We spend so much of our days parked in a chair. This inactivity tends to cause our bottoms to "blossom" a little, losing firmness and shape. It's a fabulous idea to combat the lack of muscle tone in the butt area with aerobic activity, weight training and good eating habits.

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Why not add a few target exercises to smooth and tone your bottom? Let's set a goal to try to get rid of some of that cushion and if we're lucky, smooth out of few of those cellulite dimples, too! Remember to warm up completely before performing any exercise and cool down when you finish in order to avoid injury.
Squats

Squats are one of the most versatile exercises that work the legs and butt muscles. This simple exercise can be done at any time (except in the office with witnesses). Try adding an exercise ball to your simple squat routine. Using an exercise ball requires your body using a variety of muscles to establish balance. Grab an exercise ball (or purchase one for $20-25 at your local sporting goods store). Be sure the exercise ball is sized for your height.

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Stand near a wall and place the exercise ball between your lower back and the wall. Your posture should be straight, hands at the sides, head facing forward and shoulders relaxed. Focus on tightening your abdomen. Bend your knees until parallel to the floor, keeping your weight on your heels.

As you bend, the stability ball will roll up your back. Return to your starting position, letting the ball return to your lower back. Complete three sets of 20 repetitions.

Lunges

You can use the stability ball for lunges, too, but it's not a requirement. Lunges are an excellent way to elongate and shape the butt muscles. If you choose to use an exercise ball, hold the ball over your head at your starting position. As you take a step forward to bend into your lunge, lower the ball with outstretched arms directly in front on your. Continue to raise and lower the ball with each repetition. You'll feel the engagement in your abdomen.
Stand straight with feet slightly apart. Step forward with one foot and firmly plant it on the floor. This movement causes the left foot to roll onto the ball of the foot. Your weight should balance on the heel on the front foot, not the ball of the foot. Bend both knees until you reach 90 degrees. Straighten your legs and bend at the knee again. Complete three sets of 12-15 repetitions for each leg.

Single Leg to Touch Exercises

This exercise targets the butt entirely. Begin by standing straight with arms at the sides. Lift your right foot a few inches off the floor (as if you are lifting your foot to take a step) by bending at the knee. Hold your foot there. Your heel should be pointing towards your bottom.

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Establish your balance and lower your right arm down to your left foot in a crossover motion. Return to your start position but don't put your raised foot on the floor. Complete 10 reps for each leg.

One-Legged Hop Butt Exercises

This is another great exercise for specifically targeting the glute muscles. Stand straight with arms at the sides. Lift your right knee to 90 degrees and bounce your weight off the ball of your right foot 15 times in succession. Don't return to a flat foot until you complete your repetitions.
For an added upper-body workout, with each bounce, swing your right arm straight behind you as you simultaneously swing your left arm straight in front of you. Complete three sets of 20 reps for each leg.

Those steps that you climb every day have a much better use than simply being the main avenue to get you to bed each night. Let's focus on the bottom step as a great and "free" tool to provide you a great exercise to tone your butt. Stand in front of the step.

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Your posture should be straight with arms at the sides. Choose any foot and take a full step up onto the step, firmly placing the entire foot on the step. Push through your heel, not the ball of your foot. Bring your other foot up to the step, then return to starting position. Perform three sets of 20 reps for each leading foot.