butt workouts

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on POPSUGAR Fitness!

Making sure you look extra presentable for that annual beach trip with the girls is one thing, but how do you think you'd fair if your bikini-clad butt were blown up on big screens across America? Got a little nervous, huh? That's exactly why we've got ultimate respect for Spring Breakers star Vanessa Hudgens, who's clearly got nothing to hide in terms of a perfectly shapely physique. (I mean, look at that thing! Damn, girl!)

"I think her healthy, toned look is something that we all aspire to have," says Lauren Weisman, mind body manager at Exhale Santa Monica, where Hudgens works out on a regular basis. The combo of core work, Pilates, ballet and yoga keeps her body looking extra fantastic.

"That's great," you're thinking, "but what does she do to keep her butt looking so darn perky?" According to Weisman, the answer lies with the Fold-Over Gluteal exercise, a move that lifts the glutes and lengthens hamstrings. The result? Discovering that magic balance between "lengthened leg and really rounded booty," says Weisman. We're sold.

Learn the exercise here.

Everyone is busy these days, but it's always possible to dedicate a little time toward a workout — even if it's only five minutes. If you have a few minutes to spare during your day, spend it tightening up your derriere! For a quick five-minute workout, move through each of these butt-toning exercises for one minute.

No. 1: Jump Squats

• Begin in an athletic stance with feet shoulder-width apart and arms bent with hands at chest level. Bend knees and come into a full squat.
• Jump up as explosively as you can, reaching for the ceiling.
• When you land, lower back into the squat position to complete one rep.
• Perform as many reps as you can in one minute.

No. 2: Side Kick

• Begin with your hands and knees on the floor, with your hands underneath your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Keeping the knee bent 90 degrees, lift the left leg until it is parallel to the floor.
• Keep the left thigh still as you straighten your left knee, kicking your leg out to the side. Don't let the leg lower as you kick.
• Bend the left knee back to 90 degrees and then lower the leg. This completes one rep.
• Perform as many reps as possible on the left side for 30 seconds before switching to your right side.

No. 3: All Fours

• Begin with your hands and elbows on the floor. Your knees should be placed directly under your hips and your elbows below your shoulders; your legs should be touching. Round the back up toward the ceiling and pull abs away from the floor.
• From there, lift the right leg from the ground, keeping it at a 90-degree angle, and point your toes up at the ceiling. Make tiny pulses upward.
• Perform on the right side for 30 seconds, before switching to the left leg.

See the rest of the workout after the break!

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on FitSugar!

Maybe "Baby Got Back" was your anthem in the '90s but, if things have gone, errrrr, south since then, give your booty some much-needed TLC. "Genetically, women tend to store more fat in their hips, butt and legs," says NYC Pilates instructor Brooke Marrone. 

Luckily, defying gravity isn't as difficult as it seems. "This workout targets both the big and small muscles of your butt," says Marrone, who created this equipment-free routine exclusively for SELF. "Your butt is comprised of three main muscles so the following routine is made up of exercises that hit all three with each move." Just incorporate the below moves into your regular exercise routine to get that bad-ass butt you've been lusting after.

Curtsey Lunge

Start with your feet shoulder width apart. Take a big step back with your right leg bringing it slightly over your left leg as you land. Make sure your left thigh is parallel to the floor in your lunge and your shoulders remain over your hips with your abs tight. Push up from your left heel and return to the starting position. Alternate legs for 30 reps.

Get the rest of the workout after the break.