If you\u2019re looking to get a shapely booty, you\u2019ll find the exercises in the PiYo Buns workouts will get you to your goal.<\/p>\n
But there are more \u2014 dare we say better \u2014benefits to having strong glutes than just looking good walking away.<\/p>\n
What else?<\/p>\n
Add reduced back pain, better posture, improved athletic performance, and greater total-body strength and power to the list.<\/p>\n
PiYo Buns is a 30-minute-long lower body workout that\u2019s part of the yoga and Pilates-inspired PiYo program created by Super Trainer Chalene Johnson.<\/p>\n
The exercises in PiYo Buns include a wide variety of lunges and squats that will help tone your hamstrings, quadriceps, and glutes.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re often guilty of skipping leg day\u2026 let\u2019s dive deeper into why strong glutes are so important.<\/p>\n
When you think of your core, you\u2019re probably think of your abs and possibly your obliques. But the glutes are part of it, too.<\/p>\n
In fact, the muscles that make up the core include the rectus abdominus (the abs), the multifudus, the transverse abdominis, the internal and external obliques, the scapular stabilizers, the pelvic floor muscles, and the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus.<\/p>\n
The rectus abdominus and the obliques help support and stabilize the spine.<\/p>\n
The glutes help stabilize and control the movement of the pelvis and thighs, as well as extend the hips (e.g., when you stand or run). (You extend your hips when you stand and flex them when you sit.)<\/p>\n
When your glutes are weak\u2014as they are for most people who sit all day \u2014 they underperform in the hip extension department.<\/p>\n
The muscles primarily responsible for flexing the hips (i.e., the psoas), meanwhile, become overactive, causing them to shorten and tighten.<\/p>\n
The combination of weak glutes and tight psoas causes the pelvis to tilt forward. This is known as anterior pelvic tilt and it increases the strain on the lumbar vertebrae.<\/p>\n
The result: Back pain.<\/p>\n
Strengthening your glutes \u2014 and the rest of your core \u2014 can help both reverse the situation, and prevent it from occurring in the future.<\/p>\n
The glutes are also a key member of your \u201cposterior chain\u201d \u2014 a series of muscles running along the backside of your body that includes your erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, and calves.<\/p>\n
Just focusing on the muscles on the front (anterior) of your body \u2014 such as your chest, abs, and quads \u2014 can create imbalances that throw off your posture and alignment, increasing your risk of injury, as well as back and joint pain.<\/p>\n
Getting your butt in gear can have the exact opposite effect, reducing not only muscle imbalances and injury.<\/p>\n
Want to jump higher? Run faster? Improve your agility? Lift more weight? Then don\u2019t skip leg day!<\/p>\n
The gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in the body and help you pedal, lift weight, and push off the ground for a leap or your next step. Strengthening the gluteus maximus gives you more power for each of these motions.<\/p>\n
Below are five moves from PiYo Buns, the PiYo workout dedicated to toning your thighs and butt.<\/p>\n
Do these five moves in the order shown, and repeat the sequence three times for a tighter, stronger butt.<\/p>\n
How to do it: Stand with your arms at your sides and your feet parallel and 4 to 5 inches apart. Keeping your chest up, abs engaged, and weight on your heels, push your hips back and lower your body as far as you can.<\/p>\n
As you squat down, bring your hands together in front of your chest. Return to the starting position, lowering your hands back to your sides. That\u2019s one rep. Do 10.<\/p>\n
Want an extra challenge? Pulse three times at the bottom of the squat, and only rise 3\/4 of the way back up.<\/p>\n