I have no idea what to do for my a**.

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angiechimpanzee
angiechimpanzee Posts: 536 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Squats and lunges only seem to work my inner thighs, and I already work those enough on the elliptical every morning.
I need a workout that will target my GLUTES and JUST my glutes. I want a firmer, rounder butt. My butt is flat and shapeless. And every move I've tried so far either targets my thighs or hamstrings which isn't what I need, or is so impossibly difficult to actually do (like donkey kicks? my legs just go everywhere when I try to do those).

Is there a simple, yet very effective exercise that will specifically burn in my glutes ONLY? Even just one move I could do repeatedly would be fine as long as I can feel it working & I'm actually able to do it.
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  • naculp
    naculp Posts: 225 Member
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    Bulgarian split squats. You can add dumbbells for extra resistance. Every time I do these my bum is sore the next couple of days.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CvEs-TOIKM
  • Game8
    Game8 Posts: 442
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    LUNGES!! Number one exercise for glutes.

    Deep squats are also a great exercise. You can't possibly make a comparison between the elliptical and squats. Squats are a thousand times more superior, and they will make your legs, glutes and hips look amazing. Elliptical is just a cardio machine.
  • angiechimpanzee
    angiechimpanzee Posts: 536 Member
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    LUNGES!! Number one exercise for glutes.

    Deep squats are also a great exercise. You can't possibly make a comparison between the elliptical and squats. Squats are a thousand times more superior, and they will make your legs, glutes and hips look amazing. Elliptical is just a cardio machine.
    Well my beef with squats is that I want slim legs and every person I've seen who does squats gets bulkier-looking legs. I want my legs to remain slim, and only my butt to round out.
  • GZinSea
    GZinSea Posts: 50 Member
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    I bet your butt is perfect as it is (granted, Im basing that solely on a pretty face). I'm just saying if it aint broke...
  • peuglow
    peuglow Posts: 684 Member
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    Squats and lunges only seem to work my inner thighs, and I already work those enough on the elliptical every morning.
    I need a workout that will target my GLUTES and JUST my glutes. I want a firmer, rounder butt. My butt is flat and shapeless. And every move I've tried so far either targets my thighs or hamstrings which isn't what I need, or is so impossibly difficult to actually do (like donkey kicks? my legs just go everywhere when I try to do those).

    Is there a simple, yet very effective exercise that will specifically burn in my glutes ONLY? Even just one move I could do repeatedly would be fine as long as I can feel it working & I'm actually able to do it.
    If Lunges and Squats don't hit your glutes, you're doing them wrong. Add some weight.
  • karensoxfan
    karensoxfan Posts: 902 Member
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    My glutes burn like crazy doing back extensions with a dumbbell held straight overhead. It'll work your hamstrings too, but it's awesome for glutes.
  • Mighty_Rabite
    Mighty_Rabite Posts: 581 Member
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    My glutes burn like crazy doing back extensions with a dumbbell held straight overhead. It'll work your hamstrings too, but it's awesome for glutes.

    This. I do back extensions with plates and (especially at heavier weights) they definitely start to put a bit of burn to the rear!

    Deep squats help greatly too, break parallel with those to really pull in the glute usage. Legs will only bulk up much if you add a lot of weight for them - don't be afraid if they size up a bit, nothing ever wrong with a woman with slightly muscular legs!
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    recipe for dat *kitten*:
    below parallel squats and deadlifts + as heavy weight as you can manage + excellent form

    i've been doing stronglifts since the spring and i've started getting compliments on my "posterior chain".

    and for the record i dont naturally have a round bubble butt. i missed that memo that went out to the "so you're going to grow up to be a black girl" wing of the newborns, but the barbell and weight plate are excellent alternatives
  • petiteLady89
    petiteLady89 Posts: 198 Member
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    I included the butt bible along with my other workouts (it's a six week program that changes every two weeks) Personally level one was way too easy. It really lifted my butt and gave it a shape. I literally had pancakes before!! JM killer buns & thighs is another good one. Tracey Mallets booty bar is good, too.
  • TheFitHooker
    TheFitHooker Posts: 3,358 Member
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    Insanity lol. I've already noticed how much tighter my butt is. A girl at work poked my butt because she said that it's like my butt lifted over night and wanted to make sure it was real lol. So squats and lunges do work, they just take a bit to work and I did not ever feel my bum really getting a good workout till I started insanity.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
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    I think there are some exercises that affect our butt shapes, but really. . . a lot of butt shapes are genetically determined. And we can't do a whole lot about that except thank or blame our parents. I have two daughters who are practically the same size (5'2" and between 105-115 pounds). One has her father's butt and other has mine. The one can thank me just as I thanked my mom.
  • TheeGeeMarie
    TheeGeeMarie Posts: 59 Member
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    If Lunges and Squats don't hit your glutes, you're doing them wrong. Add some weight.

    I agree with the first part of this. Add weight if you want, but if you're not feeling lunges and squats in your glutes then you're definitely doing them wrong. Do you belong to a gym? If so, find a personal trainer, tell them exactly what you told us (you don't feel it in your glutes) and I'm sure they will happily take 5-10 minutes to show you how to do a proper squat and lunge.

    If you're just dead set against squats and lunges, you can do bird dogs with your feet flexed (toes pointing down, push out through your heel). Google them if you're unfamiliar. YouTube can show you the way. Squats and lunges are what's going to make you look smoking hot though.

    Good luck!
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    You are doing squats wrong then. Potentially a form issue, or you are possibly not doing enough weight. If you've been doing them a few months and haven't hit at least 100+lbs for them then you just aren't trying hard enough and shouldn't expect results.
    I have a suspicion this is the case, since you sad the elliptical hits your thighs enough. >_>

    I'm a dude that had a flat butt, and now I have a solid round *kitten*. Due 100% to squats.

    Though I suppose you could do glute-ham raises too.

    if you want some visual proof go to liftbigeatbig.com and look at the ladies there.
  • deninevi
    deninevi Posts: 934 Member
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    Heavy squats, deads, glute bridges, hit thrusts, glute-ham raises,lunges, step ups, swings. All those turned my flat *kitten* in to a rounded *kitten*.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,718 Member
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    Take up roller blading. When I used to do speed skating, my glutes were big. You could also try the slide board speed skaters use for dry training.
  • dorothytd
    dorothytd Posts: 1,138 Member
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    Squats and lunges do work - and they didn't make my thighs bigger, just more defined. Especially if you're continuing the cardio.
  • Coming4U
    Coming4U Posts: 93 Member
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    I think there are some exercises that affect our butt shapes, but really. . . a lot of butt shapes are genetically determined. And we can't do a whole lot about that except thank or blame our parents. I have two daughters who are practically the same size (5'2" and between 105-115 pounds). One has her father's butt and other has mine. The one can thank me just as I thanked my mom.

    THIS!! If it is flat most likely it will stay flat even with targeted work. Just like a womans chest will stay flat unless she gets implants. This is only my opinion though.
  • Junglejoyce
    Junglejoyce Posts: 49 Member
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    Get on your hands and knees. First put on ankle weights. Donkey kicks to the back and to the side (the side ones with knees bent). Then go down to your elbows and do the same thing. Works your butt a little differently.
  • MelissR75
    MelissR75 Posts: 760 Member
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    Deadlifts!! They gave my bum a nice lift! I finally have that "dent" where you butt meets your thigh.
  • Beezil
    Beezil Posts: 1,677 Member
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    I always had a flat butt too - definitely recommend you continue doing squats / lunges, weighted ones for best results. As others have said here, if you're not feeling it in your glutes while doing these exercises, it's possible (probable) that you're using incorrect form. My butt is much rounder these days, and I give most of the credit to doing squats / lunges with a resistance band.

    I don't know what the exercise is called, but I also do this one where I'm on all fours, then rest on my elbows, and while in this position, I have a body band around one of my ankles with the other end around the sole of my opposite shoe. I then extend my leg all the way out and upwards, then slowly bring it back down to touch my knee to the floor. I do this repeatedly, then do it with my knee bent while keeping my leg in the air, pushing it straight up until I can't do it anymore. Rinse and repeat with the opposite leg. This exercise definitely works my glutes and my legs! LOL But I don't have huge thighs, they haven't gotten any bigger at all since I reached my goal weight last November - I think I've lost 1in off them, and my butt has definitely lifted and rounded out quite a bit. :) These exercises are part of the Turbo Fire workouts - the Lower 20 class specifically. You don't have to buy the DVDs to do it, though.

    Hope this helps, good luck!

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