The first unofficial day of summer — Memorial Day weekend — is only three weeks away! So, it's time to get in shape and ready to put on that dreaded bathing suit. Petra Kolber, fitness trainer with Health magazine, shares five exercises you can do at home to get your butt, thighs and hips in shape for a bathing suit.
Single leg lunge
Benefits: Hips, thighs and glutes
Squats and lunges, like this exercise, are still the staple moves for the glute and hip area. But all the squats in the world won't matter if you do not also add cardio and sensible nutrition to your daily routine.
What it does: This exercise has been shown to be one of the most effective exercises to target glutes; it also will work your core.
1. Stand on the floor with your weight on one leg and back leg just resting on floor for balance.Tip: You can use a chair and place one hand on the chair to help keep your balance.
2. Slowly lower down into a lunge and then press back up into standing position.Tip: To make it more challenging and also pull in more inner thigh and core muscles, bring the feet to a more narrow position.
3. Repeat 8-12 times and then switch sides.Tip: To add more resistance, you can add small hand weights or tubing.
Single leg/hip hinge
Benefits: Glutes
This exercise is very similar to the first exercise — the only difference is that you are working the glutes.
When focusing on the butt, it is a great idea to pre-stretch the front of the hips (hip flexors) as this will help recruit more muscle fibers in the glutes when exercising.
1. Stand on the floor with your weight on one leg and back leg just resting on floor for balance.Tip: You can use a chair and place one hand on the chair to help keep your balance.
2. From the hips (not back) slowly hinge upper body until it is almost parallel to floor, pause and return.Tip: To make it less challenging start on two feet.
3. Repeat 8-12 times on the right leg and then switch sides.
Tri-move series
Benefits: Glutes, hips, inner thigh
I recommend that people mix and match their exercises to avoid overuse injuries and to keep challenging and stimulating their muscles. This is great for the glutes, hips and the inner thigh.
1. Begin with feet together and hands on hips.
2. Take a step forward and lower yourself into a lunge position. Pause and then push back and bring feet together (or onto one leg for more of a balance challenge).
3. Take a step out to the side and lower your self to a squat position. Pause and push back up and carry the leg across squeezing the inner thigh together.
4. Take a step back into a lunge position, pause and lift back up extending the leg behind you.
5. Repeat 4 times on the right leg and then switch sides.Tip: To make it more challenging, squat with side leg lift using tubing. This is how the exercise is done with tubing:
- Standing on tubing with arms up by shoulders and feet hip distance apart, squat down and then lift back up. As you lift back up extend one leg gently to the side. Pause and lower back into squat.
- To make it easier, hold hands at the hips.
- Repeat 8-12 times on the right leg and then switch sides.
"Bridge lift" using an exercise ball
Benefits: Glutes, hamstrings
1. Sit on the ball with your feet hip distance apart. Slowly roll your body down until just your upper body is on the ball.
2. Lower the hips down. Without arching your back press hips up, pause and then lower.
3. To make it more challenging, cross one leg over the opposite thigh and press up on one leg.
4. Repeat 8-12 times on the right leg and then switch sides.
Hip extension using an exercise ball
Benefits: Glutes and core
1. Lying over the ball, place your hands on the floor for support. Legs are extended.
2. Slowly lift the right leg off the floor and lower down. Repeat with the left leg.Tip: For more challenge, bring the heels together (knees bent) and lift both legs at the same time.
3. Repeat 8-12 times on the right leg and then switch sides.