3 Easy Ways to Prevent ‘Long Butt’
Your butt is the last thing people see as you walk away, and it’s important to leave everyone with a solid gluteal impression. And yet even those of us who dutifully shred our abs and blast our pecs rarely wake up and say, “I cannot wait to work out my butt today.” Our bottoms, alas, are oft-neglected. And this neglect can lead to the dreaded condition known as “long butt,” in which your cheeks hang sad and low, resembling two half-cooked pancakes sliding down a wall.
To help us, um, turn it all around, we consulted Stephen Pastorino of New York City’s Modelfit gym. At Modelfit, which specializes in training, sculpting, and building model-like bodies, there’s a lot of gluteal work. Pastorino is thus an butt-master. With beach season upon us, he graciously provided three simple exercises that will lift and tone our collective booties.
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BUTT PIVOTS
Start by putting your right foot out in front of you at 180 degrees.
Start with your right leg positioned in front of you. Engage your left leg in a mini-squat, with your knee slightly bent. Now, using the front of your thigh (you’ll feel it just above your knee), lift your right leg up high in front of you so your knee is level with your waist. Push your leg behind you using your right butt muscles and gently swing your foot to the left. Tap it down and hold it for a second. Then slowly swing your leg back up to the starting position (right knee in the air), using your left side to keep stable. Do 10-15 reps, then repeat with your opposite leg.
BUN SWEEPERS
Start from the ending position of the first exercise, with your foot right foot behind you so your leg is nice and straight. Keep your left leg, your butt, and your hip flexed, then drag your right foot further and out to the right. Hold it for a second, then sweep your right foot to the opposite side, almost like you’re dusting the floor. This’ll hit your gluteus minimus, medius, and maximus. Do 10-15 reps, and then repeat with the opposite leg.
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TUCHAS LIFTS
Start from the ending position of the second exercise. Move your right leg behind you so it’s straight, and lift the leg as high as you can (but no higher than parallel to the floor). Keep your left leg flexed, and lean your body forward, pivoting from your left hip. Using only your right butt (you should feel it in the middle of the cheek; that’s the maximus), lift your leg two more inches and hold. Slowly lower it and repeat for 10-15 reps, then switch to the opposite leg.
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By John Jannuzzi
Illustrations by Remie Geoffroi
