If you don’t have strong hamstrings, it drags your whole backside down.
And everyone knows squats—which fire up your glutes, along with most of your lower body—are one of the fastest ways to get a great butt. That said, just doing squats on squats on squats isn’t enough to sculpt a tighter, curvier, perkier butt.
The real MVPs in building a better butt are actually your hamstring muscles. Yes, muscles—there are three: the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris. “If your butt is the roof of your house, your hamstrings are the walls—and you can’t have a nice house without good walls,” says Kira Stokes, a NASM-certified personal trainer. “Your hamstrings are a key factor to functional movement, and they deserve as much attention as your butt.”
The hamstrings cross both your knee and hip joints, explains Stokes, and they allow you to bend your knees, draw your hips backwards, be effective with explosive movement, and shift weight from your knees to hips. “That transition zone between the glute and the hamstring, you want to be able to see definition there,” says Stokes. “And to see that, you need to make sure your hamstrings are defined.” Translation: If you don’t have strong hamstrings, it drags your whole backside down (womp, womp).
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Most butt moves do also exercise the hamstrings—“the glute and the hamstrings are partners in crime,” says Stokes—but a little hammie fine-tuning goes a long way. “When you bend or contract your hamstring, it helps you accelerate and develop power; when you straighten the muscle, you’re actually lengthening it,” says Stokes. “You need that kind of symmetry to be stronger and more efficient.” Underdeveloped hamstrings, for example, can lead to lower back pain and tightness.
Next time you’re at the gym, put a hold on the squats and show your hamstrings some love with these targeted exercises. (Just don’t forget to stretch dynamically before your work these muscle to avoid any strains or tears!)
HAMSTRING CURLS WITH A STABILITY BALL
How to: Lie on your back with legs straight, heels and calves resting on top of a stability ball, and arms extended at sides. Lift your butt off floor and squeeze glutes. Drive your heels into the ball, engaging the hamstrings as you pull the ball toward you to perform a hamstring curl. Dig your heels into the ball to lift hips into a bridge press. Return to start. Perform 12 to 15 reps. Repeat for three to four sets.
SPLIT-STANCE DEADLIFTS
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How to: Stand in a split stance with right leg forward, left foot back, left heel lifted, and knees slightly bent. Hold dumbbells with palms facing thighs. Hinging forward from hips, bring your chest almost parallel to the floor. Keep your back straight and core tight while reaching arms toward the top of right foot. Return to start. Perform 12 to 15 reps, then repeat on the other side. Repeat for three to four sets.
HAMSTRING CURLS WITH GLIDERS OR TREADMILL
How to: Lie on your back with knees bent, heels on gliders or a treadmill in manual mode, arms extended at sides. Dig your heels into the gliders or treadmill and pull heels toward butt. Hold at the top, then slowly return to start. Perform 12 to 15 reps. Repeat for three to four sets.
HAMSTRING LEG LIFTS
How to: Start on your hands and knees, with your hands shoulder-width apart and knees hip-width apart. Extend one leg behind you and tuck an exercise ball between your calf and hamstring, bending your knee to 90 degrees. Lift your leg to slightly above hip height, then lower back to hip height. Continue lifting and lowering for 12 to 15 reps, then repeat on the opposite side. Repeat for three to four sets.
