Two Great Moves to Tone Your Butt

by Fitness Magazine 0

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Fitness Magazine here on FitSugar!

We've been thinking a lot about our backsides the past few months here at Fitness, as our team put together part one of our "Body Lab" to help you get a butt that defies gravity (see the February issue for more!).

While we work hard in the gym to sculpt a better behind, we don't complain when we get a little help from a particularly flattering pair of pants. The minute we slipped on the GapFit gFast Color Binding Leggings ($60, gap.com), we fell in love with their comfy fit and cute colors. And after testing them out in a strength class at David Barton Gym to celebrate GapFit's new line, we knew they would be mainstays in our workout wardrobes. The fabric is just thick enough for cool morning runs, but doesn't feel too heavy for the gym.

If you're feeling a bit timid about rocking these leggings, add these three moves from David Barton Gym trainer Meka to your workout three times each week, and soon you'll be loving your rear view! Get the details on these booty-toning exercises after the break.

You'll need: five- to eight-pound dumbbells

Front squat and press

• Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells at your sides
• Lower into a squat, keeping your weight on your heels, then return to standing while curling your arms to your shoulders, palms facing in, then push dumbbells into an overhead press, palms facing forward
• Lower arms back to your sides and repeat sequence for one minute

Split squat

• Stand with your right leg elevated behind you on a step bench or stair and your left leg about three feet in front of the surface, holding dumbbells at your sides
• Slowly lower your leg until your left knee is at nearly 90 degrees, with your knee behind your toes
• Hold for one count, return to balancing the weight on your left leg, and repeat for 30 seconds
• Switch sides and repeat split squats with your right leg in front for 30 seconds

Read on to get more moves to sculpt your lower body!

More from Fitness:

Defying Gravity: How to Build a Stronger, Defined Butt

Billy Blanks's Ultimate Flab-Fighting Workout

Fifteen-Minute Lower-Body Blast Workout