Damn! How Did You Get That Ass?

Have you ever looked at an ice-skater or ballet dancer and thought to yourself: "How did he get that ass?!" What people don't remember (or maybe don't know) is that the glutes are one of the most powerful muscle groups in the body, responsible for a lot more than cushioning your tailbone while you type or filling out your jeans. They need to be strong. Did you know that many people who complain of having lower back problems don't have a bad back? They usually have weak glutes, resulting in a lack of lumbar support. So let's throw your bum a little love.

Focus on Form
Everyone who takes lifting seriously knows from squats, deadlifts and lunges. These are great exercises to do if your form is right. Much of the time, we get bored and just go through the motions to which we have become accustomed -- it's like walking, and nobody built up a big butt just by walking. The next time you do your squats, deadlifts and lunges, focus on your form. Ask yourself: Are you squeezing your glutes at the top? When you push up from your squat, are you using only your legs and letting your glutes just hang out? When you do your deadlifts, are the glutes engaged the entire time? One of the reasons athletes like skaters and dancers have those big butts is because they are focused on every movement following through, like a line that must be completed.

The Bridge
A glute exercise you can do anywhere is actually a yoga pose called the Bridge. Lie on your back, raise your knees and plant your feet at hip length apart. Keeping your head, neck, shoulders, arms and hands on the ground, raise your hips off the floor; squeeze your glutes for several seconds and then relax. Do it again. I do 4 or 5 sets of 25 reps. You'll feel it and, after a few weeks, you'll notice growth. For experienced lifters, you can do this with a barbell across your hips. The safest way to make this modification is to start with low weights and work your way up to heavier weights over time. I recommend 4 sets of 5 to 10 reps, depending on the weight you are using. Don't hurt your back with a lot of reps and heavy weights. It's not worth it.

Barbell Hip Thrust
A similar move is a barbell hip thrust. Start out without the barbell, learn the form and then add the weight when you feel you are ready. You'll need a bench -- sit on the floor with your back against the bench and your arms outstretched to give you support. Plant your feet, hip length apart, and raise your hips as far up as possible but with a flat back, squeezing the glutes. When you've mastered this, add a barbell with weight that is comparable to your ability level. The weight goes across your hips and your hands come down to the bar to assist. You won't be able to hyperextend the hips the way you can when working without the weight, but push as hard as you can and remember to squeeze. Without weight, I stick to my 4 sets of 25 reps. With the weight, I tend to do 4 sets of 5 to 10, depending on how heavy I'm going.

Bulgarian Split Squats
Finally, I like to do Bulgarian split squats from time to time because they help with balance, as well as build muscle. In the gym you can use a bench or a Bosu ball; at home you can use either of those or a footstool, exercise step, ottoman... something to raise one foot off the ground. Stand with one foot in front of you and the other foot elevated behind you. Keeping an erect spine, squat down with the front leg until the knee of the back leg is almost touching the ground, then push back up, squeezing the glutes at the top. It's easy enough, but you want to remember about your knee on the front leg not going past the toe -- no injuries on this one, please! You can do this with or without dumbbells in your hands; and, of course, what you do on one side, you have to do on the other. I do 4 sets of 25 reps, with or without weights -- so pick weights you can manage and challenge yourself!

These glute workouts are effective for men and women alike. We all could benefit from a stronger pair of legs and less back pain. And, natch, we want to do what's healthy for our bodies. But let's look at the bigger picture here: If, by adding a better glute workout to your training each week, you can have a healthier posture, stronger muscles, and a better-looking ass, don't you want to at least give it a shot? That way, everyone wins in the end (pun intended).