Your body is a complicated and beautiful machine. You want to get it into the best possible shape. Part of the process to making sure your body works perfectly is by toning it properly.
One area that deserves very special attention are what are known as the glutes. The gluteal muscles play in important role in everyone’s life.
These are the muscles that support the rest of your body. Thanks to the glutes, you can walk upright with ease.
They also allow you to stretch and bend down without straining the rest of your body. Strong glutes are the foundation for many other activities including walking and running.
This is why you need to have glutes that are in good shape. When you have toned glutes you can also work out far more effectively.
The Keys to Toning Your Glutes
There are several fundamental way to get your glutes exactly as you want. The two most important ways to tone your glutes are exercise and diet.
Properly targeted exercises concentrate on this area of the body as you workout. Many people aren’t sure exactly how to accomplish this plan.
The good news? Such exercises are easy to learn. They’re also easy to master over time. Even if you’ve never tried these exercises before, you’ll find it easy to follow a few simple tips.
You also need to pay attention to what you eat. A diet that is too high in sugar, fat and other unnecessary calories can undo all the good you’re doing with your workout routine.
Proper diet and exercise can get you the look you want and increase your overall health at the same time.
How Do You Get Firm Glutes?
Glutes that are in good shape have many advantages.
As three major muscles that shape the appearance of your torso and back, the glutes give your body a shape that is visible when people first see you.
Well toned glutes also help you push off when you’re on the ground. That makes it easy to get up or hit the ground without any injuries.
These muscles, when toned, also burn a lot of calories. The time you spend toning your glutes will pay off with a better metabolism and decreased overall body fat.
If your glutes are in good shape, this also reduces the risk of injury. You have enough firm support to avoid putting too much weight on other body parts as you workout.
Getting the Look
While it might feel daunting to get such big muscles in shape, there is good news. The glutes are actually quite amenable to toning.
In fact, there are many things you can do to reduce flabby glutes and bring in the sleek look you want most.
It’s all about paying close attention to your body. Knowing what is really going on is the first step to fixing it.
You can take away the unwanted fat or at least reduce how it looks. With that in mind, you’ll want to give this area lots of attention right now.
A good plan can get results in the immediate future. It can also pay great long term dividends.
Basic Exercises For Toned Glutes
Basic exercises for the glutes follow a few standard moves. All of these exercises make the focus of the exercise the backside.
That’s good news for those with mobility issues. Even if you have some problems walking or you haven’t worked out before, you can safety do them.
The goal is to work the glutes by putting pressure on this area of the body and bringing them through a series of strong motions.
Ideally, you want to work each muscle on each side of your body and make it stronger. You also want to ensure that you’re avoiding injury as you exercise.
There are several types of glute exercise that are known to help people accomplish this goal and get toned glutes quickly.
For example, one of the most common types of exercises to this area is the squat. Squats happen when you draw the pelvic region down towards the floor without hitting the ground.
Squats have another benefit. They help increase your sense of balance.
That’s good for the body if you’re a new mom who needs to balance her child on one hip while holding groceries in your other hand.
The squat can be done in one of several ways. You can place one hand on a chair and then squat down as far as you can go.
That allows you to have something to hold on to during the exercise so you don’t have to worry about falling.
This is what many ballet students do as they exercise while holding on to the barre. The standard squat is a simple up and down motion.
There are many variations that can be used to vary the workout and up the intensity. For example, the back squat is when you lean to one side and stretch one leg while putting most of your weight on the other leg.
Do this in a squatting position ten times on each leg.
Lunges are also great for toning your glutes. However, these types of exercises may require a certain level of balance to perform correctly.
If you have never done lunges, you can always start with a petite drop of the legs. Move down and hold the position for a few seconds.
Then slowly, carefully bring the body back up. Make sure you do this one in a controlled manner. Pay attention as you work the muscles of your back so you’re not tipping over.
Another kind of exercise that is known to help get this area in shape are exercises that you can do when sitting down.
For these exercises, you’ll need a place to workout such as a towel or an exercise mat. You sit down and then lift your leg to one side.
Do this several times for each leg. You can also focus on an exercise known as the bridge. This is when you lift your entire pelvic area while keeping your head and legs on the floor.
Bring the pelvis up and down several times while keeping the rest of the body from moving. That is one way to keep the pressure on your glutes while keeping firmly grounded.
The bridge is safe and easy to master.
You can also bring the front of your body down on a mat with enough room for your head and neck. Then lift up each leg several times.
The goal is to flex this muscle while keeping everything else as still as possible during the workout. You can lift each leg straight up a few times.
You can also lift your legs to the side as you sit on the mat. That will improve your range of motion and add to your overall strength.
Using Weights to Tone Your Glutes
If you want to bring that workout to the next level, it is important to add weights to your workout.
While methods such as the squat can pay off, adding weights has additional advantages. Lifting weights leads to lower abdominal fat.
That’s the kind that puts you in danger of heart attack and stroke. That improves your overall health.
Weight lifting also helps people with diabetes control their blood sugar levels and leads to increased mobility and overall strength.
Properly done weight lifting exercises also help people avoid joint pain.
Weights can be easily used in glute exercises. They’ll help increase your workout intensity. This is a great way to get toned glutes more quickly.
It’s also a way to bring in the kind of intense workout that can pay off with greater long term endurance.
If you’ve never lifted weights before, now is the time to start. The good news? You don’t need to lift heavy weights.
Weights ranging from three to five pounds are good way to start. These light weights can be found in many forms.
For your glute workout, you can place a dumbbell in the crook of your knee. Keep it there as you lift your legs.
You can also hold dumbbells in each of your hands as you squat. Make sure they fit comfortably in your hands.
As you get more comfortable with the weight you’re using, you can a bit more. Going from three to five pound weights will help you get those glutes toned more quickly.
At Home Glute Workouts
The really great thing about toning your glutes is you don’t need any fancy equipment to get results. Find a mat that feels comfortable.
Weights can be stored in a closet when not in use. All you need is some space to exercise and you’re good to go.
You can also exercise when you’re traveling. Many hotels have workout rooms for this purpose.
Bear in mind you also don’t have to spend a lot of time working out. Ten or twenty minutes every other day should do the trick.
If you find you’re not paying attention to one exercise, it’s time to switch it up and go for another kind of glute exercise.
There are many types of glute exercises. You can always find one that works for you.
Exercising glutes can be done at home. You don’t have to travel to a gym to find equipment to complete these exercises.
An exercise ball can also be used to help tone your glutes. Large exercise balls are a great way to support your weight as you workout.
The ball supports your hands or legs when you stretch while still giving you the benefit of such range of motion exercises.
Glutes For Women
Women face special issues when it comes to getting toned glutes. All women should bear in mind that it may take them longer to get the shape they want.
Women have more body fat than men. This is particularly true in the pelvic area. A woman can be fit and the right weight for her height and yet still have untoned glutes.
In that case, continuing to exercise can only help her meet her overall fitness goals. Light weight lifting of any kind is particularly important as it will add muscle strength over time.
Diet is also a very important issue to keep in mind. A good diet is a balanced diet. When people consume too many calories, it may not end up as belly fat.
Instead, it can head straight to the gluteal muscles. That is why sticking to a well rounded diet is crucial for those who are looking to get and keep toned glutes.
Eat a lot of fresh fruit and plenty of vegetables as well as items with lots of innate fiber. Hydration is also imperative.
Avoid sugary drinks or too much coffee. Cold water in the summer and hot tea in the winter are good choices.
Recommended Glute Training Devices
| Body-Solid Powerline PGM200X Adjustable Glute Max | COBA Glute Trainer | Sunny Health & Fitness Squat Assist Row-N-Ride Trainer |
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| We like the Body-Solid Powerline PGM200X Adjustable Glute Max because of the way it allows you to target the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps with controlled movement for isolation exercises to really develop those glute muscles. | The COBA Glute Trainer made our list because it allows you to do 8 of the primary glute exercises on one device, without putting much stress on your knees. | We included the Sunny Health & Fitness Squat Assist Row-N-Ride Trainer in our list because of its ability to adjust to your body length so you execute a proper squat every time. |
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So What’s Next?
Getting toned glutes should be seen as the first step in the process. The goal is to keep them toned in the long term.
Careful attention to the entire process can pay off if you have a good routine. That is why people should ideally stick to exercises that focus on this area of the body.
Even just a few minutes a day or even every other day can really make a difference. Find an exercise or series of exercises that you find doable. Add in some weights during the workout.
You can also vary where you workout. You might workout at home for a few days and then head to the park to do a few squats.
A partner can help keep you on track by doing such exercises with you. You can also bring in your family members and spouse.
The goal is to have a firm foundation that will support the rest of the rest of your body as you go about your daily activities each week.
Well toned glutes can bring you to the next level of personal fitness and keep you there.
