Athletic Women Magazine September 2014 November 2013 | Page 8

1. Know what your goals are and what you need to do to make it happen.

To get the booty you want, you need to train smart so that all your hard work moves you toward your goals.

Building muscle in the backside is great way to add size, improve the shape and contour of your booty, and defy gravity as it lifts it up. To achieve this, challenge yourself with a resistance that fatigues your glutes in 12 to 15 repetitions.

In contrast, if you're looking to reduce the size of your hips and thighs and minimize fat around the rear end, you'll see better results if you focus on creating a calorie deficit to reduce body fat while at the same time weight training to maintain muscle tone. Try to fatigue within 20 to 25 reps so muscle size doesn't make the area look and feel even larger.

2. Squeeze those cheeks!

Any time you're training your booty, make sure it's doing the work. Regardless if it's a squat, lunge, hip extension or any other popular booty builder, clench your butt! Move with a controlled tempo and hold the contraction for a moment at the top of the range of motion. If you let your buns get lazy, other areas like your quadriceps or lower back will take over the workload. Stay focused on your booty and make sure it does the work.

3. Be consistent.

Your body CAN and WILL change, but don't be surprised if a miracle doesn't happen overnight. If you stick to a consistent routine and a well balanced diet with a reasonable caloric intake, you'll see noticeable improvement in just a few weeks, and it will only get better with time.

When it comes to training my booty, I think in threes:

Three days a week I work my booty exercises into my weight routine (non-consecutive days).

Three exercises for my booty, each of those three days mixing it up as the mood strikes me.

Three sets for each of the three exercises, and always heavy enough to fatigue by the last rep without losing my form.

Building Your Best Bikini Booty

Kendall's Top Tips for Tushy Training

By Kendall Lou Schmidt