A flat butt can be caused by a number of lifestyle factors, including sedentary jobs or activities that require you to sit for extended periods. As you age, your butt may flatten and lose shape due to lower amounts of fat in the buttocks.
You may wish to both get in shape and add shape to your derriere, not only to improve your appearance, but also to enhance your overall well-being. In fact, strong gluteal muscles can help you develop better posture, increase mobility, and avoid injury.
You may even enhance your athletic performance.
Dormant butt syndrome is a condition that occurs when your gluteal muscles are too weak and your hip flexors are too tight. This means they aren’t working as efficiently as they should.
Often this happens from sitting for too long, sleeping in the fetal position, and repetitive activities. Lack of exercise can also contribute to dormant butt syndrome.
This puts excess pressure and strain on other parts of your body. It can cause pain in your back, hips, and knees, especially when you exercise. This condition may lead to hamstring and knee injuries.
There are lots of exercises that you can do to get a more rounded, perky butt. Be consistent with your workouts in order to see results. Feel free to modify these exercises and do any variations that suit your individual needs.
Start slowly and gradually build up the intensity and duration of your workouts in order to avoid injury. Here are some exercises to get you started.
1. Squats
To do this:
- Stand
with your feet hip distance apart with your toes slightly turned out to the
side. - Bend
your knees to drop your hips back as though you’re sitting into a chair. - Lift
back up to standing and engage your glute muscles at the top position. - Continue
this movement for one minute. - Then
hold the squat position and pulse up and down for 20 seconds. - After
this, hold the squat position for 20 seconds. - Repeat
this sequence up to 3 times.
Tips:
- Gaze
straight ahead. - Keep
your chest lifted and your spine straight. - Press
your knees out to the side when you lower down. - Keep
your feet flat on the floor and press into your heels. - Increase
the difficulty by holding weights. - gluteal
muscles - hips
- quadriceps
- hamstrings
Muscles worked:
2. Lunge presses
To do this:
- Come
into a high lunge position with your right leg forward and your left leg back. - Keep
your back heel lifted throughout the exercise. - Slowly
straighten your right leg to come up to standing. - Engage
your muscles at the top. - Use
your glute muscles to lower back down into the lunge position. - Continue
this movement for one minute. - Then
stay in the lunge position and pulse up and down for 15 seconds. - Repeat
on the opposite side.
Tips:
- Keep
your chest lifted. - Press
into the heel of your front foot. - Make
sure your front knee doesn’t extend past your ankle. - Focus
on your front leg throughout the exercise. - Don’t
let your back knee touch the ground in the lunge position. - Use
dumbbells to increase the intensity. - abdominals
- gluteal
muscles - quadriceps
- hamstrings
Muscles worked:
3. Fire hydrant lifts
To do this:
- Come
into a tabletop position. - Keep
your body stable and still as you lift your right leg at a 90-degree angle away
from the body. - Keep
your knee bent during the movement. - Slowly
lower it back down to the starting position, keeping your knee from touching
the floor. - Do
1 to 3 sets of 10 to 18 repetitions on each side.
Tips:
- Press
evenly into your hands and knees. - Allow
your body to be still so that it’s an isolated movement. - Keep
your torso straight and your hips level. - Keep
a slight bend in your elbows. - To
increase the difficulty, extend your leg out straight when it’s lifted. - abdominals
- gluteal
muscles - back
muscles - hamstrings
Muscles worked:
4. Leg lifts
To do this:
- Come
into a tabletop or plank position. - Extend
your right leg straight back and point your toes. - Lower
your leg down so it almost touches the floor and then lift it up. - Continue
this movement for one minute. - Then
do the other side.
Tips:
- Balance
your weight evenly between your hands and grounded foot. - Keep
the rest of your body still as you move your leg. - Add
ankle weights to increase the difficulty. - Engage
your glutes as you lift your leg. - abdominals
- gluteal
muscles - quadriceps
- back
muscles
Muscles worked:
5. Bridge presses
To do this:
- Lie
down on your back with your knees bent and your arms alongside your body, palms
facing down. - Slowly
lift your hips up and engage your glutes at the top. - Then
lift onto the tips of your toes. - Bring
your heels back down to the floor. - Carefully
lower your hips back down. - Continue
this movement for one minute. - Then
hold your hips at the top and bring your knees together and apart. - Do
this for 15 seconds. - Come
back to center and release back down.
Tips:
- Keep
your neck aligned with your spine. - Keep
your feet flat on the floor to make it easier. - Move
your body up and down gently and with control. - abdominals
- gluteal
muscles - hamstrings
- erector
spinae
Muscles worked:
6. Single-leg deadlifts
Before you start
- This is an advanced exercise, so use your own judgment about whether it’s right for you.
- Practicing good form is critical in reducing injury and ensuring your body benefits from the exercise.
- Be sure to consult your healthcare provider before starting any new workout program.
Was this helpful?
To do this:
- Hold
a dumbbell in each hand and stand on your right leg. - Slowly
bend at the hip and lift your left leg behind you. - Lower
the weights until your torso is parallel to the floor. - Use
your supporting leg to return to standing. - Squeeze
your glutes and tuck your hips under as you come up. - Continue
this movement for one minute. - Then
do it on the opposite side.
Tips:
- Keep
your chest lifted and your shoulders back. - Keep
your standing leg slightly bent. - Do
this exercise with no weights to make it easier. - Keep
your lifted leg bent the whole time to make it easier. - gluteal
muscles - adductor magnus
- hips
- hamstrings
Muscles worked:
7. Reclining side leg exercises
To do this:
- Lie
on your right side with both hands on the floor for support and both legs
extended and stacked on top of each other. - Slowly
lift your left leg up as high as it will go, pausing at the top. - With
control, lower it back down. - Just
before it touches the bottom leg, raise it again. - Continue
this movement for one minute. - Then,
with your leg lifted, do variations such as small circles in both directions,
pulses up and down, and pulses forward and backward. - Do
each variation for 30 seconds. - Then
keep your left leg lifted slightly and bend your knee to bring it in toward
your chest and extend it back out again. - Do
this for 30 seconds.
10. Repeat the sequence on the opposite side.
Tips:
- Keep
your hips stacked so you’re not bringing your weight forward or backward. - Engage
your glute muscles during the exercise. - Keep
your chest lifted and open. - Point
your toes. - abdominals
- hip
muscles - gluteal
muscles - thighs
Muscles worked:
There are more reasons to add shape to your butt than aesthetic ones. It’s important to maintain a healthy physique that can improve your range of motion, flexibility, and strength.
Try adding uphill walking, stair climbing, or sprinting to your workout routine to further define your butt and build your cardio workout.
Training your muscles takes time. Aim for improvement instead of drastic or unrealistic results. Be consistent and patient and remember to include a healthy diet as part of your plan.
