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Kick Butt: Four Moves to Build a Better Lower Body By Lisa A. Leonard, Certified Fitness Professional Believe it or not, having a lower body to be proud of is well within your means. Regardless of your genetic makeup or physical structure, you can improve the appearance and shape of your hips, butt and thighs. It simply takes consistency and future vision. The following exercises are simple to perform, and only require minimum equipment. When combined with a higher protein, moderate carbohydrate, moderate fat diet, they are very effective for toning and reshaping your butt and upper thigh region. Equipment The only equipment needed to perform these exercises is a pair of dumbbells and an exercise mat. Mats to consider: AeroMats Airex Mats The Exercises When performing these exercises, you should strive to complete 10-15 repetitions, rest for 30-60 seconds, and then do another 10-15 repetitions. Repeat this three to four times. A repetition, "rep" for short, is the performance of the complete exercise from start to finish, one time, in this case you will do 10-15 reps. A set is simply a group of reps - you will always rest between sets. If the exercise is performed one leg at a time, then perform all the reps and sets for that one leg, then do the other. Dumbbell Lunges Areas worked: back of thighs (hamstrings), butt (glutes) Step 1: To begin, stand with two dumbbells at your side, feet almost shoulder width apart, back straight and eyes forward. Step 2: Step forward with your right foot. Step 3: Once your foot is flat on the floor, immediately lower your hips and left knee until it is about two inches from the floor. This is the midpoint of the exercise. Step 4: To finish the movement, push off with your right leg, while simultaneously raising your body back up and into your starting position. Repeat the movement until you have performed the desired number of reps and sets for your right leg. Then do the same for your left. Remember that these exercises should be done smoothly and with control. Do not pause or make any jerky movements during the exercise. You should always make a smooth transition from the start of the exercise, to the midpoint, then to the finish. To prevent stress on your knees: When stepping out, make sure that your foot points straight ahead (not inward). Make sure that you step out far enough to prevent your knee from traveling past your toe. You are in the correct midpoint position when your foot is facing forward, your thigh is parallel to the floor and your knee is in line with your toe. Butt-Blaster Areas worked: butt (glutes) Step 1: To begin, kneel down on a mat with both knees directly under your hip. Next, pull your right knee towards your chest. Step 2: Once you have brought your knee in as far as possible, immediately thrust your foot up towards the ceiling. Your goal is to extend your thigh up as far as possible while keeping your torso and upper body still throughout the movement. Step 3: Finish the movement by bringing your foot back down, then immediately start over again by bringing your knee into your chest. Complete 4 sets of 10-15 reps with the right leg, and then do the same with the left. To make this move tougher, add adjustable ankle weights! Dumbbell Squats Areas worked: front of thighs (quadriceps) Step 1: To start, stand with two dumbbells at your side, feet almost shoulder width apart, back straight and eyes forward. Step 2: Now, keeping your back straight and eyes forward, bend at the hips as if you were sitting down in a chair. You will have to push your rear out somewhat to maintain your balance and keep your back straight, but this is normal. Slowly squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor (This is the midpoint of the exercise) Step 3: Once at the midpoint, push back up with your heels, and straighten yourself back up to the starting position. To avoid stress on your knees: Make sure that your knees do not move inwards toward the other. At the midpoint, they should be directly over your feet. Stiff-Legged Dead lifts Areas worked: back of thighs (hamstrings), butt (glutes) Step 1: To begin, stand with two dumbbells in front of your body, feet almost shoulder width apart, back straight, chest out and eyes forward. Your knees should be slightly bent. Step 2: With your weight on your heels, slowly bend at the waist, lowering the dumbbells towards the floor, keeping the dumbbells close to the body. Focus on maintaining a flat back and looking up towards the horizon instead of down. Continue down until your back is parallel to the floor. At this point you should be feeling a good stretch on the back leg muscles. Step 3: Complete the movement by simply raising your torso back up to the start. Remember to bend only at the waist. To avoid stress on your knees: Keep the knees soft. Do not lock them out.