5 reasons you need to tone your butt

You hear a lot about core strength these days. But it’s not just a buzz phrase…

Your core muscles are those central to your body — including your abdominals, your pelvic floor, your diaphragm — that are used in just about every movement you make.  They are important for balance and stability and to support your posture when moving. The stronger, the better.

Glutes are considered minor core muscles — but they have a major job. Strong glutes, or butt muscles, are essential for:

1. Stability
2. Hip strength
3. Leg strength
4. Lower back support
5. And provide support for all kinds of movements

So, for more reasons that than just a tight tummy or firm bottom, it’s vital to have strong core muscles and a toned butt. In today’s video, Wendy Krauss Talis takes you through three simple, fun exercises to tone those glutes, strengthen your core and increase hip flexibility. Let’s have a look.

Begin on all fours, known as the Table Top posture, with knees under hips and hands shoulders. Spread your fingers wide, with pinky fingers parallel, to support the wrists.

Exercise 1 – Straight leg pulses

Extend the right leg out straight behind you, toes touching the floor.

Tighten the muscles of the leg and inhale.

Exhale as you raise the leg, flex the ankle, and do a series of upward pulsing movements.

You will pulse 10 times. Then lower the leg and repeat 10 pulses with the left leg.

Do three sets of 10 pulses on each leg.

Exercise 2 – Bent leg pulses

Extend the right leg out straight behind you, toes touching the floor.

Tighten the muscles of the leg and inhale.

Exhale as you raise the leg up and then bend the knee and flex the ankle for a flat foot.

Pulse the leg upward, as if trying to press the sole of your foot to the ceiling, for a count of 10.

Lower your leg and repeat the bent leg pulse 10 times with the left leg.

Do three sets of 10 pulses with each leg.

Exercise 3 – Knee to elbow cross

Extend the right leg out straight behind you, toes touching the floor.

Tighten the muscles of the leg and inhale.

Exhale as you bend the knee, point the toes, and then bring your knee under your body toward the left elbow.

Kick your leg back out and up, and then bring it back down and in for a total of 10 repetitions.

Lower your leg and repeat the knee to elbow cross with the left leg.

Do three sets of 10 reps on each leg.

Finish

Finish up the series by sitting back onto your heels and extending arms in front to stretch the body and release the muscle tension from the exercises.

Review the video for details.

Mix it up

Although these three exercises are done one-by-one here, you can mix things up by alternating. You can do one set of 10 reps of each exercises, and repeat that three time. Or you can pick just one or two, depending on time.

These are a great set of exercises that take little room or time, yet can yield terrific results in tightening up the butt muscles, strengthening the core muscles and hip flexors, and toning the body.