Five Annoying Body Parts That Really Show in Summer - Part 4: Glutes

See what Hampton Celebs Beyoncé, Kelly Ripa, and J. Lo Do to Get Party Ready
(a five-part series that requires little or no equipment)

By Regina Kravitz, ACE Certified Personal Trainer and Style Coach

Continuation of 5-part series:

#4 Blast Your Glutes with “Not So Simple” Bridge Exercises

The Bridge in itself is a simple, no equipment basic exercise appropriate for beginner exercise level, seniors and anyone not interested in large movement, ballistic movement.

It primarily strengthens core, works glutes and hamstrings and improves basic posture.

It is a good foundation for limbering the spine and improving flexibility. It helps awareness and reversal of the round-shouldered S curve most of us are prone to after sitting at desks and not doing enough ab and back strengthening movements.

“We tend to live in a stooped posture world.”

We tend to live in a stooped posture world and while there are many exercises to strengthen back and core, the bridge has a somewhat organic, back to childhood feel about it….and feels sexy to boot!!

Lay flat on your back, with arms flat on the floor at your side.
Place feet flat on the floor below your butt and with bent knees, pushing into your heels, squeeze your glutes and push your hips up straight as if a string is pulling you towards the ceiling from your belly button.
Press your shoulders into the mat so you clearly create an abdominal bridge!
Exhale on the lift, inhale on the descent.
Hold a few seconds at the top and drop to the floor in position.

Repeat with control and strict form 10-15 times.

Not hard enough? Try this 5 Minute Bridge variation, Glute Burner next!!

1) 10-15 basic bridges as above.

2) 15-20 pulses in elevation with strict form! Squeeze those glutes tight!

3) Butterfly Bridges: Place feet on either side of mat. Raise torso to bridge position. Keep it up and open and close legs, knee to knee and out wide. Keep feet firmly planted. Hold it! 10-12x

4) Butterfly with Lift: In same position as above, lift torso, do one butterfly, lower butt to ground, lift again, do butterfly, lower, etc. Remember to keep it tight and graceful in one movement. Breathe out on the way up. 10-12x

5) Knee Kisses: exact opposite of Butterflies: Place knees together and lift into bridge position. Drop Down and raise again. 10-12x

6) Knee Kiss Pulses: Raise up to Elevated Bridge position and pulse up 20 times. Knees together. Squeeze Glutes. This works inner thighs and outside muscle of the glutes called Gluteus Medius and Gluteus minimus.

7) Straight Leg Bridge: Raise one leg straight up to ceiling in Bridge position. Pulse 10-12x times Do it with a flat foot. It’s harder but you can do a pointed toe as well. Switch legs, of course.

8) Leg Lift Bridge: lift one leg up and aim to ceiling flex foot and lower down to mat. Repeat again. Leg up! Hold the bridge and lower to floor.

9) Cross Leg Bridge: Place bent leg on opposite thigh and go into bridge position. Like all of these variations, they can be done pelvis thrust up and down or mini pulses and/or any combination thereof.

10) No Arms Bridge: from floor position, bring straight arms up to ceiling at same time you lift into bridge. This requires isolation. You can relax arm at bottom but bring up straight again, focusing on your glutes and hamstrings. 10-12 x. End with pulses at the top.

Finish with legs curled into your abs, roll side to side and back and forth several times to release back tension.