5 Exercise for Your Best Butt Ever

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Instagram star and certified fitness trainer Massy “Mankofit” Arias didn’t get this famous butt by sitting on it

She squats — and makes every rep count using simple tweaks. If you’re going to go down there, you might as well max out on the benefits. Try these subtle squat variations to really put your butt, legs, and thighs to work — and activate other body parts while you’re at it.

1. Squat and hold while doing bicep curls. Holding this position challenges your butt, thighs, and legs to stabilize against the pull of gravity, while the curls distract you from the torture (and give your upper body extra attention).

How to do it: Grab a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet shoulders-width apart. Shift your weight into your heels as you sit back into a low squat. Keep your thighs parallel to the ground and your knees behind your toes. Bring your arms out in front of you so they’re parallel to each other with your palms facing up. Gently press the back of each elbow against the knee as you extend the dumbbells straight down, then engage your biceps and curl them up toward your shoulders. Without coming up out of squat position, release the weights to starting position with control. That’s one rep.

2. Elevate your heels. Lifting your heels off the ground isolates your butt and thighs so they do more of the work

How to do it: Place two small dumbbells end to end on the floor right behind your heels. Come up onto your toes and scoot backward to rest one heel on each dumbbell handle. Lock your elbows and extend both arms straight out in front of you (to engage the arms and help you balance). From this position, lower your hips toward the floor until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Next, squeeze your butt and extend your legs to come back up to starting position.

3. Add an overhead press. This engages your arms and shoulders — but it secretly sculpts your abs too

How to do it: Grab one dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet about shoulders-width apart. Hold the weights just above your shoulders with your palms facing each other. From this position, bend your knees to lower into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Next, squeeze your butt (important!) and press up through the heels to stand up straight as you press both dumbbells straight up toward the ceiling. Lower the weights to starting position as you simultaneously sink into a second squat, and continue.

4. Turn your toes out. This angle forces you to use your inner thighs on the way down, and really zeros in on the butt and outer thighs on your way up.

How to do it: Stand with your feet wider than shoulders-width apart and point your toes out about 45 degrees. Lock your elbows and let your arms hang down in front of you, palms facing in. Keeping your shoulders directly over your hips and actively pressing your knees out to the sides, lower your butt straight down until your thighs are nearly parallel to the ground. Then, squeeze your butt and thighs as you press up through the heels to straighten your legs and come back up to starting position.

5. Add a jump. Because this move is dynamic, it raises your heart rate and requires more power than straight-up squatting. The jump activates your calves so you feel the burn through the entire leg.

How to do it: Stand with your feet about shoulders-width apart, toes facing forward. Bend your knees to bring your hips toward the floor until your thighs are parallel to the ground and bring your palms together in front of you. From this position, press into your heels and squeeze your butt as you jump straight up into the air, extending your arms behind you for momentum. Land with soft knees and immediately lower into a second squat.
Source : www.cosmopolitan.com