Dream glutes with the right training
Which woman wouldn’t want a nicely trained butt? Unfortunately, dream glutes are no easy task. In most women, excess fat is stored in the lower body, which makes the butt and legs the last area where we lose fat. We bring you an interview with Pauline Nordin, a trainer and the author of the book “Butt Bible”. According to Pauline, the secret to beautiful glutes is long-term, hard training. Take in Pauline’s tips and train yourself a great butt.
What is the biggest mistake women make when training legs and glutes?
Many women think they have to do 20-30 repetitions of every exercise. If the goal is to build muscle, that approach is wrong (with long sets you end up training endurance instead). I recommend training with higher intensity and doing a maximum of 8-15 repetitions. You can do thousands of squats and lunges, but if you don’t increase the weights, no progress happens.
Why is it important to have strong glutes?
Your legs play an important role in your posture and in most everyday movements. They also take excess strain off the lower back, which makes training your legs especially important if you have lower-back problems. Because of work, many people have to sit for long hours on their butts without moving their legs. That is another reason to put particular emphasis on leg training.
How often should you train legs in the gym?
1-2 times a week. There is no reason to train legs every day. It’s important to leave enough rest between workouts so your muscles can grow. Women fear that strength training will make their legs bulkier, but in fact muscle takes up less space than fat. The more leg muscle you have, the firmer your butt and legs look.
How does strength training affect cellulite?
The fat cells on the legs and butt are very stubborn. If you haven’t trained before, strength training reduces the appearance of cellulite. But strength training alone won’t eliminate cellulite. Since cellulite can be genetic or the result of hormone levels, even hard training and a diet may not get rid of it completely.
Which exercises should always be part of your glute training?
All kinds of squats. Squats shape your glutes most effectively.
What is the best cardio training for the glutes?
Say you want to get rid of fat on your glutes. If you have little muscle and a lot of fat, cardio will help you reduce fat, but the result is a flat butt. You should focus on growing your glutes while burning fat. That means you should avoid steady-pace cardio and prefer high-intensity interval training. It’s also important to keep up hard strength training.
Strength training through the power of the mind? How does mental focus help glute training?
If you notice during strength training that your mind is elsewhere, you’re doing yourself a disservice – much of the effect of the training is lost. It’s important to focus on your body and the muscle you’re training in every exercise. Watch how the muscle works and how you feel. Proper focus lets you train with heavier weights, too.
How does diet affect the glutes?
If you eat more calories than you burn, the excess calories turn into fat. It’s important to limit your calorie intake and eat plenty of low-calorie fruit and vegetables. When you eat a lot of flour and sugar products, your body burns fewer calories. Keep an eye on your protein intake, too: many protein-rich foods are acidic and high in calories. I eat a lot of vegetables and healthy protein – Greek yogurt – every day. My biggest meal is right after training.
What should you do if an injury keeps you from squatting? What are the alternatives for training the glutes?
If you have knee problems, first find out the cause – incorrect posture during training, overload? There are many different squats that let you train the glutes without putting too much weight on the knees. Straight-leg kickbacks and glute bridges lying on your back are also good options for training the glutes.
Why is it so hard to reduce body fat percentage on the butt?
Mother Nature has given women a higher fat percentage so that we can give birth. All the fat cells in our lower body are indeed stubborn – while you’re struggling to lose them, the body tries to hold on to them. The fat cells on your glutes don’t disappear as easily as those on your belly and upper body. They don’t respond readily to fat burners either. You have to make training your lifestyle – build muscle, burn fat.
How big a role does genetics play? If you’re naturally given a flat butt, can we change it?
The role of genetics is largely overestimated, and the contribution of training to shaping the body is underestimated. Unfortunately, most women blame their genetics for a flat butt, ruling out the possibility that they have trained the wrong way. Obviously, you can’t get a round butt in just a couple of months. Women with beautiful glutes have worked at it for many years.
How does flexibility affect strength training?
Flexibility is very important. Women often make their training much easier by using a much smaller range of motion in exercises. This greatly reduces the effect of the exercises. Yoga is fashionable, but you can also develop your flexibility yourself by stretching properly after every training session.
Author: Egle Eller-Nabi (translation)
Source: Turg.Fitness.ee
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