RFT: Iron in Heels is a bi-weekly series on tamilyouth.ca that seeks to educate, inspire, and empower Tamil youth to improve their fitness and well-being by developing an active lifestyle.
Written By: Sulaksana Sabaratnam
In my last article, I went over the several variables that may be the culprit behind your stunt in that booty growth; the number of sets and reps, the rest between your sets, proper isolation of muscles and incorporating machines when necessary. In order to create that “C” shaped derriere, you must remember that you will have to target several muscles surrounding your gluteal muscles that work together to engage your gluteus maximum (primary gluteal muscle), gluteus medius (top outer most part of your glutes) and minimus (top inner part of your glutes).
What are these primary muscles?
- Hamstrings (muscles located at the back of your legs allowing you to bring your heel to your glutes)
- Quadriceps (muscle located on the front of your legs allowing you to straighten your leg)
- Hip Flexors (muscles located by your hips allowing for range of motion – connects legs to your trunk/torso)
- Calves (muscles located at the back of your leg right below your knee allowing you to lift heels off the ground)
Today, I will be introducing you to some of the most effective exercises that will help develop your gluteal muscles and these surround muscles.
Hamstrings
Machines that will help isolate your hamstrings include the: 1) laying leg curl, 2) seated leg curl and 3) kick back machine, 4) smith machine (squats or lunges performed with a larger step).
Free-weight exercises that will help target your hamstrings include: 1) stiff-leg deadlift or dumbbell single-leg straight-leg deadlifts 2) lunges with a larger step, 3) dumbbell or barbell squats.
Quadriceps
Machines that will help isolate your quadriceps include the: 1) leg extension, 2) seated leg press, 3) laying leg press, 4) smith machine (front squats or lunges performed with a 90 degree drop with knee).
Free-weight exercises that will help target your quadriceps include: 1) barbell or dumbbell front squats, 2) barbell or dumbbell box squats, 3) box jumps, 4) regular deadlifts.
Hip Flexors
Basic machines that will help isolate your hip flexors include the: 1) adductor, 2) abductor, 3) low pulley hip flexion/adduction/abduction on cable cross machine, 4) smith machine (hip thrust off bench).
Free-weight exercises that will help target your hip flexors include: 1) decline sit-ups, 2) leg lifts, 3) hip-thrusts.
Calves
Machines that will help isolate your calves include: 1) seated calf raises, 2) standing calf raises, 3) smiths press (standing calf raises).
Free-weight exercises that will help target your calves include: 1) seated calf raises with a plate rested on lap, 2) standing dumbbell or barbell calf raises.
But WAIT! Don’t Forget Your Form!
Yes, I might as well be called Ms.FormPolice. I’m guilty for that. I want you all to check out some of these exercises online to help absorb how to perform them prior to executing them. It is important that you eliminate any risk of injury and correctly perform the exercise for maximum benefit. As mentioned in my earlier posts, bodybuilding.com is a great tool that provides videos and pointers for every exercise.
Bottom line – When we are asked how to build a booty, we all think of SQUATS! Although squats are a great exercise that help target your entire body and engage each and every one of these muscles, we must not forget to focus on strengthening these muscles individually to not only improve our performance but, to ensure that we can gain strength and growth evenly. Now, go make those gains!
Stay Tuned for my next piece on “All Kinds of Squats!”
You can also contact me on Instagram at @sulaksanas and be sure to follow for some daily gym motivation!
Author
Sulaksana Sabaratnam is a certified personal trainer and weight-loss consultant. She is currently working towards her nutrition manager (NM) certification. With her passion in fitness and her drive to challenge the limits of her body, Sulaksana also enjoys educating her male and female clientele who benefit from both, her physical weight training and complementary nutrition knowledge. Through her articles, she hopes to help women feel comfortable in the gym atmosphere, invite women to take on strength training to strengthen and accentuate the feminine curves and encourage them to ask questions freely. Follow her via Instagram at @sulaksanas for daily inspiration!
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