you’ll be more likely to achieve the results you’re looking for.

The Workouts to Align with Your Goals

Whether your goal is to be able to run faster, dance stronger or simply feel better about yourself as you go about your day, it’s great to make sure you’re targeting all those muscles during a workout at least once per week. These are central to making sure you have balance and strength. Even if you’re not taking part in any other kinds of sports, they will make it easier for you to head up and down stairs and to feel good in your clothing. If you neglect these muscles, you risk injury, completing your day will wear you down more easily and you’ll end up with a backside that is far less firm.

Use these moves to help you firm up the muscles in your butt and strengthen the muscles in the surrounding area as well. Try to do them once to twice per week in three sets of 12 to 15.

Check Out These Exercises to Target the Muscles in Your Butt

 

Try these exercises that target the muscles in your butt and surrounding area. Give them a go on their own or in combination with each other.

1.    Squat in Pliée

This is a great alternative to a traditional squat that boosts your mobility and strength at the same time. Make sure to squeeze your glutes while you do each move to get the very most out of every second of this workout. All you need to do is stand with your feet just slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Keep good posture and point your toes outward by 45 degrees. Lower yourself by bending your knees, engaging your glutes and thighs. Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Then, rise back up to the starting position again.

2. Leg lift from a plank position

Start off in the right plank form. If you haven’t mastered that, place your focus there before you start getting fancy. The plank is, of course, fantastic for building your core, back and shoulders. Once you’ve got the plank under control, engage your abs and draw in your belly. Squeeze your left glute and left your leg a couple of inches off the ground, keeping your knee straight. Slowly bring it back to the starting position then do the same thing with your other leg.

3. Leg lift from lying down

Lie down flat on your stomach and rest your forehead on your hands. No, it’s not time for a snooze. You’ll love how this dynamic move works your lower body. Squeeze your left glute and raise your left thigh as high off the floor as you can, keeping the leg perfectly straight. Hold it at the highest point before lowering it slowly down. Switch legs.

Don’t Forget Recovery Days

While it may be tempting to try to do these workouts every day to target the muscles in your butt, it’s a better idea to give yourself at least one day off between sessions on this area. You can do other workouts in the meantime, of course.  That said, when you give one muscle group an intense workout, your results will be better if you also give it the opportunity to recover the next day.

This may seem counterintuitive but resting your muscles is as important as working them. It boosts the speed of your results while reducing the risk of injury.  Who doesn’t want to reduce the chances of suffering from getting hurt and from experiencing a setback? So take care to do these exercises well and focus on recovery, too.