Are you a super busy bee wanting to give your behind a boost? IFBB Bikini Pro Jennifer Andrews has got you covered with her new 30-MINUTE FIT FAST WORKOUT! Jennifer, owner of Fine Fanny Fitness, designed this BOOTY BLASTING program using some of her favorite (and scientifically-proven) exercises to strengthen and shape the glutes. It’s a tough one, but as Jennifer always says, “What doesn’t break you will only make you stronger!”
OK, enough talk. We’ve only got 30 minutes, so let’s get to work! Here’s the plan…
WHAT TO EXPECT
FIRE ‘EM UP WITH PRE-EXHAUST. Targeting the glutes can be difficult. Oftentimes, you just can’t get the muscle firing and/or the hamstrings and quads take over. This can be related to having tight hip flexors, weak glute muscles, poor form or simply sitting on your rear all day. To help you wake the booty up, the workout begins with two isolation exercises that are very effective at engaging the glutes. Then, when you progress to the compound exercises, the muscle will be activated and ready to work!
BUILD ‘EM UP STRAIGHT SETS. The straight sets are compound movements that EMG research has shown to be effective for recruiting the glutes. Make sure to challenge yourself by using the heaviest weight you can safely use while completing all of the specified reps and maintaining proper form. This will facilitate muscle growth.
MAKE ‘EM BURN FINISHERS. After you have completed the straight sets, you will perform a tri-set and then a finishing exercise to exhaust the glutes. You should minimize rest between the exercises and feel a deep burn in the glute muscles.
FIT FAST BOOTY BLAST WORKOUT
EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS
Quadrupled Hip Extensions
Start on your hands and knees. Keeping knee bent, lift one leg up and drive the heel to the ceiling.
Jennifer’s Tip: “Use ankle weights to increase the intensity.”
Side Lying Abductor
Put a resistance band around your knees and lie on your side. Bring your knees to a 90-degree angle to your torso. Keeping your feet together, lift your top knee as high as you can. Lower and repeat.
Jennifer’s Tip: “Make sure to keep tension in the band the entire time— don’t allow the knee of the working leg to come all the way back down to the starting position between reps.”
Hip Thrust
Begin seated on the ground with a bench behind you. Place a barbell on your lap and lean against the bench. Lift your hips off of the ground and position feet such that your shins are in line with your ankles. Then, thrust your hips up vertically— your shoulder blades and feet should be supporting your weight. Slowly lower and repeat.
Jennifer’s Tip: “Push through your heels in the upward motion. Thrust your hips as high up as you can and squeeze your glutes with everything you’ve got!”
Step-ups
Holding a dumbbell in each hand, place your left foot on top of a bench/box. Pressing through that foot, straighten the leg to stand on top of the bench/box. Then, in a controlled motion, lower the right leg back down to the floor and keep the left leg on the bench. Repeat all reps on the left before switching to the other side.
Jennifer’s Tip: “Step up with your weight focused in your heel to better target the glutes.”
One-Leg Squat
Stand in a lunge position with the Smith Machine bar resting on your traps. With your weight focused in the front heal and the back foot lightly touching the ground behind you for stability, lower into a squat. Pressing through the front heel return to the starting position. Complete all reps on one leg before proceeding to the next.
Jennifer’s Tip: “Don’t allow the knee of the front leg to pass your ankle.”
Kettlebell Swing
Begin with legs about shoulder-width, grasping a kettlebell with both hands. Push glutes back, bend forward at the hips and let your arms swing backward through legs. Then drive hips forward to swing kettlebell to shoulder height. Your body should be in a straight line at the top of the swing.
Jennifer’s Tip: “Remember… the power comes from the glutes and hamstrings, not the arms. Your arms are just along for the ride. ”
One-leg Hyperextension
Using a hyperextension bench, position one foot on the platform secured behind the ankle pads. The other leg should be outside of the platform. Keeping your back flat, bend forward slowly at the waist. Then, slowly raise your torso back up using your glutes and hamstring. Add weight for a more advanced movement.
Jennifer’s Tip: “Make sure to keep your back flat. Don’t round your back at the bottom or arch your back at the top.”
One-leg Stand-up
Sit and a bench and extend one leg forward in the air. Pressing through your heel, straighten the other leg to stand up. Then, slowly lower yourself back down to the bench. Repeat all reps on one side before moving on to the other.
Jennifer’s Tip: “Once you are comfortable with the exercise, add a light barbell to your shoulders for an added challenge. Make sure to keep abs in tight throughout the movement.”
Band Walking Squat with Dumbbell
With a resistance band positioned around your ankles, hold dumbbell goblet-style. Then, take a step out with the right leg and squat. Bring the left leg in, but keep tension in the band. Take another step out to the right and squat. Continue the lateral squat walk to the right for all the reps. Then perform the same motion to the left.
Jennifer’s Tip: “Step all the way out while performing the squat position. Keep your weight in the heels and never allow the knees to come over the toes.”
5 TIPS FOR A GREAT BACKSIDE
Jennifer shares her advice for a fit fanny…
1. Push through the heels in any exercise you can (i.e., squats, lunges, presses, step-ups) to better target the glutes. Really think about the area you are working!
2. Do a glutes-focused workout once per week
3. Perform sprints and plyometrics as part of your cardio.
4. Keep constant tension in the muscle when training. When the exercise starts burning, KEEP GOING!
5. Don’t be scared to use heavy weights for your glute training, but make sure to keep the contractions in the targeted muscle. Don’t use such heavy weights that other muscles in the legs take over.
JENNIFER’S BETTER BOOTY SUPPLEMENTS
BeautyStrong. “This pre-workout makes me feel like Wonder Woman in the gym! I can lift heavy while having great endurance and focus.”
BeautyRecover. “This post-workout recovery fuel works magic on my sore bum, and it tastes fabulous! I train booty two times per week, so I need a fast recovery. It also helps with that swollen feeling you get after you train and helps to keep my cortisol levels under control. As an aside, it is normal to feel a little bloated in your legs after a great workout. The muscle holds water to heal, but don’t worry… it will go away!”
BeautyBum. “I swim in this stuff during contest prep, and it makes a big difference in the tightness and smoothness of my skin!”
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REFERENCES
Anders, M. Glutes To The Max. Ace Fitness: http://www.acefitness.org/getfit/glutesstudy2006.pdf
Simenz, C. J., et al. Electromyographical analysis of lower extremity muscle activation during variations of the loaded step-up exercise J Strength Cond Res. 26(12):3398-3405, 2012.
