Move over squats! These 5 butt exercises will make your derriere perfectly firm

Exercising your butt using squats is a time-tested approach that will ensure that your lower body gets the right toning and definition. Squats also work the abdominal area and strengthen the knees and joints as well.

While squats will help with your lower body, this exercise doesn’t effectively target posterior muscles which also need conditioning and training. Posterior muscles include calf, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus muscles—all of which are critical for overall bodily function and maintaining posture.

Hence, we bring to you five butt exercises that will help you firm up your posterior and strengthen your thighs and buttock:

1. Side-lying leg raise

• Lie on your right-hand side with your right knee bent at 90 degrees.
• Keep your left leg straight and aligned with your back.
• Press your left hand into the top of your buttock to keep your left hip slightly tilting forward.
• Raise your left leg as far as you can without letting your butt tilt back and then slowly lower to the starting position.
• Perform 8 to 12 times and repeat on the other side.

2. Bridge pose

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and heels close to your butt.
• Your feet should be shoulder-width apart and flat on the floor.
• Raise your butt to create a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
• Tighten your abdominals and buttocks when rising up and lower yourself slowly to the starting position.
• Perform 8 to 12 times.

3. Forward lunges

• Keep your feet parallel and butt-distance apart.
• Take a big step forward with your right leg and lower your body slowly, bending both knees, and return to the standing position. Keep your right knee stacked right over your right ankle.
• Repeat 8 to 12 times before switching legs.

Also, read: These 5 yoga poses will help you sculpt your butt like an apricot

4. Skater

• Stand with your feet wider than butt-distance apart and tighten your core.
• Jump your right foot to the right and land softly on the ball of your right foot with your knee bent.
• Swing your left foot behind you to tap the toes of your left foot to the floor.
• Jump your left foot to the left, landing softly on the ball of your left foot with a bent knee and swing your right foot behind you to tap the toes of your right foot to the floor.
• Keep alternating the movement and swing your arms as you jump to maintain balance.
• Repeat 8 to 12 times.

5. Kickbacks

• Place yourself on your hands and knees, ensuring that knees are under your hips and your hands under your shoulders.
• Keep your right leg bent at 90 degrees and raise it behind you as high as you can and then lower it to the starting position.
• Repeat 8 to 12 times with each leg

So, ladies, if you want a firm butt, you gotta work on it!