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If you are a member of a gym, meet with the gym's trainer to find exercises that target your trouble spots.
For hips, any exercise that improves your bottom and upper thighs will usually improve your hips at the same time.
When performing any exercise, focus on the muscle groups you are working. If you feel the muscles working hard, you are doing the exercise properly. If you feel pain - stop! Pain is the body's warning signal that you are doing something wrong, stressing your muscles or tendons beyond their capacity, or have a condition that limits motion in that area.
Walking is still a great exercise for hips, thighs, and buns. So, strap on your MP3 player, lace up your walking shoes, and hit the trails. You'll enjoy the great outdoors and get great hips in the process!
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Well, here we are. Talking about the most troubling spot for most women - our hips. With childbearing, lack of exercise, desk jobs, and more reasons to drive instead of walk, we have gotten broader and wider than ever before. But, we can change this trouble spot. It takes two steps--diet and exercise.
The first step to getting firm, shapely hips (including your bottom), is to trim down. You must lose weight before exercise will have a dramatic effect on this area (or any area for that matter). Losing weight with a carefully selected diet will help you achieve the first phase toward slender hips and a firmer bottom.
Be aware that no diet--regardless of their claims--can reduce a specific area of the body. Weight loss will occur universally with the most recently gained weight being lost fastest. Once you reach your goal weight, you should be slender all over. Toning is step two.
The second step is to target your trouble spot with exercise that tones and firms the muscles in those areas. Weight loss alone is usually not enough to achieve the firmness you desire. Targeted exercise strengthens existing muscle and builds additional muscle. Toned muscles are what give you a firm, youthful appearance.
Some suggested exercises for this trouble area are:
- Fire hydrant lift - Don't panic! You're not going to lift a fire hydrant. Thanks to C.R. of Oklahoma City, OK, we have a great new exercise for hips and thighs. To do the fire hydrant lift, get down on your hands and knees (like you're going to crawl). Lower your upper body until you are resting on your elbows with your arms extended forward, your upper arms perpendicular to the floor (like an "L"). Keeping your knee bent and your leg in its current "L" position, lift your right leg up to the side like a dog using a fire hydrant. When your thigh is perpendicular to your body (parallel to the floor), hold the position for a count of two, then slowly lower your leg into its original position. Repeat five times on each side, ten if you're in great shape!
- Stiff leg deadlift - Stand upright with your feet slightly apart and your legs straight. Bend over at the waist until your back is parallel to the floor. Grasp the weights (barbell, dumbbells, milk jugs full of water) firmly in your hands and carefully, slowly rise to a straight, standing position. Be sure to exhale as you rise. Slowly lower the weights to the floor, bending at the waist, until your back is once again parallel to the floor. Repeat this 10 times. Note: Although this is an excellent exercise for your lower back, hamstrings (backs of your thighs), and your bottom, lower back injury can result if this exercise is performed improperly. Be sure not to strain your back muscles when lifting the weight. If you feel pain. Stop. Do not perform this exercise if you have lower back pain or problems without talking to your physician first.
- Lunges - Standing upright, step one leg forward 2-3 feet. Keeping your upper body erect, and not moving forward during the lunge, dip your upper body down, bending your rear leg at the knee. Dip down until your rear knee almost touches the floor. Hold the tension for a count of 10, then slowly rise back up. Repeat several times before switching legs. Note: This is an excellent exercise for the hamstrings, bottom, and muscles around your hips. However, use caution not to stress your knees. If you feel pain in your knees, reduce the depth of the lunge. If you have knee problems, talk to your doctor before doing lunges.
- Activities in General - Some of the best routines or machines for toning hips (and bottoms) are:
- stairclimbing (either real stairs or with a machine)
- aerobic dancing (try it with a new video or new music)
- step aerobics (use higher steps as your muscle tone improves but don't stress knee joints)
- swimming (great, low impact solution!)
- bicycling (the steeper the grade, the more the muscles work - don't let the gears do all the work for you!)
- walking (as always, a terrific solution)
- weight training with leg machines
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If you have a great exercise for improving the hips and buttocks, e-mail us a detailed description. Be sure to include your initials, city, and state so that we can include that information with your exercise idea.
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