By Lovern Hayes, Staff Reporter
WE GET off our butts, get them in gear and work them off -- metaphorically anyway. We sometimes want to kick butt too, but not get kicked in our own. Our many references to the butt show that when it comes to the rear view most of us are not to be left behind.
The posterior, or derriere, is a unisex object of desire -- women are always on the lookout for a nice, tight one while men tend to seek out the ample, round ones. Everyone goes for the rear curve.
With this in mind, we asked Winston Grant, a gym instructor at the Campion Pep Up Gym off Old Hope Road in St. Andrew, for advice on how to create a better rear view.
"In order to get results though, one will need to watch one's calorie intake because a low-fat diet is necessary when toning. Be especially wary of junk food and dairy products," he advises.
Grant also points out that it was wise to do a variety of exercises to stimulate the muscles in that area. So, drawing on moves used in Pilates, kickboxing, weight lifting, yoga and step aerobics, we have come up with an unbeatable
programme for whipping your
gluteus maximus into shape:
Pilates: Leg Beats
Nothing lifts the butt like this fierce floor exercise.
1. Lie face down with your palms on the floor, bending your arms so your elbows point out to the sides and your fingertips touch.
2. Rest your forehead on the backs of your hands. Keeping your stomach pulled in tight, inhale and squeeze both your stomach and butt muscles to slowly lift both legs a few inches off the floor.
3. With your shoulders relaxed and legs straight, rotate raised legs so knees and toes point outward to the sides and heels turn in; focus on squeezing your thighs together. Then return to the starting position.
4. Quickly repeat this rotation 25 times.
5. Once you're done, stretch your back by moving into yoga's Child's Pose: Bring your knees under your chest, so your derriere sits on your heels, your forehead rests on the floor, your arms are next to your sides and resting on the floor, and your hands are on the floor next to your feet.
Kickboxing:
Slo-Mo Side Kick
This really works the glutes in both your standing and raised legs.
1. Stand an arm's length away from and perpendicular to a wall, with your left shoulder facing the wall.
2. Place your left hand on the wall for balance. Bend your right knee and raise it to hip level.
3. Keep your left leg straight, with your knee and hip aligned above your feet. Kick your raised leg out to the right side in a slow and controlled manner.
4. Keep your right leg parallel to the floor at hip level with your foot flexed for a count of four. Return to the starting position.
5. Do eight to 10 repetitions; switch sides. Do one to three sets.
Weight Lifting: Debutante Lunges
This move is almost like a curtsy.
1. Stand with your feet together. Take a 12-inch step to the right and stretch your left leg behind you and as far to the right as possible, keeping it straight.
2. Bend your right knee, going no deeper than 90 degrees, while keeping your upper body upright with your shoulders over your hips.
3. Return to the starting position and repeat 10 times. Then switch to the other side.
Yoga: Warrior One
"This deep-lunge move helps your glutes develop endurance in addition to making them longer and more flexible," says Grant.
1. Start by standing with your feet together; then take a large step forward with your right foot. Point your left foot forward at a 45-degree angle.
2. Bend your right knee until your thigh is parallel to the floor; make sure your knee doesn't extend beyond your toes.
3. Keep your left leg straight and shift your weight to the outer edge of the back foot.
4. Reach both arms to the ceiling, keeping them parallel and gazing forward. Hold this pose for a minute while breathing deeply and slowly. Return to the standing position. Alternate legs and repeat this pose two to three times on both sides.
Step Aerobics: Marching Jump
The more you use the leg on the step and the less you push off the leg on the floor, the more you will be working the butt.
1. Place your right foot on a step, keeping your left foot on the floor; both feet should face forward. Your back should be erect but not arched.
2. Exhale, and in one brisk motion, raise your left leg, bringing the knee to hip level, and straighten the right leg. Then lower your left foot onto the step, next to your right foot.
3. Once you're accustomed to the move, add a small hop to the upward movement, making sure your knee does not come higher than your hip.
4. Repeat 10 times on each side.
