If you’ve ever tried to get a bigger, perkier booty, you’ve probably heard the following time and time again: “you’ve got to squat heavy!” And yes, with perfect technique and enough resistance, squats are a very effective way to grow your booty. But here’s the thing—many people fail to properly activate their glutes and are quad dominant. So, when they squat, their legs are taking most of the load, not their glutes.
Personally, I’ve been squatting for a long time—and while I have seen some booty gains, it’s been nothing drastic. That is, until I started incorporating booty bands into my workout, as per my training program with Rachel Dillon (the queen of booty!) Let me tell you, these little loops of rubber are seriously underrated. They allow you to target and activate parts of the glutes that not many other exercises can. The result? A peachy, poppin’ booty!
The best part is, booty bands are seriously light and transportable. They’re extremely convenient to pop in your handbag, or even in your hand luggage when you’re travelling (they make for a perfect hotel room workout!) Just try to go for a cotton version, as the rubber versions can and do slip, and it’s extremely annoying.
Read on for 5 simple and effective booty band moves you can do anywhere.
Donkey kicks
This simple but effective exercise targets the glutes and helps to tone, tighten and strengthen your derriere.
Fire hydrants
Yes, this move gets its name because it makes you look like a dog peeing on a fire hydrant. But believe us, it targets the outer glutes like nothing else!
Sidelying Abductions
The term ‘abduction’ simply means moving something away from something else. In this case, it’s moving your top leg away from the bottom leg, in order to target the lateral glute muscles. You can also do a standing version. where you hold onto something and lift one leg away from the other.
Standing Glute Kickbacks
This super effective, booty-blasting move is all about small, controlled movements. You can do it from standing (as shown in the video), or on all fours.
Crab Walks
This move may feel a little silly at first, but it’s an excellent way to activate your deep glute muscles. Check out the video to see how it’s done.