Category Archives: Firm Up the Butt
Bored in the Gym? HIIT Training May Help
Are Your Workouts Boring?
If you feel like you’ve lost your, as Steve says, “ZIP, ZEST, PEP, DRIIIVE AND DESIRE”, well maybe you just need to get a trainer – interval trainer that is. You don’t necessarily need a personal trainer to kick your butt, especially if you know what to do already. Often times we just get lazy and comfortable, and we lose focus. But, as soon as you add a time component to your workout, suddenly a boring workout blossoms into a high-intensity workout with purpose and drive. To get this done, I use the GymBoss Interval Timer to ramp up my intensity, create focus and hold me accountable.
HIIT it Harder!
HIIT training is nothing new. It’ just gained popularity over the recent years. HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. HIIT workouts are typically short workouts, from 4-20 minutes, and combine short bursts of intense exercise (typically at maximum intensity) with a moderate activity or rest. The original HIIT format was a 2 to 1 ration, like Tabata. Tabata is 20 seconds of work, and 10 seconds of rest or lighter work.
For instance, a HIIT running routine could be 30 seconds of sprinting and 15 seconds of walking or jogging. However, HIIT workouts now come in all shapes and sizes. The length of intervals, as well as intensity/work, may vary. HIIT, today, is just all about timed intense interval training, no matter what the length or combination of exercises and rest.
So, with the education under your belt now, let’s HIIT our legs! Here was my leg workout yesterday. It was awesome, simple, super effective and challenging. Also, when you use HIIT, you get a lot of work done in less time, so it’s also very efficient. Give it a whirl and let me know what you think!
HIIT Your Legs
This workout targets the quads and glutes. I will do a separate workout, like this Ham & Glute Workout, the for hamstrings later this week. Get your GymBoss Interval Timer and get ready to work!
Ramping Squat*
5 SETS: 30 Seconds on, 30 Seconds off
*Ramping (or periodization) refers to ramping up (increasing) your weight. Each set should get heavier and heavier. For instance, do just the bar the first set, then add weight in 10-25lb increments each set, depending on your strength, making each set more and more challenging.
Training Tips: The key to this exercise is to get LOW (like you see in this photo). I’d rather you do less weight, and get a full range of motion. Most people are not even close to getting as low as they can. LADIES LISTEN UP: These last few inches work your inner thighs and glutes a LOT more, so don’t miss out! Your weight should be on your heels the entire time, and your bottom should nearly bottom out on the ground you should be so low. If you’ve never done this before, then practice just with the bar or no weight at all. If you can’t seem to keep your heels on the ground, try spreading out your knees a bit more and sit down into the squat until your feet can stay completely flat. Tight and weak muscles may prevent you from getting this low, so you may want to incorporate this yoga move into your leg day to increase flexibility.
Yoga Squat: Hold this pose (pictured below right) for 30 seconds at a time and really stretch your legs and open those hips. Do this prior to lifting or even between sets to keep you nice and loose.
Heavy Walking Lunges (15-20lbs dumbbells)
5 Sets: 30 Seconds on, 30 Seconds off
Tabata Leg Extensions (toes pointed out)
Tabata is 8 Sets of 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off
1/2 Tabata Leg Extension (toes pointed in)
Half Tabata is half the prescribed set (so only 4 sets) of 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off
Tabata High Step Ups* (with or without weights)
Half (4 sets) Tabata on RIGHT FOOT
(20 seconds on, 10 seconds off)
Half (4 sets) Tabata on LEFT FOOT
(20 seconds on, 10 seconds off)
*Use a high bench or plyo box. Step POWERFULLY up and resist the negative (your weight coming down). So, it will be a quick and powerful explosion UP on to the step (being sure to step up on to your heel), and then a slowly lower down. No matter how tired you get, DO NOT allow your body to “fall” back to the floor. Fight it!
Five Fanny Fixes
The “Bottom” Line
Bottoms come in all shapes and sizes. Some are fat, some are flat, some are big, some are wide in the side. Some sag low and some poke out. Some are lumpy and some are bumpy. But one thing they all have in common is they can all improve with a few fit tips.
I searched the web high and low for some popular bottom problems and found 5 backsides to trouble shoot. For each booty, I will address the individual problem and what I’d do to help them fix it.
BUTT WORKOUT: Be sure to try The Glute Killer workout by Steve Pfiester at DualFIT.com!
Five Fanny Fixes
#1: FAT Bottom: We want a PHAT bottom, not a fat bottom!
Problem: Too much body fat, untoned muscle. This person looks like the are completely sedentary and out of shape.
Solution: Decrease caloric intake and start a fitness routine with cardio to burn fat and weight training to tone muscle. I would also suggest a low-calorie protein supplement, like DesignerWhey, to help her increase protein while on her diet. The Total Lean Live Lean and Fit Pack would be a great multi-vitamin pack, which helps boost energy and promote weight loss, would be another great supplement for her to reach her goals. Since she has a lot to lose, she should shed fat pretty quickly if she sticks to a standard 1,200 calorie diet a day. My goal would be for her to lose 2-3lbs a week. I’d guess she has about 30lbs to lose, so it will take approximately 10-12 weeks for her to experience a total make-over.
#2: NO Bottom: Skinny is not always pretty.
Problem: No muscle or body fat. This person probably doesn’t eat a lot, or get enough protein – which happens as people age. People who are not active can lose up to 3% to 5% of their muscle mass per decade after age 30. I also see this type of muscle deterioration in long-distance runners who burn more than they consume, don’t eat enough protein to maintain muscle mass, or don’t do any resistance training to encourage muscle development.
Solution: Increase caloric intake rich in protein and healthy fats and start a muscle building weight training program. I might even recommend a weight gainer or muscle builder like GNC’s ReGrow to help her increase her calories and protein. Even seniors can gain muscle and totally reshape the body, so it’s never too late. If they are runners, I’d encourage them to cut back in their cardio, even if just a little, and add weight training to their running program.
#3: BIG Bottom: Got muscle AND fat.
Problem: Has good muscle mass, but just needs to lose body fat.
Solution: I’d have her decrease calories and increase her cardio while maintaining a weight training routine. You can tell she has good muscle under her body fat (see her line in her shoulders). Because she already has good muscle, she will look super fit super fast once we get her to shed that fat. Her skin will smooth out and her muscle will be come more and more defined as she loses weight.
#4: PEAR Bottom: Flat on top, full on bottom.
Problem: Besides the stretch marks, bumps and the creepy fact this is a man wearing a thong in public, this guy has decent muscle mass. What is missing to me is he is lacking the top shelf of the bottom that makes the butt more round and perky looking. He also has love handles and no definition in his lower back, so that tells me his diet is crappy or he is really just overall deconditioned.
Solution: If he isn’t doing squats, I’d make sure he adds that to his lower body workout routine. And, I’d recommend adding one-leg exercises like lunges, skaters, one-leg romanian deadlifts, one-leg leg press, or curtsies to work the gluteus medius (which is the top gluteal muscle that will change his pear bottom into an apple bottom). I’d also make sure he hits hamstrings hard. He looks like he may be quad dominant – meaning he might be neglecting his hamstrings and glutes, but doing enough activity to develop (or maintain) his thigh muscles. Lastly, I’d have him hit cardio to shed his love handles. He’ll be quick to respond because he doesn’t have a lot to lose and these small changes will show pretty quickly.
#5: SAGGY Bottom: Deflated and saggy bottom.
Problem: This girl has loose saggy skin, which happens when you lose a lot of weight fast (because you can easily lose muscle too), or if you are just really deconditioned and don’t really do any resistance training.
Solution: Since she doesn’t have a lot of body fat, I would concentrate on a weight program to add muscle mass and tone her up. More muscle will not only give her great curves, but it will fill out the deflated bottom and she’ll lose that sagging line she has under her butt cheeks. She’ll also need to increase her protein, so I’d definitely have her doing protein supplements, like DesignerWhey for her protein shake or Total Lean 25, which is a meal replacement. After 90 days of weight training and eating clean, she’ll be absolutely amazed how much smoother her skin will look, not to mention her overall body shape. Since she is pretty lean already, she will see improvements very quickly.
Visit NYPost for Celebrity’s Worst Butts and see if you can “name that butt”. 
Killer Glute Workout
Here was yesterday’s glute workout if you missed it!
CLICK HERE to get the whole written workout. Here is the video to learn all the exercises, see pace, form and get tips to help you make the most of the workout!
The Glute Killer Butt Workout
You can never have too many butt workouts. Seriously, who doesn’t want a great toosh?! Plus, it’s bikini season, so it’s time to get that butt bikini ready! And men, don’t you think for one second you don’t need this workout. Just because you don’t wear a string bikini (I hope) doesn’t mean you need to neglect your backside! Flat flabby butts are never attractive – no matter who you are!
Try this new workout Steve wrote this workout for DualFit. Many of these exercises are the same exercises he uses to train his bikini and figure competitors to sculpt their perky bottoms.
Pictured above: Team Max Bikini Competitors Melissa Wolfe, Kathleen Morgan, Angel Howell, Cristina McDaniel, Nicole Toore, Leslie Hendricks & Ursula Kepferer.
The Glute Killer Workout
Couplet #1
Start on one leg and repeat the couplet on the other leg. No rest between the 2 exercises.
12 Weighted Step Back Lunge
12 Lunge Kick
(repeat on the other leg)
Couplet #2
Start on one leg and repeat the couplet on the other leg. No rest between the 2 exercises.
12 Weighted Curtsy
12 Stomp
(repeat on the other leg)
Couplet #3
12 Sumo Squat
12 Skater
Repeat Entire Workout 3 Times
Visit DualFit.com for more fitness tips and workouts!
Blast the Backside: Glute & Ham Workout
Another Great Glute & Ham Workout this week! Here’s what I did. REMEMBER, I’m hitting glutes twice a week. My other Leg day is quads and glutes. 
4 Sets of 18-20 Each:
- Straight Leg Deadlifts
- Leg Curls (3 sets reg. 2 sets negative)*
- Seat Leg Curls
- Stomps (both heels hit the ground)*
- Curtsies*
Finish this workout with doing the stairs, step mill, treadmill on a steep incline or the elliptical on a high resistance setting.
TIPS*
LEG CURLS: Change things up and do single leg curls to hit your legs a little differently. Or, boost your training by doing a few sets of negatives using too heavy of weight to do alone. Have your partner help you push the weight to the fully contracted position. Then you control the weight back down on your own for a great negative exercise.
STOMPS: I always do one exercise (like lunges or stomps) to fire up the quads too, so expect them to be blazing hot! The key to stomps is making sure the heel of the moving foot comes all the way down and touches the ground – not just the toe touching. Then sit on it – meaning, your bottom should drop down low with each step in.
CURTSIES: Be sure to not put ANY weight on the back foot. Use it only for balance. Also, with each bend, you should come ALL the way back up to a stand. It’s the upward motion that works the glutes. So, all the way down, and all the way up. Add a dumbbell in the dropped hand for more resistance.
Have a great workout!!
FitFluential LLC compensated me for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Get A Better Backside: 4 Tips and a Workout
One muscle group I feel gets neglected often are the hamstrings. I don’t know if it’s because people can’t see them, or if people just don’t know the importance of them – but they tend to get the leftovers.
If there is enough time “left over”, people will squeeze a few hamstring exercises in their workout. Most people who actually do hamstrings will end their leg workout with two or three exercises, but if they run out of time, guess what gets cut? Yep, you guessed it – the hammies. While gyms make it easier to work the hamstrings, because they offer specific machines just for that muscle group, people who workout at home may never actually work them at all simply because they don’t know how.
Stronger & Safer
First let me explain why you should work them – and work them more. Hamstring exercises, like straight leg dead lifts, strengthen the body to prevent injury. Let’s face it, we should always lift heavy objects with our legs (and not our back), but how many times do we bend over from the hips to pick something up on the floor? Probably more often than we should. Straight leg dead lifts not only strengthens the hamstring muscles that pull our body to an upright position, they also strengthen the low back. The stronger these muscles are, the less chance of injury doing regular daily tasks.
Second, hamstrings also improve joint movement. The hamstrings are attached at the knee and the hip. If both the hamstrings and quadriceps are attached at the same joints, but you have strong quadriceps and weak hamstrings, you can imagine how the stronger muscles will win the tug-of-war on your joints. Balancing your strength will help your body stay in proper alignment for optimal joint movement – preventing injury.
Smooth & Shapely
Lastly, hamstrings not only improve the shape of the leg, they improve the shape of the bottom too. Look at the girl in the blue dress (above), and notice the curves going up the back of her leg. That is a result of great hamstring and glute development. The less body fat you have, the more you will also see that muscle separation from the quad and the hamstring ( the line down the side of the leg).
Also, hamstring and glute exercises help the appearance of cellulite. As you develop both your glutes and hamstrings, you plump up the muscle under the fat, which smoothes skin texture and supports the subcutaneous fat and loose skin. If you feel there is no start and stop between your butt and thighs, you can change that too by ramping up your hamstring and butt routine. As you develop these muscles you will start to notice better muscle separation between the two muscle groups – creating a more toned, lifted, perkier, rounded rear end.
4 Fit Tips to Boosting Your Backside
1. Diet: You can have great legs and muscle that stay hidden under a layer of fat if you aren’t watching your diet too. If you have fat around your thighs, hips and butt, you likely need to reduce your calories to shed some body fat. See: Sculpt Your Body with What You Eat
2. Cardio: You can’t rely on weight training alone to sculpt your body. Burn more fat and tone your lower body with challenging cardio including running, elliptical, gauntlet step mill, step aerobics, power-walking hills, kickboxing or spinning. See: 15 Sweat-Your-Butt-Off-at-Home Workouts
3. Boost Protein: You can’t build muscle without protein. If you aren’t getting enough protein in your diet, your body will use stored protein (muscle) as fuel. If you want to build or sculpt muscle, it’s important to get enough protein in your diet whether it’s from whole foods or protein supplements. See: How Much Protein Do I Need?
4. Go for Variety: Learn as many exercises you can to constantly change up your routine. Not only will it be more interesting, your workouts will also be more effective. Although I always have my staple exercises, I leave room for a few different or new exercises I alternate in and out of my routine. See: 25 Butt Blaster Exercises
My Workout
I’ll be the first to admit my hamstrings need work, so I’ve been taking my training up a couple of notches. If you follow my blog, you know I now split up my hamstrings and quads. I do quads and glutes at the first of the week and hamstrings and glutes at the end of the week. I’ve not only had more time to work each body part better – I also have more power and energy to train harder. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to doing legs all on one day!
Here’s my ham and glute workout I did yesterday. I change it up each time. Last week I did walking lunges and step ups. This week I did Cook Hip Lift & Curtsies.
PS: I’m sporting Reebok Realflex shoes in this pic. The realflex line is one of my favorite lines of shoes I’ve ever owned. Lightweight, super cool and very flexible.
Ham & Glute Workout
Warm Up
This can simple be couple of sets of light straight leg dead lifts, like with the bar only, a light jog, air squats or walking lunges.
Do 4 Sets of Each:
- 18 Straight Leg Dead Lift (I do 95lb/bar or 45lb dumbbells)
- 18 Prone Leg Curl (For Home: Leg Curl with Bands, I use Bodylastics)
- 18 Seated Leg Curl (For Home: Standing Hamstring Band Curl, I use Bodylastics)
- 20 Cook Hip Lift (also called a single leg glute bridge)
- 25 Curtsies (Tip: Don’t put any weight on the back leg)
Finish with 30 Minutes of Elliptical with a challenging resistance.
FitFluential LLC compensated me for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Simple Quad & Glute Workout
We are approaching bikini season so it’s time to take our lower body workout up a notch! Cardio burns fat, but weight training is what plumps up the bottom, smooths out the skin and minimizes the appearance of cellulite – plus it gives us the “right” kind of curves!
Personally, I’ve always wondered why we break up our upper body workouts into smaller body parts, but we expect to do our legs in one day and it be just as effective. So, I decided I needed to change this.
I started breaking up my legs – one day I do quads and glutes and later in the week I do hamstrings and glutes. I LOVE it – and considering I hate doing legs, that’s a really good thing!
Here was my workout yesterday!
Simple Quad & Glute Workout
Warm Up: Air Squats
4 Super Sets:
15 Back Squat (Heavy)
15 Overhead Squat with just the bar or pipe (DEEP!!!)
4 Sets – Walking Lunges (with 20lbs dumbbells) 30 steps
3 Sets – Leg Extension (toes pointed out)
3 Sets – Leg Extensions (toes pointed in)
Finish with step ups, knee repeaters, curtsies or skaters to really kill it!
PS: Just in case you noticed my new shoes! OMG I love them! They are my new Reebok SubLite Train. They are nice and flat (great for lifting) and super light. They have a high heel (for good achilles support) and they lace up a little higher than running shoes (great for mountain climbers and other exercises where a shoe might want to slip off the heel). The SubLites & Nanos are my favorite shoes for the gym!
FitFluential LLC compensated me for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
3 Easy Ways to Ramp Up Your Workout
1. TIME: The less you rest, the more difficult the workout will be. Take little to no rest between exercises to completely fatigue the muscle.
2. WEIGHT: When doing lunges, step-ups and single-leg workouts, put all your weight on the working leg. Many people will shift their weight on the opposing foot to give the working leg a rest. Or, they will step up, and then step their weight down. To amp your workout up, using step-ups for example, only tap the back foot on the ground instead of shifting your weight back on the ground. You will feel a noticeable difference just focusing your weight on the working leg without even trying a new exercise.
3. ROM: ROM stands for Range Of Motion. If you want to really work those glutes, it’s important to squat and lunge as deep as your knees will allow. The deeper your squats are, the more you’ll work the glutes, hamstrings and inner thigh.
CLICK HERE to view my Butt Blasting Workout for Designer Whey
Strength & Mobility Leg Workout
As many of you may know from following me, I despise leg day. So this week I decided to change things up, and break legs up, instead of doing them all on the same day. I have also changed up my training style some. Here is a schedule (just my weight training) I am going to follow for a few weeks to see how I like it.
Monday: Back, Chest & Abs
Tuesday: Quads & Glutes
Wednesday: Shoulders
Thursday: Biceps & Triceps
Friday: Hamstrings & Weighted Abs
Bye Bye Pride
First, I want to talk about form, flexibility & focus. When I used to do regular barbell squats, I used to do 135-155lbs – but, I didn’t go super deep. Part of the reason I couldn’t go that deep was knee pain, another reason was I didn’t have the strength to push that weight in my deeper squat and, lastly, I didn’t have the flexibility to maintain good form. So, with pride leading my workout, I just did what I could without lowering my weight (like anyone is really impressed with how strong I am anyway).
That was the old me – lifting heavy as I could. Now, I leave my pride at home and lighten my load to focus on improving my weaknesses, instead of continuing to improve my strengths.
My Weaknesses
1. Flexibility in my hips, inner thighs, squads and hamstrings.
2. Maintaining good upright position while squatting deep (without falling back on my rump!)
3. Maintaining a deep squat (bottoming out basically) while remaining flat on my feet & weight on my heels (more flexibility issues).
Strengthen More Than Muscles
Admittedly, I’ve never been one for stretching (again, that would mean working on my weaknesses which is no fun). Aside from stretching before or after a run, I avoided it at all cost (because it HURTS, duh!). Now, I’m sucking it up and focusing on my weaknesses FIRST, and then my strengths LATER.
Here was my workout from yesterday listed below. The first time I did the overhead squat mobility work, I was SO sore the next day – and I was just using PVC. Ha! I am improving every time I do them and am determined to get stronger and more flexible. Hopefully, this will help you! PS: Even though I’m going deeper, my knees never hurt when I do these exercises.
Leg Workout
I did 3-4 sets and 15-20 reps of everything, except for the Yogi Squat, which I held as long as I could. Enjoy!
- Overhead Squat Mobility PVC Drill (for shoulder/flexibility)
- Malasana – Yogi Squat (Awesome exercise to improve inner thigh/hip flexibility for better squats)
- Overhead Mobility Squats with Yogi Squat in between while I rest to keep me stretched out. TIP: Heels stay flat on the ground, knees spread out.
- Back Squat (95lbs) with fast explosive Plyo Squats in between
- One Leg Squats off Bench (on each leg to failure)
- One Leg Step Ups on the bench (One leg at a time)
- Leg Extensions
FitFluential LLC compensated me for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Bootylicious Leg & Glute Conditioning Circuit
I put in a new circuit in my leg workout and really loved (hated) it, so I’m sharing!
This workout works the glutes, hamstrings, core, quads, inner thigh and shoulders.
How to do a Thruster: Before you get started, you need to know how to do a thruster. Start standing, with feet shoulder width a part. Squat to the floor (go as deep as you safely can) and squat back up to a standing positoin and complete the final movement with a shoulder press, extending arms completely out before returning to the racked (beginning) position.
Bootylicious Lower Body Conditioning Circuit
My FitFluential pal, Jess (AKA: Blonde Ponytail) demos a great overhead walking lunge! Rock on girlfriend!
15 DEEP Thrusters, see photo below
(20lb Dumbbells)
30 Overhead Walking Lunges
(15lb Dumbbells)
15 Straight Leg Deadlifts
(30-35lb dumbbells)
Do 3-4 Times, resting only after each full circuit.
After I completed this circuit, I finished with some machines, which I posted below.
Traditional Strength Segment
(3-4 Sets of Each)
18 Leg Extensions (80lbs)
18 Prone Leg Curl (60lbs)
18 Seated Leg Curl (80lbs)
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Reebutt Workout: It’s Time to Rock Your Winter Jeans
Can I have my young bottom back please?
If only you could Reebutt. You know, get the butt you had when you were 10. When I see young little girls at the beach, I marvel at how nice their little bottoms are – but think about their lifestyle. They can sit squatted down playing in the sand for hours. No wonder those little things are perky!
Let’s be honest. Most women aren’t hanging out, wearing bikinis and skintight workout shorts like you see in many of the fitness motivational pictures or magazines. Most of us just want to look good in clothes, much less half naked.
Cold weather is coming, or is already here for some of you northerners. For us beach-town folks, we finally get to cover up a little – and it doesn’t matter how much you pay for your jeans if your butt is flat as a pancake or big as a house.
Don’t get me wrong, being in a bathing suit definitely makes me want to work on my derriere, but it doesn’t stop there. Good glutes can also change your appearance in clothes too. Specifically training the legs and glutes can get your booty ready – and I love me some Miss Me Jeans! Unfortunately, even a nice pair of jeans with enough bling on the pockets to blind someone, can’t hide our imperfections, no matter how flashy they are. So, don’t let the extra layer of clothing fool you into thinking it’s okay to get lazy. Keep working!
Benefits of a good glute routine:
1. Lifts your butt
2. Turns pear shape bottoms to apple bottoms
3. Reduces the appearance of cellulite
4. Smoothes skin (wrinkles) and improves texture
5. Improves strength
6. Gives you a youthful appearance (at least from the rear! ha!)
7. Fills out deflated bottoms that otherwise sag, shake, rattle and roll.
The Reebutt Workout
Yes, his workout is a tribute to Reebok - because they are totally kicking people’s BUTTS these days – and people are loving it!
Try this super simple, but SUPER EFFECTIVE (ouchie) workout. Be ready to feel fire in your pants!!
This workout is HOT! (the burning muscle kind that is).
Follow Along with me!
Written Workout:
Go from one exercise straight to the next without rest for the best results. If it starts to burn (like a UTI, as Steve says), then shake it out and get right back at it. The reason this workout is so effective is because we’ll stay on one leg the whole time, and then swap legs and focus on the other leg.
20 Squats
20 Right Lunges
20 Right Stomps
20 Right Leg Cook Hip Lifts
20 Squats
20 Left Lunges
20 Left Stomps
20 Left Leg Cook Hip Lifts
REPEAT 2 TIMES (4 total)
Don’t be lazy this winter! #GetAfterIt – or I’ll have to get after you!
FitFluential LLC compensated me for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
