Are you working through the O2 Booty Challenge? Before you pile on the weight, safety comes first. A common misconception about weight training is that weight matters the most. While lifting the appropriate amount of weight and increasing it over time is important for booty building, what you need to perfect first is form.
When performing any type of strength-training or weighted exercise, maintaining proper form is an absolute must. Not only does proper form help you to get the most out of every rep, but it also prevents you from developing injuries that could seriously hinder your hard work in the gym.
As you squat, squeeze, and lift your way through the O2 Booty Challenge, keep these important tips in mind from Brennan Station Personal Trainer Amanda Novachek and Park West Personal Trainer Amber Butler to make sure you're executing each exercise correctly and safely.
Barbell Squats
Squats are one of the most effective exercises to boost overall strength in your glutes. Bodyweight or barbell, squats work multiple lower-body muscle groups that help to pump up the volume of your booty.
"I tell my clients that you want to maintain a straight path with the bar. It should go straight up and down," said Amanda.
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Hip Bridges
In this exercise you can easily isolate the hips and glutes with every lift and squeeze. By laying on your back, your glutes have to do most of the work, making this a great move for targeting the backside. Add in leg lifts for more of a challenge and embrace the burn!
"Shoot your hips in the air keeping your back straight even on the descent," said Amber.
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Planks
A strong core is the foundation of your fitness and can help prevent injury when completing heavier weightlifting. Adding leg lifts into your planks works the smaller muscles in your glutes that help to shape your physique by toning, tightening, and lifting.
"I should be able to lay my coffee cup on your back and it wouldn’t spill," said Amber. "Make sure your hands stay under your shoulders."
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Side Lunges
The O2 Booty Challenge incorporates side lunges to focus on functional strength. With or without weights, side lunges use elements of strength, balance, and dynamic movement to help you become more agile and and less injury-prone in your day-to-day life.
Later on in the Booty Challenge, side lunges transition into speed skaters. "When progressing to the speed skaters use a slightly forward position, an athletic stance, and land using a toe ball heel landing to give a soft landing," said Amber.
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Wall Sits
Sitting is bad for you, right? Not necessarily. Find a wall and take a seat for a challenging lower-body sculpting session. Wall sits will test your mental strength to burnout your hamstrings, glutes, and quad muscles at the end of a workout. Don't stop when it burns - that means it's working!
"Make sure you tuck your tailbone in to protect your lower back," said Amanda. "Keep your thighs parallel to the ground on these, there's no need to go any lower."
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Now that you're equipped with the knowledge, it's time to get to work.
Get more booty-boosting tips with the free 4-Week Booty Challenge →
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