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How to Tone and Tighten Your Tush

Men and women alike struggle to find the right formula to tone and tighten their buttocks. Whether you'd prefer to have a shapelier, rounder bottom or a tighter, more taut backside, these buttocks exercises and diet tips can help you create the shape you want.

Why Your Tush Can Be A Trouble Spot
Many of us spend too much time sitting down, whether we are lounging in front of the television at the end of a long day or sitting behind a desk for eight hours. This sedentary behavior makes our backsides the ideal depositories for extra fat, causing our bottoms to evolve into soft, wide cushions.

This problem is considerably more significant for women than men, because women's bodies store fat reserves in their buttocks, particularly during childbearing years. This troublesome area can often be the last place that fat is burned.

In spite of this loathsome trouble spot, however, there are solutions to help you tone and shape your buttocks. So get off your couch or out of that computer chair, and get to work these toning exercises for the buttocks.

Remember The Basics
Before beginning any exercise program, it is a good idea to consult with your health care professional to determine any guidelines or special requirements you should follow. Once you've gotten the OK, you should plan a varied routine that will start you out slowly and grow more challenging as your muscles get stronger. In addition, make sure you are eating a balanced diet of healthy foods and drinking eight to ten eight-ounce glasses of water every day, so that your body is properly fueled before exercising.

At-Home Toning Exercises for the Buttocks
Although embarking on any new exercise routine can be daunting, toning your buttocks can actually be rewarding, because quick results are possible with some effort and hard work. Effective toning exercise for the buttocks should target the glutes: the gluteus maximus (the roundest, fullest part of your bottom), the gluteus medius (the lower buttocks, which runs along the outside of the butt and hip area) and the gluteus minimus (situated between the maximus and medius).

Here are two exercises to get your buttocks in shape:

• All-Fours Kickback: To begin this glute-strengthening exercise, get down on all fours with both knees and elbows touching the mat in a dog-like position. With your back straight and your head facing the mat, lift your right leg up in a 90-degree angle so that your thigh is parallel to the floor and your foot is flexed rather than pointed. Hold for one second and return to the starting position.
  
  Do one set of eight reps on the right side, and repeat on the left. As you become more comfortable with this exercise, add ankle weights and more repetitions. To avoid injury, be sure that your back is straight, not arched, during each movement.
  
  
• Standing Press Back: Using a chair for support, stand facing the back of the chair. Holding onto the chair for balance, your feet should be hip-width apart. While keeping your body and hips stationary, squeeze your glutes and slowly extend your right leg up and back at a 45-degree angle. Hold briefly and return to the starting position.
  
  Do one set of eight reps on the right side, and repeat on the left. Again, as you become more comfortable with the exercise, add ankle weights and more repetitions.
  
  Perform these two exercises to tone the buttocks two to three days per week, but do not exercise on consecutive days. For additional buttocks-toning exercises, try lunges, squats and leg presses. Combined with a healthy diet, proper nutrition and good form, you should have a tighter, more toned backside in six to eight weeks.