Bench Donkey Kicks

Adding to the butt toning (or building) regimen, here is another one of my favorites, donkey kicks. These require really no equipment. You can do these on a bench, as shown, or the floor. I would strongly recommend that you place a mat or fold up a towel for your knees.  


Take your right knee and bring it toward your right elbow, while engaging your core, then swing the right knee out and up, and engage your glute muscles on the lift. Do a set of 20-25 reps, then repeat on the left leg. Opt for 2 sets on each leg.

The donkey kick works your lower back, core, legs and glutes. With every lift you are toning all your glute muscles.  This movement is great as an alternative to doing squats.   


No excuses - go ahead and have at it!

Squat Touches

The target areas for this exercise are your quads, glutes and hamstrings. Stand and place your feet together, squat down, placing a slight, not deep bend in the knees and clasp your hands together. Be sure to not let your knees go past the tips of your toes. 

While squatting, tap your right foot forward, then tap it out to the right side, tap to the rear and return your right foot back to the starting position. Continue the touches on the right side, completing one set on the right. Then, switch to the left foot. Repeat. Do another full set on each leg. 
Your quads, glutes and hamstrings will thank you!

Star Crunches

The target areas for this exercise are your abs, thighs and core.  No equipment is necessary which makes this great for when you're traveling, or at home watching TV.  

Simply, lay on your back.  You can place a mat down for comfort if needed.  Extend your legs upwards and your arms above your head.  

While you focus on squeezing your abs, lift your shoulders off the ground, and extend your arms forward as you open your legs. 

As you close your legs, lower your arms back to the beginning position. That is one rep. Repeat for your desired number of reps to complete the set. 

Simple, yet effective. Enjoy!

Side Plank Hip Raises

Developing your core is very important.  Core strength and development is beneficial to having a strong back, good posture, upper and lower body toning, just to name a few.  This exercise, side plank hip raises, is another one of my favorites.  

Get yourself situated on the floor. You want your body to be straight, over lap your right leg so that it's in front of your left, have your left arm straight, extending directly under your shoulder as shown.  It is important to not drop your shoulder.  Place your right arm on your head. 

Here's the fun part, lower your hip to the floor, then bring it back up to the starting position. Continue to lower and raise your hips, being sure to balance yourself and not drop your shoulders.  Do 10 - 15 reps then repeat on the other side. 

This exercise is a nice one for your obliques (side abs), as well as core development.  Have fun!

Toe Touches

I love when you can do an exercise that is not only easy (yes, I said easy, well the more you incorporate this one into your routine, the easier it gets), requires no equipment, effective and can be done anywhere - home, traveling, in the gym, or in your living/family room. 

Let's focus on the abs - toe touches.  Just lay on the floor, bring both legs up.  You can cross your legs at your ankles if you like. Extend your arms up. Keep your legs straight and use your abs to lift your shoulders off the floor and touch your toes. Lower your self back to the floor and repeat.  The objective - to touch your toes with your finger tips. 

Simple, right? 

Fire Hydrants

You don't need to have fancy equipment to perform an effective exercise.  One of my favorites is called Fire Hydrants.  Hence, the position of the raised leg. This is great for a butt-burning, I mean "butt forming", routine. You can do this in the morning, evening or while watching TV. 

Just get down on all fours, raise your right leg, knees bent, your thigh is parallel to the floor, then lower your leg back down to the starting position.  Do as many as you can do (25 reps are fun!), then repeat the other side. That is one set. Now, repeat and do another set. All done!

Please be sure to share how you felt from this fun butt-xercise!