Jiggly Butt, Thighs? Here’s Your Exercise

Sis, you want your bottom half to look good, right? Yeah, I know. We all do. Well, fortunately, the almighty lunge exists.

“Lunges are a great exercise because they are a compound movement that helps strengthen the overall lower body, [and] can improve stability and balance and prevent injuries to other parts of the body,” says Flo Elkins, a certified personal trainer and owner of F.L.O. Life Fitness in Los Angeles.

Just in case you’re not aware (or need a refresher), here’s how to perform a basic forward lunge.

Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and your arms at your sides or hands on your hips. Keeping your torso upright, take a big step forward with one leg. Lower down until your front thigh is about parallel to the floor and your rear knee is just above the floor. Push off the same foot (front leg) to return to the starting position. Repeat with the other leg.

Got it? Good!

Of course, get your doctor’s OK before beginning any new exercise regimen.

Here’s why lunges deserve a spot in your workout routine.

They will do wonders for your butt and thighs. Lunges strengthen the muscles of your lower body, including your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and abdominals.

They can help you look tight and trim. You must focus on nutrition along with your workouts to drop weight, of course. But still, because lunges strengthen the core and glutes, they improve your posture, which can make you look slimmer because you’re more upright, Elkins says.

They build muscle mass. As we get older, we lose muscle mass. Strength training exercises, like lunges, help maintain and build muscle mass. You want as much muscle mass as possible to keep down your body fat, stay active and prevent injuries as you age.

Lunges are a functional exercise. That means they’ll help make everyday movements like walking, picking up an object and stair-climbing easier, Elkins says.

You’ll improve your balance and stability. Since they’re a unilateral exercise (you work one side of the body at a time), lunges require core stability and help improve your balance and coordination, according to Elkins.

Before you start, some safety tips:

Use a chair for balance if necessary.

Elkins recommends starting with one to two sets of 10 lunges per leg and then moving up to three sets of 12 when you’re able.

In addition to the forward lunge, try these variations: