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How to Work Out Butt Muscles on a Bowflex
The muscles in your butt, booty or whatever you call your rear end are referred to as your glutes. Three muscles make up your glutes -- your gluteus maximus, gluteus minimus and gluteus medius. Strengthening and toning these muscles can be done with the help of a Bowflex home gym. Bowflex makes several models and most have the necessary features and attachments that allow you to perform a variety of butt-firming exercises.
Set up your Bowflex for squats. Set the desired amount of resistance and completely remove the workout bench or fold it up out of the way, depending on the model. You'll also use either a squat bar or a padded squat harness, which is attached to a cable pulley system. Stand with your back to the machine and place the apparatus across the top of your shoulders. Start by standing up tall with your back straight and your eyes focused straight ahead. While keeping your chest up, inhale, bend your hips and knees, stick your butt out behind you and lower into a squat. Stop when your thighs are parallel to the floor. Exhale as you reverse your movements. Return to the starting position and repeat.
Work your butt muscles with standing leg kickbacks. Keep the workout bench removed or folded up. Set the amount of resistance and attach ankle straps or cuffs to the lower-cable pulleys. Face the machine and put the left ankle cuff around your left ankle. Hold onto the machine to help with your balance and bend your left knee about 90 degrees. With your right knee slightly bent, start by bending forward slightly from your hips, not your waist. Slowly extend your left leg back behind you and straighten your knee. Pause for a count of two, reverse back to the starting position and repeat. After you complete one set, switch legs.
Keep the workout bench out of the way and the ankle cuffs attached to the cable pulleys to do standing hip extensions with stabilized knees. Put the cuff around your left ankle, stand facing the machine and hold onto it for support. With a slight bend in both knees, pivot your left leg backward from your hip as far as you can. Pause for a count of two, slowly return to the starting position and repeat. After you complete one set, switch legs.
Tips
Perform a 5-minute warm-up to get your blood flowing and your muscles ready for the exercises. Take a slow jog, jump rope or do jumping jacks.
Use a resistance level heavy enough to fatigue your muscles after 12 reps, suggests the MayoClinic.com. Perform one to two sets.
Warnings
If you are new to exercising or haven't trained in several months, check with your doctor before starting a fitness program.
References
Tips
- Perform a 5-minute warm-up to get your blood flowing and your muscles ready for the exercises. Take a slow jog, jump rope or do jumping jacks.
- Use a resistance level heavy enough to fatigue your muscles after 12 reps, suggests the MayoClinic.com. Perform one to two sets.
Warnings
- If you are new to exercising or haven't trained in several months, check with your doctor before starting a fitness program.