The best workouts, in our opinion, are those that have multiple benefits and can tone multiple areas at once. If you are a beginner at the gym and your goals include targeting your glutes, thighs, legs, and arms, we’ve rounded up 2 useful exercises to try the next time you get active (and they can help lift your butt over time, too). time). After doing some research and talking with professional personal trainers, read on for some fun suggestions and tips that we’ve found really helpful. (And they are not just squats!)
LEARN MORE: These are the best exercises to tone your whole body
Pro tip #1: burpees tone your entire figure
Beginners in the gym have most likely been asked to try burpees or seen other gym goers complete them. They’re popular for a reason, as Reda Elmardi, registered dietitian, certified nutritionist, and strength and conditioning trainer, tells us. “Start by standing with your hands firmly planted on your hips, then squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor, keeping your knees above your toes,” he says. (This will really bring some intensity to your thighs and glutes). Then, “jump your feet forward and touch the ground behind you while simultaneously jumping and pushing off with your left foot to get back up,” he continues. Elmardi says to repeat this movement on the opposite side, because it is a repetition.
“Keep doing burpees for 20 total reps,” he adds, “you’ll not only burn tons of calories, but you’ll also tone your whole body.” When it comes to your thighs, glutes, and buttocks, this exercise is a great introduction to more challenging exercises and can prepare your whole body to focus more on those specific areas. As hard as burpees can be, Elmardi stresses that they are definitely worth it and help create an intense and rewarding workout at any stage.
#2 — Lunges are great for any thigh/glute/glute workout
Another essential exercise you’ll come across early in your fitness journey is a deep lunge, either for stretching or as an intense mainstay of your workout. Your thighs, glutes and of course your butt will really feel this stretch, as certified personal trainer Paige Waehner writes. VeryWellFit. “Lunges also target all the muscles in your lower body, and since you’re in a staggered position, each leg will get a little more work,” she says, making this exercise a vital addition to not just a thigh, a glute or butt training day, but also for a specific leg day.
As Certified Personal Trainer Amy Marturana Winderl writes for Self, there are many different and exciting variations of lunges to target these body parts, including adding “free weights like dumbbells, kettlebells, a barbell, or resistance bands.” Overall, the lunge, she writes, is a “really solid move for strengthening all the major muscle groups in your lower half, including the glutes, quads, and hamstrings.” beginner, they are not only a great introduction to popular exercises, but can also help target and strengthen those desired areas.