 |
||||
Bottom’s Up Fitness facts and anyone-can-do-it workout tips for the rear view 
Yep, it’s that time of year again – time to pay a little more attention to a body-part that likely hasn’t see the light of day since last summer. The butt. But while some folks are blessed with dynamite derrière genetics, keep in mind that most folks have to work extra hard to firm and tone their bottom line. According to Tiffany Crate, founder of TLC Fitness Consulting, Chicago, resistance training exercises for the butt and thighs certainly help prevent significant muscle loss, but it’s unrealistic to expect a few hours per week of working out to really lift and shape a behind if a person spends the balance of her time sitting on it or standing still. Furthermore, it’s likely that many of the moves in any fitness routine either don’t target or don’t truly tax the gluteal muscles. But even if “active” is your middle name, gender can make it more difficult to achieve a fine behind showing. “Women have a natural propensity to hold fat in the belly-button to mid-thigh area,” says Erik Hroncich, owner of Seattle-based EDGE Personal Training. “Smack dab in the middle of that region are the glutes.” And since nobody can spot reduce, women will probably have to wait for body fat throughout the entire body to dissipate to actually see any results in the buttocks. In addition, age can play a major role in the appearance of the backside. “No matter how hard you work out or carefully you watch what you eat, you can’t stop the natural changes that occur in skin and fat as the years go by,” Crate says. First, gravity takes a toll over time. Even a young, overly fat butt can be plump and high, but a decade or two later, that same butt sags lower, Crate says. Second, as we mature, the collagen and elastin in the dermis (the middle of the skin’s three layers) begin to break down, allowing the clumpy fat cells beneath to rise up and produce the tell-tale dimpling of cellulite. No amount of muscle-building exercises can make cellulite disappear because it exists in your skin and fat, Crate says. However, it is possible to minimize the severity of cellulite by keeping weight in check. To help turn the body into an energetic, fat-burning machine, Crate advises eating close to the earth – whole vegetables, fruits, grains and legumes, and to consume the recommended servings of protein and healthy fats, such as lean meats, fish eggs, nuts, seeds and natural oils. On the avoid list are simple carbohydrates like refined flours, desserts and sugary drinks. Of course, it’s also never too early to get going on a butt-busting routine. To get started, Hroncich suggests doing these three at-home moves: Supinated hip lift Lie flat on your back with knees bent. Tighten your tummy and lift your butt off the floor until your torso is straight, while putting all of your weight in your heels. Squeeze your cheeks at the top and then return your butt to the floor. To make the move more difficult, try it with one leg extended about six to eight inches above the floor. Plie Squats Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and rotate your feet out about 45 degrees, clasping your hands together at your waist. Tilt your butt back (avoid arching your back by imagining closing a car door with your behind) and slowly squat, squeezing your cheeks and keeping your body weight in your heels. Only lower as far your flexibility allows, but you should feel your inner thighs and butt burning. Hold weights to increase the difficulty. Bulgarian Split Squat Place the top of one foot on an elevated surface (sofa, chair) behind you and hop out to where both legs are comfortable and not stretched. While keeping your hips straight, bend your standing leg at the knee. Keep all your weight in the heel and only go down as far as your balance allows. Finally, drive your heel into the ground as you push back up to your starting position. Do one to three sets (15-25 reps) of each move three times a week, and almost everyone, once cleared by a medical doctor to engage in physical activities, should see and feel the difference in six to eight weeks, Hroncich says. |
||||
|
||||
