Fitness question for Tiorted Snoil and other serious exercise enthusiasts

What is the best exercise to really tighten the buns? How much weight should I use and how many reps and sets for fastest results? I'm a little bored with my present routine and I'm not quite getting the results I want, though my legs are fabulous.

TS, how much cardio do you usually do?

thanx

 

Lunges

Start standing with feet side by side. Reach one leg out in front of you and bend at the knee until that leg is at a right angle (any more and it is harmful to the knee). Push back to starting position. Repeat with other leg. If you have never done this I would start with no weight. Do 3 sets, 15 reps per leg. When you can do that, hold 10 lb(or more if it was easy) dumbbells in your hands while doing the exercise.

 

We need a pic of those legs to verify. Thanks.

 

Lunges work the best for me for hitting the glutes hard directly...you can vary them by using a smith machine and dumbbells and varying the height of the back leg by placing it on a bench. Work up to 3 or 4 sets of 12-15 reps...with the last 4 really pushing yourself...sly's description for form was perfect.

Squats also work real good as well as leg presses...you just have to make sure you are getting the full range of motion. Concentrate on using the glutes, it will make a difference. Don't be afraid to pack on the weight, you don't have testosterone so you won't become a she-male. There is a huge "fear factor" people get when it comes to slapping on more plates when doing squats and leg presses, your legs are so strong naturally that you'll be able to do the weight....if you are afraid on the leg press, do it one leg at at time while using the off leg as a self spotter....plus doing squats and leg presses you'll get nice firm legs too.

Do you know what a "good morning" is? It hits the hams hard but also works the glutes for a different angle that you would be able to hit from lunges and squats.

You can also attach a cable to your ankle and raise your leg backwards...variation works good, over time your muscles become used to a workout and you need to vary things to shock them so you can get over your plateau.

I usually train the glutes with legs because they really are a leg muscle and are part of the rear 'system' of muscles (all muscles are part of a system..knowing how the system work will help you a lot in designing your own workouts)....lower back, glutes, and hamstrings. I usually do them right after squats which is before good mornings and leg presses. I don't want to get a big butt like a lot of guys who lift a lot have, so I go relatively light with a lot of reps (12-15).

The gym I workout at has a machine just for the butt, it works alright but it is really hard to breath if you go heavy and I find myself not being able to go to failure because I'm out of air.

It's differnent for men and women, women naturally have more fat in their rears while men have it in their abs and love handles....so it more of a combination cardio, proper eating, and lifting that will get you the nice butt that you probably already have.....I'd say it is 75% eating properly, 10% lifting, and 15% cardio.

Cardio...on days I go law carb are the days I do heavy cardio (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday)....I'll do 45 minutes of 90% max heart rate intervals at lunch, then another 45 mintues of 65% max heart sustained in the evenings....I burn roughly 2500 calories each day. For you however, I'd recommend doing 45 minutes of cardio right after your butt workout...your lifting would have expended all of the glycogen in your butt and force the energy to come from fat...this will speed up your results. The type of cardio you do will make a difference too. The stair climbers, gliders (set for glutes), and the gliders with arm handles will do the job a lot better than the treadmill or bikes because you are using the glutes more...therefore more fat will be burned from the glutes.

 

Dude man you know your shit.


Fire my physical trainer hire you!

Nevermind you would hate that I make useless conversation.

 

I hate working legs, and it shows. At 6'1 210, I would say only about 60 or 70 pounds of that is below the belt...and I am not fat, just a little jelly around the waist, enough to cover up what used to be a nice six pack. In short, I have chicken legs!
When I do legs, Lunges and Leg press are always staples. Then I mix in some squats and the usual leg curls and extensions. Lunges generally give you the most complete leg workout. There is a specific machine that adjust to work different areas of the lower body. You adjust it so the pad hits the back of you knee starting with the leg up, you then press downward...can't remember what they call the machine, but it works the old assapostumus pretty good.
Cardio doesn't do much for building muscle, it's more for toning.

 

The only thing I'd like to add to all of the advice given in this thread, is to be sure to push with your heel. Otherwise, you work different muscles in your leg. This applies to lunges, squats, and leg press.

 

Thanks, guys!

I've heard a lot of people say lunges do the trick, but I really don't like doing them because they're hard on my knees, especially my right knee, but I like the idea of Smith machine lunges. I've tried hack squats, but sometimes my legs tremble, so I don't do very many.

I just wish Gold's Gym had a standup hip extension machine like at the YMCA. It was very easy to switch to hip adduction and abduction exercises.

Right now, I'm trying to shake up my routine a little bit with some Pilates and my old "The Firm" videos. Hopefully, that should help.

 

Good read, if you're interested.

fitness

 

Sportsgirl I absolutely despise the LUNGE!!! ARRGGHH!!!! I'm with you...these old knees of mine can't take the pressure. The Firm?? *gag* LOL..How can you stand those chicks? Ewww....I started Pilates about a month ago and I am LOVING it! I'm addicted and I've never been able to say that before about exercising.


If you want a new tape to try go to www.beachbody.com. The thin thighs tape is great..so is the abs...I like it cause they don't talk crap..they just get down to business. They count down the time for you so you can see you can see how much longer you have to go which really helps you not give up. It works great and its something new for you to try and my sister in law in a personal trainer and she says it goes along great with the pilates so you're not undoing everything you've done already to reshape your muscles.