Everyone wants a better butt. Whether you are a man or a woman a sexy backside is always a talking point. In this article I will look at some of the best exercises for getting a nice sexy backside.

How to get a sexy butt

If you want to get a sexy bottom there are a few things you need to know.

Firstly, if your butt is too big and you want to make it smaller you need to lose some weight. However, there is no way to lose fat off of just your butt so you need to start exercising and eating so that you burn fat off of your whole body.

Secondly, you need to start shaping that thing with some resistance exercises. This means weights, bodyweight exercises and anything that uses your backside!

What are the best glutes exercises?

This article is mainly concerned with the best exercises for developing a better set of glutes. This means that the cardio and diet elements, although very important, will not be as thoroughly covered.

1. The hill sprint
Often when I tell people that running up hills will develop a sexy backside they look at me like I am crazy. However, sprinting up a hill will burn your legs and glutes like no other exercise, period. The angle and the energy required to climb that angle make for a killer exercise that will blast your ass into an all new level.

Make sure you have a good warm up and then simply find a hill to sprint up. It should be steep, long and only just allow you to stand up without using your hands for balance. Go up as fast as you can and then make your way back down. Then repeat. Do ths a few times per week and you won’t even need any other exercises!

2. The lunge
The lunge is a classic weight lifting exercise for hitting the glutes. It targets the muscles very well and the exercise is very simple to do.

To do the lunge simply take two heavy dumbbells and hold them with your feet together and back straight. Step forward with your left foot (a medium step slightly bigger than a normal step) and then lunge forward so that your right knee comes down to the ground. Push up using your glutes and then step back to the starting position. Repeat.

Make sure you are tensing the right muscles and not putting too much stress on your knees. Do not do this exercise if you have knee injuries.

3. The step up
The step up works a lot like the lunge but I find it has some added benefits. It seems to help you tense the right muscles and allows you to handle a bigger weight.

To do the lunge simply find a stable bench and stand infront of it. With weights in your hands simply step up and then repeat. Make sure you don’t lose your balance.

Conclusion on the sexy butt

If you really want to make these three exercises work for you then you need to make sure your diet and cardio are also up to scratch. Weight training alone will not get you the backside you so desire.

The full series is Part I, Part II and Part III.

This is Part 2 of our series on brutal backyard shed training. In this post we will be looking at the best bodyweight exercises that you can do at home to build some real size and strength.

Why Bodyweight Exercises?

Many “bodybuilders” dismiss bodyweight exercises as being unprofessional and not hard enough.

They are kidding themselves.

If took the 100 strongest and biggest men in the world I bet you close to 90% of them would spend a lot of time doing bodyweight exercises. Here in Australia we have the Australian Football League which is the toughest sport in the world. The players are big and fast and very strong. If you take a look at their training routine they spend a lot of time doing explosive bodyweight exercises. And it works. Many US NFL players have watched Australian Rules Football and remarked that they are crazy people for playing such a rough game!

So next time someone tells you bodyweight exercises are for beginners you tell them about the AFL players down in Australia.

The reason I have dedicated a whole post to these exercises is that they are easy to do and you don’t need any equipment. You can do them at home by yourself and still get amazing results.

Don’t cheat on your technique

When you are training at home there is the temptation to cheat on your technique a little bit because no one is watching. This is a big mistake that you need to avoid.

If you want to make big gains and not injure yourself you need to make sure your technique is solid. Read as much about every exercise that you do and start off slow. Never try and overdo it because your joints will not forgive you in the long run.

Furthermore, if your technique is poor your muscle gain will also be poor. Each exercise is done in a certain way. It is done that way firstly because it is the safest way and, secondly, because it is the best way to work the muscle. So, if you cheat on your technique you are only cheating yourself.

The best bodyweight exercises for backyard shed training

Now we can get into the real stuff. I am going to present the best few bodyweight exercises that you can do at home in your backyard shed. The are simple but elegant. If you do them correctly and with the right intensity you will see some amazing progress.

1. Clap pushups

Everyone knows how to do these but almost no one does them. The AFL teams make their players do a lot of clap pushups because they are so good for building explosive real world power. They really shock your muscles into growth.

The great thing about the clap pushup is that it forces your muscle to contract and then expand very quickly. Many studies have shown this is the best way to make fast strength gains without damaging or slowing down your muscles. Normal weight lifting, on the other hand, has been shown to slow down your movement. For a martial artist or sportperson this will not do.

How to do a clap pushup -
To do a clap pushup simply get in the normal pushup position and lower yourself down to the bottom. Instead of pushing yourself up as normal you should powerfully push down and cause yourself to jump with your hands. While your hands are off the ground you should clap your hands together under your chest before hitting the ground and repeating. Keep doing this over and over until failure.

2. Dips

Dips are like a bench press but more full on. Many of you are not going to like that statement but it is true. There is literally nothing harder than strapping some heavy weight discs to your weight belt and pumping out a set of dips.

You can make your own dip station at home by setting up two narrow bars parallel from each other. In high school I used to use sturdy old chairs but now I own my own dip and chin station.

How to do a dip -
To correctly do a dip you simply grab on to the two bars and lower yourself down as low as you can. Don’t try to keep your body upright. You should allow yourself to naturally lean forward as this will work both your chest and your triceps. Once you have lowered yourself down fully explode upwards for a fast incline. This will blast your muscles into some serious growth!

It is very important to take care of your shoulders during the dip. I know of many people who have ended up with pretty serious shoulder joint injuries. Never do dips on a dip station where the bars are too wide apart. If you can make your own that is the best idea because you can set it to your own width. The narrower the better.

3. The chin up

When you want to develop full body power and strength as well as adding some serious size you need to work with the chin up. All of best boxers in history had huge backs. Just take a look at Muhummad Ali’s back. It was enormous! The chin up is a poweful way to train your back and biceps and is one of the best ways to add some size in a hurry.

How to do a chin up -
Grab a thick bar with and underhand grip and allow your body to hang free. The thicker the bar the better because this will work your forearms. Once you are comfortable you should pull yourself up as quickly as possible. Imagine that you are pulling with your elbows as this will help you focus on your back muscles. Once you reach the top slowly lower yourself back down to a count of five or six seconds. This is when a lot of the strength is built. The slowe the better.

4. Jumping squats

Do you know the feeling of wanting the throw up because an exercise has pushed you beyond your limits? The jumping squat will do that to you.

The jumping squat is one of the best bodyweight exercises on the planet because it mixes aerobic and anerobic exercise in such an intense way. It will challenge your whole lower body as well as your back and abs and it will make your lungs burn like you are running a 100m sprint. People who stick at the jumping squat (not many do!) are blessed with huge legs, better running power and a truck load of lower body strength.

How to do a jumping squat -
Crouch down in a squatted position with one foot in front of the other. Spring into the air as high as you can and land with your other foot now in front. Allow gravity to take you all the way down to the fully squatted position and then, without any break, spring yourself back into the air again. Repeat this until failure.

5. Frozen crunches

The frozen crunch is something my buddy and I used to use a competiton. We spent so long trying to out do one another and prove that we were better than we never noticed our abs getting really stong. After a few weeks of doing them every night at martial arts practice we noticed some amazing abdominal growth.

How to do a frozen crunch -
The idea is simple. Get in a regular crunch position and crunch yourself up to the top. Instead of lowering yourself back down for a second rep you hold that top position and keep tensing your abs. A great trick is to push down on the floor as hard as you can with your fingers. This makes the contraction even tighter. You can also change which area of your stomach is emphasised by shifting the position of your fingers. If anyone can do longer than a minute of this on their first go I will be impressed.

Conclusion

These five bodyweight exercises take care of the entire body. If you did a workout that consisted of these only you would find you get some amazing overall development. However, you can mix these up with some of the exercises that use cheap equipment. In the next post I will show you some more brutal backyard shed exercises using some of that equipment you’ve got lying around.

Why you should train your calves more

Before I get into how I added some serious size I want to give a few reasons for why calf training is important for anyone who goes to the gym.

Firstly, if you have a big set of shoulders, biceps, triceps, etc. and some small little legs it looks stupid. Other bodybuilders won’t take you seriously and it doesn’t look normal. I remember reading an article in a magazine a few years ago that said that the guys with small legs and big arms are the egos in the gym; only there to make themselves feel big. Don’t be that guy.

Secondly, if you play a sport or a martial art the calf muscles and very important. How fast you can run depends a lot on how developed your lower legs are and the calf muscles determine how quickly you can spring off after changing a direction. Also, when a boxer springs forward to attack his opponent it is his calf muscles that propel him.

Thirdly, it is simply dangerous to have some parts of your body more developed than the others. If you put too much emphasis on your biceps you will get a pinched shoulder. The same goes for your calf muscles. If they are too underdeveloped you will run into problems.

How I added an inch to my calf muscles in two weeks

What I am about to talk about is a little unconventional. As you all know the way I train is not always picture perfect. I am only interested in what works, not what is popular. Always be safe when you train methods like this one.

The background
My calf muscles were lagging behind the others and I thought were looking a bit skinny. This was odd for me because I have massive quadriceps after years of playing soccer and weight lifting. My calf workout prior to this period had been pretty ordinary. I did the usual weighted calf raises and that’s about it.

I knew I needed to change something so I decided to stick with my usual ideas about intensity. If I wanted to get my calfs to change I needed to hit them with power, force and a lot of intensity.

To really work the calfs you have to do exercises that force your toes to dig in. It is like the forearms, the more you can do with your fingers the better your forearms will be. So, I decided to head to my local hill and do some running. However, I needed to add some resistance to the workout so I brought along a backpack filled with weight discs wrapped in towels. Deadly.

I also packed my 30 kilogram dumbbells into the car.

The brutal calf workout
I did a warm up at the base of the steep hill and did a lot of stretching. Nothing cripples a hill workout like a leg cramp so I made sure everything was nice and ready.

I then threw on the backpack full of weight and proceeded to sprint up the hill making sure I was using my toes as much as possible. Anyone who has done sprinting or running as a sport will tell you that you go faster if you use your toes instead of the heel/toe combination. I stuck to this method.

Once I reached the top (takes about 5 minutes where I am) I turned around and started to walk back down without stopping for a rest. As soon as I hit the bottom I picked up the dumbbells and pumped out a set of calf raises to failure using the first step that takes you to the hill as my platform.

I then took about two minutes rest while I did some stretching and then threw on the backpack and started again. I repeated this who brutal workout for about 20 minutes after which I had to stop because I thought I was going to pass out. Running hills ain’t easy.

The results

After doing that workout six times, each time with a day or two rest inbetween and lots of protein I measured about an inch of growth. I thought this was just swelling or water retention but after a month the calfs are looking bigger than ever. I don’t think my legs have ever been as sore as after that first workout, and I run hills on a regular basis.

If your legs or calf muscles are lagging behind try something different. Shock them into a bit of growth and don’t be afraid to try new and unconventional methods.

Here is a perfect example of why I am always telling you how important it is to warm up before weight training. This video is also an excellent example of why we should know our limits and only build up to heavy weight gradually. It is also shows that you should only perform heavy squats in a squat rack with a safety lock at a suitable height.

Don’t watch this video if you have a weak stomach - but, it might save you in the future.

If you are trying to lose weight chances are you go on a daily run. However, the regular run isn’t as effective for losing weight as you might think. Don’t go hanging up your running sneakers yet though, there are a few excellent ways to change up the run so it becomes a much faster fat burner.

Why is the regular run not effective?
It’s not that running at a normal pace doesn’t have good weight loss results it is just that it is possible to make those results a whole lot better! If a person goes for a 30 minute run everyday there is little chance they are going to be unhealthy and overweight. However, if you want to get your body to a point where you are a lean, mean fighting meachine with a nice visible six pack then you need to step your running up a notch.

The main reason regular running is limited in its effectiveness is because you get used to that heart rate range. If you jog at the same pace everyday your body becomes adapted to it and doesn’t get pushed. If you add some sprints in there though, you can increase your heart rate during the run as well as boosting your metabolism for the rest of the day. This means less calories absorbed as fat and more fat burning the next day. All good.

How can we make the run more weight loss friendly?
Here are some of my favorite methods for making the regular run more effective for burning fat:

1. Go longer
If you do the same track everyday for more than about two weeks you are going to stagnate. You need to keep pushing your limits so that your body is forced to adapt to the changes. This is the only way to make progress. So, if you don’t want to get into the more hardcore methods of boosting a run then try increasing the distance you go each session. It is a sure fire way to progress.

2. Wind sprint
The wind sprint is one of the most effective ways to turn yourself into a near professional athlete! All you do is start out with your normal run and when you feel you are warmed up enough break out into a sprint. Pick an object in the distance like a letterbox or a tree and aim to sprint til you reach that point. When you get there don’t stop but return to your normal jogging pace. Repeat this for your whole run or as long as you can remain standing!

3. Hills
The hill sprint is a brutal way to burn off fat. Many ancient warriors are said to have trained for battle by running up steep hills clad in their heavy armor. It is a very painful form of exercise but you will see results almost right away.

When you work the legs as hard as they get worked in the hill sprint you are bound to make not only weight loss but also muscle gain process. The intensity causes massive amounts of testoserone to be released into the body and this works wonders for the anerobic growth of muscles. Hill sprints really are almost a whole workout in themselves.

4. Run in a group
If you go running with a mate or a group of mates chances are a little bit of competition will sneak in and there is nothing like friendly competition to get a bit of ‘I’m faster than you’ race happening. Running with others is excellent because you get to see where they are at with their progress. I always tell my clients and friends that it is a good idea to run or exercise with someone who is better and fitter than you are. This causes you to try and catch up to them and by doing so you make progress faster than you ever would by yourself.

Running with a friend is also a great way to make a friendship more healthy. Usually we meet up for coffee or Chinese food but running together is much more creative and sustainable. You will also be surprised how many new locations around your city your friend takes you to that you never knew existed.

Conclusion
Running is one of the oldest methods of attaining new levels of fitness and fat loss. It is healthy, easy to do and requires little effort or experience. Jazz it up in any way you find suits you. The most important thing is to make sure you push yourself a little bit more each session.

• Heavy weights;
• Their own specific weights training day;
• An increase in quality protein;
• Rest;
• Perfect weights technique.

These leg training elements are essential to building big legs. You cannot overlook any one of them.

Heavy Weights for Leg Development
The legs are made up of very big muscles. They get a lot of work during the day - climbing stairs, running, walking, etc. so you need to hit them with some nice heavy weights.

To start with, learn the perfect technique first and then increase the weight slowly to the point where you are doing heavy sets of about 5 or 6 reps.

The thing about training the legs with heavy weights is that it will release huge amounts of hormones into your body which will lead to an increase in size of your whole body. Remember that:

Training the legs with heavy weights makes other muscles grow!

Top Leg Training Exercises
Leg training really isn’t that hard. You need a mix of a few good exercises that have been tried an tested over the years. These are the best leg exercises for building huge legs:

• Bar bell squat in squat rack;
• Leg press machine;
• Heavy bar bell lunges;
• Jumping Squats.

These are the exercises that should make up your once a week leg training routine. Experiment with different amounts of sets and reps until you see some progress on your own body.

Make sure you warm up with light squats and weights first and stretch and stay warm inbetween sets.

Protein for Leg Growth
If you need to be told that in order to grow massive muscles you need more protein then you must have been living under a rock! Add quality foods full or quality protein to your diet like:

• Meat
• Fish
• Free range eggs and chicken
• Milk
• Whey protein
• etc

However, I’ll say it again, the most important thing you can do is make sure your post workout meal comes straight after your legs workout and it is in liquid form. This alone should boost your muscle gains.

Resting for Leg Growth
If you train your legs when they are sore they will never grow. Muscles grow when they are repairing from the damage you do to them in your workout. It is better to skip a leg workout and wait until next week then to train them when they are sore.

Legs Exercises Technique
Watch, watch, watch. It is vital that you watch the bodybuilding professional and trainers at your gym do your legs exercises and get them to watch you. Getting the technique right is more important than anything else.

Keep it slow, steady and very controlled. Try not to go below parallel with your knees if you have a history of knee injuries. Keep it slow!

Does anyone have any problems training their legs?

UPDATE - for the biggest range of butt and legs exercises check out Real Women’s Fitness - it’s huge!

Workout out the buttocks
Working out the backside really isnt as hard as many people think. The muscles get worked in almost every leg exercise and when you target them especially you will find that they get sore quite easily. This generally means they have been worked out well.

A good looking butt!
The main factor that will determine whether you have a good butt or not is whether you are lean. Having an excellent shaped bottom is no good if there is a layer of fat covering it. So, cardio and weight loss is very important.

However, there are people who have almost no fat on them but they still don’t have a great butt. Sometimes tall people can fall victim to having really long legs that connect straight into the hips without forming a butt! If this is you, you need to concentrate on building muscle with heavy weights and a good bodybuilding diet.

Butt exercises
There are two main exercises that I have used to really work out this particular muscle. I must stress, however, that I have never really tried to achieve an excellent butt. If I have one (I’m not saying I do) it is a product of working hard with soccer, martial arts, running and bodybuilding.

Jumping Squats
I love this exercise but most people who have done them hate them. Why? Becuase they are very hard.

I have explained them before. Start with on foot infront of the other, spring into the air and land with the opposite foot in front. Keeping jumping and squatting right down until you feel like your legs are going to catch fire. Then, go and have a spew and come back for another set. This exercise really is only for hard core people who want hard core results.

Hill Sprints
Running up hills as fast as you can is not only a great way to lose fat but it is one of the best ways to get well shaped legs and butt muscles. You will really feel these the next day.

Start slowly, jogging up a steep hill. Gradually (over a period of weeks) begin running faster and doing more laps up and down the hill. I’d love to hear your results from this exercise.

If you want a great butt, I would focus on these for a while.

More butt exercises
If you want some more exercises for the backside start adding them to your regular leg routine. After squats and leg presses one should focus on some medium-heavy lunges.

Lunges should be done one leg at a time so that you can fatigue the muscles faster. Take a weight that allows you to get as little reps as possible without hurting your back.

You should also add a few sets of bench step ups where you step up (one leg at a time) onto a bench while holding a weight. These exercises will also assist in weight loss and leg power and are perfect for sports people and martial artists.

Bottom Summary
So, if you want a good looking butt remember:

• Lose any excess fat by performing high intensity cardio
• Concentrate on sprinting and jumping squats as the high intensity has a great effect on the butt
• Increase protein in your diet

Does anyone else have any excellent butt exercises?

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butt bottom butt exercises glutes bodybuilding squats

• Build your leg muscle quickly
• Notice the rest of your upper body muscles growing
• Become more powerful and strong
• Have better leg function for sport and martial arts

If anyone is stuck on a plateau and is having trouble moving on with their workout, I emplore you to add some more heavy squats to your leg routine and work them hard. If you are serious about bodybuilding or your chosen sport you really cant look past this exercise.

Safe Squats
Some tips:

• Always squat in a squat rack
• Always warm up with jogging, stretching and lighter squats
• Dont squat below parallel on every rep unless you are sure your knees can take it
• If there is any pain whatsoever, stop straight away

Is anyone afraid of the squat? Or, has anyone used it with excellent results?

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