How to tone up for a bootylicious butt!

Image: Perform squats for curves like Malaika Arora Khan
Photographs: Sanjay Sawant, Uttam Ghosh (Illustration) Brinda Sapat

The rear end is most people's problem spot. It's either too big, too flabby, not toned or non-existent! Here are a few simple exercises to firm up and get a great, shapely derriere!

Get started with a warm-up, either by walking, cycling or doing some aerobics for about seven minutes. For those of you who have jiggly bottoms and need to fight cellulite, extend the warm-up into a cardio workout by doing it for 30 minutes at a brisk pace.

Butt-sculpting exercises

Perform the following workout 3-4 days a week. Do 2-3 sets of 12-16 repetitions of each exercise.

Squats

Stand with your feet a little more than hip distance apart. Stand up tall, keeping your knees loose, not straight and stiff. You can place your hands at your waist or keep them linked straight in front of you. Now push your hips back and bend your knees, lowering your body till your thighs are parallel to the floor. Press your heels into the floor, squeeze your butt and push yourself back into the standing position without locking your knees.

Rear leg raises

Image: Maybe Beyonce relies on rear leg raises to keep in such great shape
Photographs: Mario Anzuoni /Reuters, Uttam Ghosh (Illustration)

Get onto all fours like a doggie. Tighten your abdominals and make sure your back is flat.

Extend your right leg straight behind you, with the foot flexed. Now lift your leg as high as you can, squeezing the butt. Make sure you don't arch your back; keep the abdominals pulled in tight. Slowly lower down and lift up again just before your foot touches the floor. After you are done with one set on the right, change legs.

For the next set, challenge yourself further by crossing the right leg over the left and lifting it up diagonally to the right. This will fire different muscle fibres in the glutes.

Side leg raises

Image: Side leg raises for Sophie Choudhary's enviable hourglass
Photographs: Maxim magazine, Uttam Ghosh (Illustration)

Get onto all fours again. Lift your right leg to the side, trying to get it parallel to the floor, keeping the knee bent at 45 degrees. Squeeze the side of your hip as you raise the leg. Lower slowly and just before you can rest the knee on the floor, lift up again. After one set on the right, change legs.

Donkey kicks

Image: Donkey kicks are the answer for those who envy Kim Kardashian
Photographs: Phil McCarten/Reuters, Uttam Ghosh (Illustration)

Stay in the all fours position. Pull the right knee into your chest, keeping your foot flexed and then push your leg back and high up, squeezing the butt nice and tight. Imagine you are trying to push something heavy with your foot.

Complete one set with the right leg, and then do the left.

Butt crunches

Image: Athletic Deepika shows off what you can achieve with exercise like butt crunches
Photographs: Kingfisher Calendar, Uttam Ghosh (Illustration)

Place a mat on the floor and lie on it, face up. Bend your knees, heels pushing into the floor and toes upwards, arms by your sides. Lift your butt off the floor, squeezing it really tight, while pushing the heels into the floor. Gently lower towards the floor and before you touch down, lift up again.

Strrretch!

Image: Stretch things out if you're working towards a derriere like Eva Longoria's
Photographs: Mario Anzuoni/Reuters, Uttam Ghosh (Illustration)

Give your bottom a good stretch after all that hard work. Lying on your back, hug your knees into your chest. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat.

Stretch Two

Image: Bend forward and stretch so you'll do justice to tight pants like Rihanna's
Photographs: Tim Chong/Reuters, Uttam Ghosh (Illustration)

Stand up, bend over and reach your hands towards the floor. If you can't touch the floor, hold onto any part of your leg that you can stretch to and draw your chest towards the legs. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat.

Important: Please check with your doctor before you begin any exercise programme.

More