If you’re still working on proper squat form, wall squats are a safe way for beginners to practice. Incorporating wall squats into your routine may also benefit your posture, according to a small 2015 study published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science . If you're dreading hitting the gym later today, you're not alone in that. Who hasn't had a day when catching up on all your favorite TV shows sounds better than getting in a quality sweat sesh at the gym? And while letting your body rest and recover from all the activity you put it through is totally necessary for maintaining a healthy balance, we're never going to stray away from talking all about the benefits of exercise. Not only does Abby have a killer booty, but she's got an inspiring transformation story to go along with it. While she was in engineering school, she was under a lot of pressure from classes, family health issues and relationship drama. She told Cosmopolitan that her diet was the one thing she felt like she could control — so she began obsessing over counting and burning calories, eating only 1,000 calories per day. There are countless ways to activate your glutes and legs without any equipment, says Pat Gilles, CSCS and owner of Pat’s Gym in Madison, WI. (Note: While you can begin practicing the following exercises as soon as, well, now , it’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor before starting any new kind of exercise routine.) Tip: Varying the length of your steps can affect which muscles are activated: Shorter steps will target the quads, while longer steps will target your glutes.

When you’re ready to get out and work those glutes, these activities can activate your butt, legs, and upper body—all without heavy weight lifting at the gym:Placing your feet on an elevated surface while performing a bridge increases your range of motion, activates your hip flexors and stretches your glutes at the same time, Gilles says. Why Gaining Weight is a GOOD Thing? TAG A FRIEND who needs to see this! . 140ish lbs vs. 152 lbs. Pear shaped (at best) vs. Strong hourglass. No cardio vs. Sub-22:00min 5km run. Random food choices vs. Educated and enjoyable food choices. BAD acne and oily skin vs. Smooth and taut skin. I could go on. . Weight is NOT the only measure of progress. If you want to drastically transform your body, you MUST build muscle. And muscle has weight. Progress pictures and body part measurements are MUCH better indicators of whether you’re moving towards your goal shape or not. . PS Chicago Glute Camp is Oct 22. See my Snapchat: ampollo for early bird sign up!??

Whether you’re looking to improve your athletic ability, reduce your risk of injury, or maintain mobility as you age, squats are a critical exercise. Using a chair to guide the movement can activate the hips and help beginners progress to air squats, according to Gilles. This lunge variation challenges your balance and works the outer area of your glutes, including the gluteus medius, Olson says.

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Jessica DiGiacinto is an associate editor at WW. A health and wellness writer and editor based out of New York, she’s contributed to Popsugar, Bulletproof 360, and Galvanized Media, among other media outlets. Fire hydrants work your hip abductors and your gluteus medius specifically, Peterson says, adding that the moves can contribute to the overall “roundness” of the booty.

I post glutes exercise videos day after day to show people that while genetics do play an important role in determining the size of your glutes, significantly growing the muscles is absolutely possible," she told Cosmo. Although full butts may be a popular aesthetic, what’s more important than size is functionality: how well your glute muscles serve you while you’re performing daily activities like walking up steps and standing after sitting at your desk for hours, Gilles says. How to do it: Kneel on your hands and knees with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees beneath your hips. Keeping your tummy tight, spine neutral (not arched), and knees bent 90-degrees, engage your glutes as you raise one heel behind you and toward the ceiling until your thigh is almost parallel to the floor. Return to your starting position with control to complete one rep. Repeat 15 to 20 times, then switch sides. Start with two sets per side and build up to three or four.

Whether you describe your butt as saggy, flat, or full, butt workouts can help you sculpt and strengthen your glutes, i.e., the group of three muscles that make up your booty: Walking lunges not only target your glutes and hamstrings, they’re another great exercise for improving your balance, Gilles says. Cycling engages lower body muscles, including your hamstrings, quads, calves, and core, Gilles says. If you want to intensify the booty burn, Olson recommends holding onto the handle bars of your bicycle or stationary bike and standing up while you peddle—just imagine you’re building momentum to get uphill. Note: You may need to amp up the resistance or shift into a higher gear to maintain control in this position. How do you know when you’ve challenged yourself enough? When your muscles feel fatigued or your form starts to take a hit, Peterson says. A sled you see at the gym isn’t the same type of sled you’d use to cruise down a snowy hill: It’s an object designed to carry weight and slide across a surface when pushed or pulled. The benefits of pulling and pushing a sled include strengthening the glutes, hamstrings, and abdominals, as well as overall conditioning, Gilles says.