Author: Bonnie Pfiester

If you are ready to say goodbye to your backside (and I don’t mean in a good way), then start running. Seriously. Have you ever seen a runner with a really great perky butt? If you said yes, I can almost guarantee they are doing more than just running, or they are 10 years old.
Listen, I love running. I run several times a week, so don’t get your panties in a wad just yet. Running is a great addition to a healthy fitness routine.
Key word: addition. However, you will be very disappointed if you think running alone will get you your dream physique—unless your dream physique includes having a pancake butt.
A runner’s body is not that fit physique you see in Oxygen magazine. All you have to do is go to a marathon or a local 5K and look around. You will see overweight runners, skinny-fat runners and even a few running skeletons, but there will be very few runners with perky bottoms and a six-pack? Why? Because running doesn’t sculpt and tone muscle like people think.
Unfortunately, this isn’t something people talk about in Shape Magazine. The media shows happy, fit and tone women prancing along the beach in their skimpy running gear because it’s an easy sell. Does Nike choose marathon runners to model their running shoes? No, of course not. A marathon runner wouldn’t sell near the number of running shoes as a young fitness model. Fitness models work hard to sculpt their legs and glutes into the product-selling machines they need to be to bring people flocking to stores.
If you rely solely on running, here is what you are in for.

More Fat

Running is pretty safe, inexpensive and convenient. It’s also very efficient for losing weight, almost to a fault. This is why running is so popular, but running may cause you to lose what you want to keep and keep what you want to lose.
While running can help your weight may go down on the scale, what you may not realize is you could be losing valuable muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns throughout the day. This is good for your metabolism, but not good for a runner. A runner’s body is more concerned about going the distance and running as efficiently as possible.
Your body’s preferred fuel source for running is stored fat. That may sound like a good thing at first, until you realize what that really means. You can go much further on one pound of fat (fat provides 9 calories of energy per gram) versus one pound of muscle (muscle provides only 4 calories of energy per gram). As a result, your body will be more apt to store body fat since it’s your body’s preferred fuel source for that particular activity.
Runners, who work hard to be very fit, are always shocked when they get their body composition done because many times their body fat percentage is off the charts. While their weight may be within normal ranges, their body fat is normally too high and their muscle mass is too low for their body weight. This is what we call “skinny-fat.” A person can be skinny, but flabby—and that’s not what most people are shooting for when they beginning a running program. No! They want to get fit and look fit.

Less Muscle

Since your body is very smart, and will adapt to your exercise plan, your body makes other changes based on your activity. If your activity is primarily running, your body will do whatever it needs to do to be good at running. In addition to storing the best fuel source (fat), this also means your body will get rid of any unnecessary weight that would slow your body down. Since muscle isn’t as efficient as fat (and doesn’t provide as much energy per gram), muscle is the first thing to go. I’ve experienced this firsthand.

Soggy Bottom Girl

I’ve always lifted weights, but I had a season where I started increasing my cardio and decreasing my weight training. I didn’t do it on purpose. It was just a result of choices I made based on a busy time in my life. With less time in the day to train, I started choosing running and cardio over lifting to keep my weight in check. Though the cardio did keep my weight down, my booty started deflating like a tired old balloon. Before I knew it, my bottom looked like it belonged to an 80-year-old.
My thighs got flabby, my bottom got droopy, and my overall muscularity started shrinking. Sadly, the more muscle I lost, the more cellulite I saw too. Without muscle to firm up the body and give my skin the support it needed, my skin began to show wrinkling and sagging.  Even though I weighed less than I had over the previous years, I had lost muscle and gained fat. I was happy with my weight, but I was not happy about my shape at all. Something had to change.
I started to look at my workout schedule and I realized I hadn’t done weighted squats in a while. I had done a ton of air squats, but none with weight. This is also when I realized I was doing way more cardio and less weight training than I used to. I immediately started squatting, lunging and leg pressing my way to a fitter lower body—and I started getting results fast.
In addition to increasing my lower bodyweight training, I pumped up my protein and started adding sprints to my runs too. Sprints are a fantastic leg- and glute-sculpting cardiovascular exercise. Have you seen the women who sprint in the Olympics? OMG. If you haven’t, you have to google it. They don’t just win the gold for speed, they have award-winning bottoms, legs and abs too.
While I still run several times a week to manage my weight and health, I manage my shape with weights. I now make leg day a priority, hitting legs first thing every Monday. If I have to skip a day of weight training, I make sure it’s never a lower body workout that I’m missing.

10 Benefits of Running

1. Improves your cardiovascular system
2. Lowers your blood pressure
3. Convenient and affordable
4. Burns calories to support weight loss
5. Helps release mood-enhancing hormones to fight depression
6. Relieves stress
7. Boosts confidence when you set, and reach, goals
8. Helps smokers improve lung health and air capacity
9. Gives you a way to support various causes
10. Increases longevity because a healthy heart doesn’t work as hard than a heart of an inactive person

My Top 10 Butt Exercises

1. Back Squat The back squat is the mother of all glute exercises and should always be top on your exercise list. Back squats are traditional weighted squats performed inside a squat rack for safety purposes. To get the most bootiliciousness out of a back squat, it’s important to drive with your heels to engage the glutes and drop it like it’s hot (in other words, go deep).
It’s better to go deep than heavy, so try to do a safe challenging weight for 15–20 repetitions for three to four sets.
2. Straight-Leg Deadlifts Straight leg deadlifts, also called stiff-leg deadlifts or Romanian deadlift, are done with dumbbells or a barbell, and work the hamstrings, glutes and low back. The most common mistake I see with this exercise is people bend at the knee too much or they round their back. Keep your back straight through the entire movement.
Complete 15–20 repetitions for three to four sets.
3. 1-Leg Leg Press Single-leg leg presses will give you a killer glute workout that also works the quads along with the inner and outer thigh. This is definitely a must for any woman wanting nice shapely legs and glutes. Again, drive through your heels, keeping the pressure on your bottom. You will notice this gives your inner thigh a good workout too.
Try going as heavy as you can safely for 15–20 repetitions and three to four sets on each leg.
4. Walking Lunges This is my most loved and hated exercises. I’m not real fond of doing them, but I sure love the results. There is no other exercise, in my opinion, that works the butt like heavy walking lunges. I do weight walking lunges with 25 lb. dumbbells to really fire up the glutes.
Take 30 steps (15 per leg) using 15- to 20-pound dumbbells for three to four sets.
5. Curtsy Curtsies are similar to a One-Leg Romanian deadlift. This is a great glute exercise for someone who has knee problems because it is one of the few butt exercises that does not require you to bend much at the knee. You can do this exercise with or without weight.
I normally do 20–25 repetitions on each leg for three to four sets.
6. Stomps Stomp the ground with this bodyweight exercise my husband invented. You will find it really burns the butt and legs up. While you may feel it in your quads first, it’s only because your glutes can take more of a beating than you thighs (yes, your thighs will feel like they are on FIRE, but you’ll survive). The key to this exercise is keeping your weight on your heels and your heels on the ground.
Doing 10–15 repetitions for three sets is enough to wear you out.
7. Cook Hip Lift Cook hip lift is a great butt exercise for people who have low back limitations. Holding the one leg tightly to your chest takes the back extension out of the exercise, shifting all the pressure off your low back and on to your glutes.
Complete 15–20 repetitions on each leg for three sets with little to no rest.
8. Repeater Knee If you have ever done an aerobics class, you’ve probably done a knee repeater. It has been a staple in almost every step aerobics class ever taught.  While you may think the exercise is all about moving your knee back and forth, it’s actually the weight-bearing leg that’s doing all the real work. Don’t believe me, do 30–50 repetitions without taking your weight off that weight-bearing leg. If you don’t feel it in your bottom, then someone put some novocaine in your bottom!
This exercise is all about repetition, so do 20–25 repetitions on each leg for three sets with no rest.
9. Step Ups This is an exercise that can go from average to awesome in a jiffy when it’s done correctly. What will make this exercise over the top is working only one leg at a time and keeping the working leg on the bench the whole time. Hold a set of dumbbells and step up on the bench, driving your body up on the bench with your weight on your one heel. Do not return both feet to the ground between reps, and do not alternate legs. If you do, you will not get all the goody out of the booty.
Do 15–20 step ups on one leg, then repeat on the other leg. Take a quick rest after both legs are done and repeat for three to four sets.
10. Cable Hip Extension You don’t have to have a cable machine to do this exercise. You can even use an exercise resistance band to mimic the same action. Keep your body upright during this exercise, extending at the hip and maintaining a straight leg without bending over.
Complete 15–20 repetitions, keeping tension on the glutes throughout the entire set. Do both legs for three sets.

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t want a smaller waist and a flatter stomach. Everyone wants nice abs. It’s funny. Even people who already have great abs still want even better ones. I guess that is why there are so many ab machines and gimmicks on the market.
I can honestly understand ab machines like the Ab Coaster and the Ab Roller. Those machines actually require a certain amount of work, but can you really get a six-pack by putting a special electronic belt around your waist?
You’ve probably seen the infomercials for ab belts claiming to strengthen, tone, and tighten your abs—no exercises required. When I Googled “ab belts,” I couldn’t believe the long list of companies in the business. Just to name a few, there’s the Slendertone, Shred Belt, Abtronic, and the Flex Belt.

How It Works

The ab belt uses electrical muscle stimulation, or EMS, to pass an electrical current through the body, causing your ab muscles to contract. Small electrodes inside the belt come in contact with your bare skin, sending the electrical pulses through your skin to do the work for you. You don’t have to do one crunch or sit up. You just simply slap that belt around your waist and turn up the electrical current until you get the desired level of contraction.
When I first heard of ab belts, they reminded me of the TENS unit (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation device) in physical therapy. But while the ab belt may seem very similar to a TENS unit I’ve used to treat back pain, they have different uses.
EMS stimulates muscles to contract, while TENS stimulates nerves. TENS units are typically used to treat chronic and acute pain. EMS is mainly used for muscle retraining and to help prevent muscle atrophy in bedridden patients.
How does it feel? Well, I personally think it feels pretty weird. If anyone says it’s relaxing, they either don’t have it up high enough, or they’re lying. Okay, maybe they really aren’t lying and they just like the weird prickly sensation of the electrical current going through their skin. It’s not painful, but I can’t say it’s completely comfortable, either—but neither is doing crunches!
How often do you use it? Different brands have different directions, but most recommend wearing the belt for 10 minutes to an hour every day. I’m guessing, like with any exercise, more is better. Just like doing 100 crunches is more effective than doing 10 crunches, using the ab belt for an hour is better than 10 minutes.

Pros and Cons

I did find a study that showed positive results for strengthening muscles with the Slendertone, but the study showed no improvement when it came to actual body composition (body fat, muscle mass, and weight changes), which is what people expect.
The biggest con has to do with body fat. Excess body fat may actually prevent the electrical current from getting to the muscle and working properly. Slendertone’s studies were all tested on people with a body mass index under 30, which means they didn’t use it on any obese people in their study.
Many of the ab belts claim to burn calories and help you lose body fat, but this claim is just untrue. So, even if the electrical current reaches your muscles through excess body fat and tones your muscle, you will still need to diet and do some cardio if you want to actually see your stronger ab muscles.
Lastly, as far as cons go, the Food and Drug Administration has received reports of burns, bruising, and skin irritation from using the ab belts. In addition to some minor injuries, the ab belts can be very harmful to some people. Even quality ab belts can interfere with pacemakers and defibrillators, so most companies will warn people with internal electronic devices not use the ab belt.
Ironically, it seems the ab belt could be more beneficial for leaner fitter, people. While it may not decrease body fat or increase muscle size, studies did show an increase in muscle strength and tone. This strength increase would improve resting tone, which means your stomach muscles would do a better job of holding your stomach in nice and flat.

Fit or Flop?

While it could be beneficial for a small population, I personally believe you can get much better results with traditional exercise and diet. Everyone has abs, just like everyone has thigh muscles. You just might not see them under your body fat, and they might need a little firming up. Instead of buying an ab belt, you’d get a lot more for your money if you bought a gym membership.
Diet and cardio is the most effective plan of attack against belly fat. Add strength training to tone muscles and reshape the body. Put all three together (diet, cardio and strength training) and you can starts to approach the abs you see on the ab belt advertisements. Because chances are, the models didn’t get that body using the ab belt anyway!

Gym shopping can be more frightening than the scariest Halloween movie.

The fear of the unknown can terrify the living daylights out of some people. Whether they are afraid of high-pressure sales tactics or worried they won’t know what to do (and thus look foolish), this fear often deters people from ever venturing out and exploring their gym options.

Gym shopping isn’t nearly as intimidating if you know what to expect. As a gym owner, I’d like to share a few gym-shopping basics so you can walk into any gym with confidence.

1. Gyms are created for people just like you.

With over 20 years experience working in a gym, I’ve met every type of gym member there is. I have to say, the average gym member is not your gym-rat bodybuilder guy walking around with bulging muscles and a gallon of water in hand. No, on the contrary, that guy is the minority.

Nevertheless, it seems everyone is under the impression gyms are packed with a bunch of hotties with perfect bodies and sculpted muscles who know exactly what they are doing in the gym. This mindset discourages many people from ever stepping foot in a gym.

So many people are afraid of being the only one who’s out of shape and completely lost a gym full of fit people. If they only knew the majority of gym members are regular imperfect people working to improve their fitness and figure. They aren’t professional athletes or competitive bodybuilders.

While most gyms can accommodate the stereotypical bodybuilder guy, gyms are designed to meet the needs of the average person. The average gym member is the person who simply wants to lose weight, tone up, and get healthy.

Many members still have a lot of weight to lose. They may be trying to lose their post-pregnancy weight. They could be rehabilitating an injury or just trying to stay out of the doctor’s office by improving their cardiovascular health.

Whatever the case, when they aren’t sweating in the gym, they are likely dressed in business suits or a work uniform. They are someone’s mom, grandfather, neighbor, banker, schoolteacher and co-worker.

Does that sound familiar? Does that give you a little relief? It should. This means gyms build classes and services specifically for you; people who need guidance and encouragement.

It is rare we get a new member who knows exactly what to do. That is why certified personal trainers and group exercise instructors are so valuable. Most people need direction, and that is exactly why I’m in the gym business. I love helping people.

When you walk into a gym for the first time, remember the gym is there to help you. That is their sole purpose. They want to help you succeed.

2. Try before you buy.

I hate pressure sales. I refuse to push a gym membership on people. While fitness is definitely a great investment, I believe everyone should have the opportunity to try before they buy. That’s why we offer a free week trial at our gym.

Even though most gyms will have everything you need, every gym is slightly unique in personality and services. A free pass can help you find the gym with the environment and services that best suit you.

If you are not sure you want to join right away, simply ask for a chance to try before you buy.

If the gym doesn’t offer a pass, and you are unsure about joining, purchase a short-term membership before you commit to a long-term contract. This will not only give you an opportunity to put the gym to the test, but it will also give you peace of mind if you choose to join.

While you are in the trial process, make the most of your temporary membership. Try as many group exercise classes as you can. Hire a trainer for at least one session so you learn how to use the equipment correctly and get comfortable on the machines.

Use your trial to meet the members and staff. The more people you know, the more comfortable you will become. Engage with your new friends to learn more about the gym, member perks, club activities and local fitness events.

Also, connect with the gym online. Follow them on social media and explore their websites and blogs. Stalk their regular members on facebook and get to know their online community. You would be amazed of how many gym members become friends online before they ever workout together. Friendships and accountability can give you the edge you need to succeed.

Finally, if you are enjoying your trial membership, ask the staff if there are any benefits to joining before the trial expires. Oftentimes, gyms will offer a discounted enrollment fee or a special if you join during your trial.

When in doubt, it never hurts to ask. Ask for free stuff, ask for specials and ask for help. You never know, until you ask.

3. Save on your first day.

Some gyms offer fantastic incentives for joining the gym on your very first visit.

Gym owners realize how important it is to get you started when you are most motivated to make a healthy change. If you know you want to join the gym, you might save more money if you don’t procrastinate.

Unfortunately, many members never know all their options because they simply do not communicate their needs. Gym shoppers often just collect membership information and go home to think it over privately. However, you have a much greater chance of getting the exactly what you need if you tell the gym’s staff exactly what you are looking for, including when you want to join and how much you want to pay.

You can also ask the gym’s representative if they have any coupons or have any specials.

There are several ways you may be able to save money when joining a gym. Savings can include discounts on the enrollment fee, lower monthly dues, a free t-shirt, free (or discounted) personal training or even a complimentary month.

Most gyms also offer corporate discounts for local businesses and professions (like emergency services, the school district or hospital employees). Check with your business to see if they are affiliated with any local gyms before you start gym shopping or ask the gym about corporate discounts and affiliations.

Lastly, many gyms offer discounts if you pay in full or buy packages. Sometimes it is more cost effective to put a one-year membership on a credit card than it is to finance the membership through the gym. Again, weigh your all your options and let their staff guide you. That is what they are there for.

Don’t be afraid to ask if there are any specials for joining on your first visit. The worst thing they can say is “no.”

4. Expect an enrollment fee.

Nearly all fitness centers have some kind of enrollment fee due upon joining.

The enrollment fee, also commonly called a “joiner fee”, typically covers the initial investment the gym makes to put you into their computer system and get you comfortable in the gym. The joiner fee may cover a free session with a trainer, fitness assessment, body composition or membership key card. Some gyms may use the initial cost to cover the expense of their welcome gift if they offer a gym bag, towel or any marketing tools when you join.

Some health clubs only require a joiner fee, while others may require a joiner fee plus your first month’s dues. If you are not required to pay for your first month up front, the joiner fee will help cover your membership until your monthly dues start to kick in.

Another benefit the enrollment fee offers is it protects members from undesirable riffraff. If a gym requires a healthy enrollment fee, you can feel confident you are working out in a safe environment with people who are taking fitness seriously and respecting the facility’s equipment.

Moderate to high membership fees can also help the gym provide better member services. Every gym has the option to have higher membership fees with fewer members or lower membership fees with more members.

While low membership fees may seem attractive at first glance to the consumer, it might be more difficult to get good personal service due to over-crowdedness. The more members a gym has, the harder it is to service them with a lower budget. High traffic also means more wear and tear on equipment. So, it may be worth a few extra bucks to join a place that will remember your name and fix equipment promptly.

While lower fees may attract the masses, higher membership fees may also give consumers more exclusivity, privacy or convenience. This may mean less wait times for your favorite machine or getting your favorite spot in a group exercise class.

Most gyms do run enrollment specials at times to reduce the initial payment, but you should expect to pay somewhere between $75 to $150 upon joining. Corporate gyms are normally less flexible, while “mom and pop” gyms or more likely to work with you, like allowing you to break up your initial payment or even allow you to post-date a check.

All in all, every single gym is different. But, nine times out of ten, they all will require some type of initiation fee on the day you join.

5. Know your options.

So many gyms offer a wide variety of membership options.

Some gyms offer short-term memberships as well as long-term memberships. The longer you join for, typically, the lower your membership cost will be.

For instance, our gym’s one-year membership is $45 a month, but our 2 year membership is only $35 a month. On the other hand, short-term memberships and month-to-month memberships are normally the most expensive memberships. However, sometimes gyms offer special short-term “trial” packages only good for new members who have never tried the gym before.

Other membership options may vary due to different membership levels, especially if they offer a wide variety of services. A basic membership may not include extra perks like towel service or access to the racquetball courts, but it may be more affordable. A fitness center may offer a discounted membership for the slow times while other places may charge more for classes or services in high demand.

For instance, you may be able to add someone on to your account for a discounted rate. Spouses, teenagers, veterans, and seniors often get a special discount. Most places give group rates or corporate discounts to businesses interested in setting up wellness benefits.

Do you have a family? Be sure to ask about family discounts or packages. Before you decide to join a gym, it would be a great idea to see if a gym membership is something your entire family would enjoy. You never know! It might become a family affair.

Once again, each health club structures memberships differently. That’s why it’s always best to ask for all your options.

6. Joining a gym is a commitment.

Joining a gym often requires a membership agreement, also referred to as a contract.

If you were to join without a contract, your membership dues would likely be much higher. However, most gyms will discount your membership when you commit to being a member for one or two years. This plan is to your benefit, unless you decide to break your agreement.

Every gym knows people will not use the gym regularly every single day of the year. Life happens. By lowering the cost and getting people to do a longer-term affordable membership, they can reduce the overall cost for everyone. More long term members means more money coming in to maintain your gym and give you the service you desire.

Long-term memberships also offer members more security.

Not only is the gym asking you to commit to them, long-term memberships ensures your gym will commit to you. There is less chance of a gym surprising you and suddenly closing their doors, only to keep your hard-earned money.

In addition, most states require gyms to be bonded so you are protected in the event they do close. However, if you are paying monthly dues, you are less likely to lose much money in the event of an unexpected closure.

Another perk to lengthy contracts is that contracts secure your spot in your favorite gym, as well as your payment. The longer commitment you make, the longer you lock in your payment and can avoid (or prolong) any membership increases.

Most gyms require a cancelation fee if you decide to cancel the contract. Cancelation fees may range from $50 to $150, depending on the gym and state laws. However, some health clubs (like ours) may offer the opportunity to cancel free of charge if you move out of the area or if you have a medical emergency that prevents you from being able to work out. It’s always good to know your gym’s cancelation policy, but sometimes committing to a long-term membership is exactly what you need to hold you accountable.

Every month, your monthly dues give you a monthly reminder to get back in the gym and make good use out of your membership.

7. Bring your bankcard.

As with most businesses, membership dues are normally run through an automated system.

Your dues will be automatically drafted monthly from your bank account, so you will need to bring a debit card, credit card, or voided check when you join. Some gyms accept cash or check, but there could be a processing fee associated with traditional old-school billing and cash payments.

If the gym accepts a voided check for banking information, a check can give you the least amount of hassle in the event you get a new debit card down the road. While all bankcards expire and can change often, your checking account number normally remains the same. This makes using a check number instead of a bankcard number a more reliable method of payment.

Automated billing is also more convenient and cost effective. With less office staff required to handle billing, the gym can normally keep membership costs down. Not only does the gym save money, you will never risk late fees and getting those annoying late notices or phone calls. However, if the gym has to manually handle billing, it could result in more inconvenience and money out of your pocket.

Are you worried about credit card fraud? Don’t be! Since so many companies have moved to automated payment methods, there are many great software companies that assist businesses by providing safe and efficient billing systems.

For instance, our gym’s computer software has many built-in security features that protect the member’s privacy. Some of our software’s safety features include limiting employee access to member files and credit card information, payment caps for automatic billing to prevent large charges, and a feature that deletes credit card information when the contracts expire.

Another example of security is how the credit card is used by the member once it’s in the system. Even though our members provide credit card information for automatic billing, there are limits to how that card can be used outside of their gym membership monthly dues. For instance, our staff at our gym cannot accept a charge for over $40. This ensures there are no big surprises come billing time.

Since we sell protein shakes, members often will put a shake to their account. However, our staff can’t access that card or charge anything to the card without the member’s written approval. And, even then, the employee can’t access the card or see payment information.

Just like charging something to your hotel room, our staff can only put an item on the member’s account with the member’s signature. The final step to finalizing payment is the billing manager must approve the final charge. All charges are tracked and documented in the event a member needs to verify charges.

Billing companies want their customers to feel safe so they can keep their customers. It is to the gym’s best interest to have your best interest in mind. Now that everything is automated, there are more and more safety measures being taken every single day.

While mistakes still do happen occasionally, manual billing is a thing of the past. If you don’t want to pay monthly, your only other option may be to pay for your membership in full.

8. Ask about freeze privileges.

Freeze privileges are not offered at all gyms, but they are a great option if they are available.

The biggest concern for prospective members is the fear they will waste the membership. So many people pay for a gym membership they are not using. What if you had a second chance to use the membership? What if you didn’t have to risk throwing away your money if you aren’t able to use the gym? This is why freeze privileges are a wonderful member benefit. It can set people at ease and give people more flexibility.

As a gym owner, I know life can be unpredictable and things don’t always go as planned. This is why we let our members put their membership on hold if they are unable to use the gym. The member still pays for their membership during the freeze time, but they get that time added back to the end of their membership for a second chance to use their time.

It’s like an insurance policy for gym members. They may not use it, but it’s great to know it is available in the event they become sick, tired, busy or just plain lazy.

This comes in very handy for people who travel a lot or are seasonal residents. For example, many retired northerners come down south to Florida every year to enjoy the warm weather during the cold winter months. Floridians call these people snowbirds. Since we have quite a bit of these seasonal members where we live, freeze privileges are a really nice incentive.

9. Use your gym membership to the fullest.

One thing I hate to see is a gym member not using (or at least trying) all of their facility’s services.

One of the most valuable services gyms offer is group exercise. Sadly, the fear of the unknown can keep people from even trying classes. However, exercise classes offer a ton of instruction for no additional cost. It’s like having a free personal trainer for an hour. Sure, you have to share your trainer with 20 other people, but it’s free.

Group exercise is valuable for many reasons. One reason it is so valuable is because it’s educational. A body toning class can greatly expand your exercise library and teach you proper form.

Does your backside needs a boost?
We all know that squats can work some serious magic to lift and tone the bottom. But there’s something extra special about doing single-leg exercises that gives your butt that perky look everyone wants. The secret is working on one leg at a time to engage a small stabilizing muscle called the gluteus medius.
The gluteus medius is a tiny muscle located at the top outer portion of the hip area. Unfortunately, this muscle gets left out of a lot of workouts because most people work both legs at the same time.

You can locate it pretty easily by doing what I call the perky butt test. This is also the test I do to help my clients locate the muscle and show them how it engages when they shift their weight off both legs and on to just one leg.
Start by standing on both feet. Put your hands on your hips. Using your pointer fingers, locate the front of your hipbones. This should position your thumbs over the top outer portion of your backside.
Now, shift your weight from side to side, using your thumbs to locate the muscle that’s contracting and relaxing as you shift your weight back and forth. You should feel the muscle tightening on the same side as your weight-bearing leg. Ta da! That’s your gluteus medius.
This little muscle can help to completely change the shape of your derriere. Without a nicely developed upper-glute area, your bottom can look more like a pear. This is especially true if it’s coupled with excess body fat.
However, you can build this muscle to give your bottom a more rounded appearance by adding just a few single-leg exercises. Here are three of my favorite one-leg exercises, along with a glute circuit you can do with or without weight. As you can see below, you can even use gallons of water (which weighs 8.33lbs) as added resistance.

#1: Static Lunge

#2 Curtsy

#3 Repeater Knee

Butt-Booster Circuit:

20 Static Lunges (Left Leg)
20 Curtsies (Left Leg)
20 Repeater Knee (Left Leg)
20 Static Lunges (Right Leg)
20 Curtsies (Right Leg)
20 Repeater Knee (Right Leg)
-30 seconds rest-
Repeat for a total of 3 sets.

Trainer Tips

•  Keep most of your weight on the working leg. If you rest on the back leg at all (even for a few seconds), it can totally change the feel of the workout. Try really hard to limit pressure on the back leg so you get the most out of this workout. Ideally, you should have approximately 80 percent of your weight on the working leg, and 20 percent on the non-weight-bearing leg.
• Maintain good posture, keeping your back flat while doing each move. If your back starts to round, that means you’re taking pressure off the area we’re trying to target. You should almost feel like you’re sticking your bottom out and arching your back.
• Maintain a wide stance and stay low to the ground during your lunges and repeater knees, as demonstrated in the photos. This helps to isolate the muscle groups we’re targeting. Unlike lunges and repeater knees, the back foot should stay tucked in close to the front weight-bearing leg, with very little weight on it. Only kick the leg out to the side, with just enough pressure on the toe to maintain your balance.
•  Try not to rest between exercises until you’re done with the leg you’re working. This will take your workout up several notches and ensure you really work at the intensity you need to get results. You can take a quick rest when you switch legs.
•  You’ll likely feel a slight burn in your quadriceps (thigh muscles) at first, but it won’t take long before you will start to really feel it where it counts…your bottom!
•  If you can’t get through all 60 reps (on each leg) without taking a break, either go down in weight or repetitions. Increase your repetitions and weight as you get stronger.
•  Repeat this workout 2-3 times a week for optimal results.

As a National Physique Committee (NPC) bikini competitor, I realize few people understand the sport of being a physique athlete. To most people, a bikini or figure competition probably looks like a muscular version of a beauty pageant. 

But it’s so much more.

My husband, Steve, has competed for over 20 years in amateur bodybuilding, to help keep his weight in check. He typically competed once or twice a year, and often teased he’d be big as a house if he didn’t compete at all.

For years, he has asked me to compete with him, and I shut him down every single time. I had no desire to get on stage and subject myself to being judged. I already knew all my flaws, and didn’t want to show them to the world. Why would I want someone else to pick my body apart for me? I do a good enough job on my own.

However, Steve kept telling me competing would take my training, diet, and physique to another level. I finally gave in and reluctantly decided to give it a try. I was scared to death. I loathed the idea of getting on stage, half naked. I’d rather sing the national anthem for a thousand people or teach a diet seminar. The idea of standing in front of a crowd in a bikini doing basically nothing but posing and smiling terrified me.

So I decided to push the stage out of my mind and focus on the training instead. And I quickly realized the competition was pushing me to diet and train harder than I had ever dieted or trained before. While I have leaned out for modeling jobs in the past, I never had the extreme drive and motivation that the stage began producing in me. I hated to admit it, but it was obvious that competing was exactly what I needed.

Train to Compete vs. Compete to Train

You may be under the impression people compete because they think they can win a trophy for having such a great body. I’m sure there are a few of those people out there, but I believe it’s the opposite for most of us. Most people I know compete because they’re trying to conquer their body.

Competing is more about overcoming your weaknesses rather than showing off your strengths. Most people struggle with their diet, battle overeating, and are prone to inconsistency or intensity in their training. I don’t diet and train to compete, I compete to diet and train.

In other words, people (like me) use competitions like runners use races. The competition is the goal, and the stage is the finish line. I use the competition to help me take my training and diet to a new level. I do it to force myself to be more disciplined.

It’s not about winning for me. I don’t compete to win. I train to win. There’s a difference. I train to be my personal best and I give it my all, but my biggest prize is my own personal success—not a trophy.

If I get a trophy, great. But the reason I compete is to simply have something to train for. I’m naturally lazy and love to eat, so I need to force myself to be more disciplined. I realized competing is what I need to say no to overeating or skipping workouts.

While I do understand competing in a physique competition isn’t for everyone, I do believe it’s important to set clear goals that push yourself to succeed. Whether it’s a mud run, 5K, CrossFit Game, bodybuilding competition, or even an office weight-loss challenge, participating in a specific event or program boosts your chance of success.

Here are 5 benefits of participating in a fitness competition and event.

Something To Train For

Workouts can get stale without clearly defined goals. Having something to train for gives you purpose— a real reason to diet and work out hard. When you’re training with purpose, your workouts become more structured and precise. You’re not just going to the gym and going through the motions. You no longer do what you feel like doing, but you start doing what you know you need to do to perform.

It Gives You a Deadline

Many people set goals, but never have a deadline to reach them. Participating in an event forces you to stay on schedule and to reach your goal by a set time. Since I’m a big procrastinator, I found that this is probably the biggest reason I love to compete. I don’t really care about the competition as much as I just need that date in my head to force myself to stay on track.

It Holds You Accountable

Anytime you join a public event, you’re putting yourself out there for all to see. Since most people don’t want to fail publicly, competing can offer that added push you need to succeed. I know the first time I competed I didn’t want to shame my team or myself. That fear pushed me to surpass my goals and do better than I ever dreamed.

You Can Measure Your Progress

Whether you’re running in a race or competing on stage, each sport has a way of measuring your progress. I track my progress by tracking my body fat and muscle mass. Runners track their pace and time to measure improvement. Either way, competing is a great tool to track and continually improve your personal best.

It’s Rewarding

If you reach your goals and do your personal best, it doesn’t matter if you bring home a trophy or not. You still walk away better than you were before you started. This makes competing a total win-win. I still finish feeling like a winner because I reached my goal.

Like I said, I personally don’t compete to win. There are so many amazingly fit people out there who have trained just as hard (or even harder) as me. It would be ridiculous to think I deserve a trophy any more than anyone else. People who only have their eyes on winning can get let down too easily. The winner depends on who shows up. Part of that is just luck.

Nevertheless, training to win will result in so much more gratification. It doesn’t matter who your competition will be, it’s just you against you. If you train to win, you’ll most certainly beat your old self.

When I prepare to compete, I’m focused on my own goals, my own progress, and my own journey. No matter how well I do compared to others, it doesn’t matter, as long as I continue to improve and reach my own personal goals.

If you’re stuck in a rut, can’t seem to get focused, or just need more motivation, maybe it’s time you take the plunge and try a new way to set goals. Maybe it’s time to compete for success.

One of the biggest complaints I hear from people who have lost a bunch of weight is their struggle with loose skin. This can be very discouraging when you’ve worked so hard to improve your appearance. After all, you may feel like you’ve just exchanged one unattractive problem for another.

I have good news. There’s not only a good explanation for loose skin, but there may be a solution. But, before I tell you how you can improve the problem, let me talk about why this problem exists to begin with.

The Deflation Process

When we’re overweight, our skin is jam-packed with fat cells. These oversized cells fill the skin out, making it seem “firm,” when really it’s just tight from the abundance of fat underneath the skin. This tightness can give the skin a tighter, smoother texture.

As we lose weight, our fat cells begin to shrink and the previously stretched-out skin loses that support, leaving us with sagging wrinkly skin.

Think about a balloon. When you fill up a balloon, the elastic skin stretches out nice and smooth. But as the balloon deflates, it starts getting dimples in the elastic skin. The same thing happens to our skin.

Ironically, people may actually feel flabbier as they are losing fat. They may notice their skin has more folds in the tummy area or more noticeable cellulite on their thighs. In reality, the skin has simply lost the support of all those big fat cells that once stretched the skin out nice and tight.

At first, this may seem hopeless, but our body is a marvelous creation with the incredible ability to adapt as it changes.

Here are 5 ways to fight the flab.

Limit Long Steady Runs

People often turn to running as a way to lose weight. While it does help burn calories, it can have some adverse effects. One of those side effects is muscle loss.

You see, our body doesn’t need a lot of muscle to run. A matter of fact, because running burns fat our body will want to store fat so it has the fuel, our body needs to perform well. Remember, our body doesn’t care what it looks like. It just wants to survive. If you are running from a dinosaur, it will do what it needs to do so you aren’t eaten.

On the contrary, excess muscle hinders a long-distance runner’s performance. Even at a resting state, muscle requires more energy to exist and weighs more than fat, giving your body two good reasons to ditch it.

However, this is not the case with sprinters. Sprinters have awesome muscular legs because sprinting requires powerful muscles. So if you like to run, it’s better to do sprint interval training rather than maintaining a slow and steady pace if you want to improve muscle tone in the legs and butt.

Boost Protein

Dieters often lose muscle during weight loss. While weight loss is determined on calories in vs. calories out, our body’s shape is determined by where we get those calories. If you’re on a diet that’s low in protein, your body may use your own protein stores (your muscle) to meet those requirements. But if you boost your protein intake while incorporating exercise, you can preserve muscle mass (and even gain muscle) while losing weight.

Lift Weights

Muscle can fill out the skin just like fat fills out the skin. If you’re decreasing your fat mass, you should lift weights to increase your muscle mass. One of the great thing about muscle is that it’s much more shapely and firm than fat could ever be.

Lose Weight Slowly

You don’t want to lose weight so slowly that you get discouraged, but going on an extreme rapid weight-loss program is more apt to leave you with loose skin. Since your skin is an organ, it can shrink as your body realizes there’s no need for the excess skin mass. If you lose 1-2 pounds a week, your skin can adjust slowly, along with your weight loss, with less-noticeable side effects.

Maintain Your New Weight

One of the biggest reasons people deal with loose skin is because their weight is constantly yo-yoing. Your body has no idea if you’re going to need that extra skin or not. The longer you stay small, the tighter your skin will get.

Of course, if you’ve lost 100 pounds, you can’t necessarily fix excess skin accumulated over years of being overweight, but the situation can definitely improve over time. The process requires patience, along with purposeful training and eating.

Meanwhile, while you wait on your body to change, focus on the positive changes your body has made. No matter how much loose skin you’re fighting, you are healthier, stronger, and thinner!

Muscle definition happens in the gym, right? Pumping iron and showing off bulging muscles?
Well, weight training is essential, of course. But it’s only part of the process. What you don’t see is what people do when they leave the gym. Diet, for example, is even more important in attaining the muscle tone you’re after. And it’s just one of the factors to consider.
Here are 5 surprising muscle-defining tips to take your body to the next level.

Lose the fat.

Many people have a lot more muscle than they think—it might just be hidden under a nice cushy layer of fat. In fact, heavier people typically have more muscle mass, especially if they’re relatively active. The weight makes them stronger simply because every movement is a form of resistance training.
With more muscle mass comes more calories burned, even at rest. So a person who carries more weight is typically burning more calories and working harder, even at a slower pace, than a lighter fit person. The key to uncovering all that muscle is fat loss. As the fat melts away, you’ll start to see what’s been hiding.

Work harder in the kitchen.

Diet is the key component to achieving muscle definition. Think of it this way. Working out without watching what you eat is like washing your car and driving it through the mud; it could take 30 seconds to ruin what you spent an hour cleaning up. In the same way, you can erase an hour of hard work in the gym with just a few bites of the wrong foods.
To shed the fat that’s covering your fit physique, you will need to be in a caloric deficit. So track your calories with apps like LoseIt!, which will help you set a caloric budget. Once you begin to shed the extra baggage, you’ll start to see all that muscle you’ve been working so hard to sculpt.

Increase cardio.

Bodybuilders tend to avoid cardio because they’re scared of losing muscle. But the more body fat you lose, the more muscular you’ll look. And one way to help you lean out is by increasing your cardio. You can also boost fat burn by changing up your weight training. Try more circuit training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT training).

Decrease your carbs.

Most people eat way too many carbohydrates and not enough healthy fats and proteins. You can preserve muscle during weight loss by boosting your protein intake and decreasing unhealthy carbs like processed foods, cereals, bread, chips, cookies, and sugary foods.
Also, limit carbs to only when you need them, so your body will be less likely to store them. They’re great fuel for activity, but you don’t need them to sleep. A great time to have healthy carbohydrates (like oatmeal, sweet potatoes, brown rice, or whole grain pasta) is in the morning or before a workout.

Stick with it longer.

Many people are doing all the right things—for a short amount of time. The key to getting lean is sticking to your diet and exercise routine until you get the results you want. Most of my clients will do it right for a period of time, but then stop short of their goal. I don’t stop until I’ve reached my goal. That’s really the only difference. Same diet, same workout, different stopping place.

Whether you need to lose weight or are training for a marathon, an injury can really set you back—if you let it (key word: let). You may be letting your injury negatively affect you more than you realize.
As a gym owner, trainer, and National Physique Committee (NPC) competitor who is currently recovering from multiple injuries over the last year, I’ve experienced the frustration firsthand.
Let me encourage you. You can still move toward your goals even if you are injured. My husband, for example, tore his medial collateral ligament and medial meniscus just four weeks before a bodybuilding competition. He still limped on stage, taking home the first place trophy in Men’s Bodybuilding Over 40.
Many people would have used that kind of injury as a legitimate excuse to bow out. Instead he was so determined to follow through (and possibly a bit stubborn) that he wasn’t about to give up. As you might imagine, he couldn’t do a lot of the leg exercises, but with a few adjustments he was able to train around his injury safely and diet his way to success.
That was the first real setback he had experienced, but it wouldn’t be the last. Two years later he was accidentally shot through both legs. Crazy, right? Again, it didn’t stop him from training. Rehab took time, and it was painful, but within a couple of weeks he was leading his online workouts with modifications and teaching kickboxing the best he could, training through the pain. He even competed with me just a few months later.
Although he is very dedicated, he’s not just a stubborn musclehead who was being irresponsible. He was able to work through his injuries safely, using everything he learned in physical therapy school to help him rehabilitate his own body.
I admit that it was easy for me to take his dedication for granted until I had my own set of injuries. Welcome to the forties, right? It wasn’t until I was injured and had to face my own limitations that I truly understood the slow and painful process.
Over the last year, I have worked hard to recover from an ankle sprain, pulled hamstring, and injured back. Although I am still not completely healed, I’ve decided to compete again this summer. I know I can’t train at my full capacity, but I decided that shouldn’t stop me from still trying to do my best. This whole experience took a toll on my pride and has put my patience to the test.
If you are struggling with an injury—or just battling a nagging ache or pain that doesn’t seem to let up—here are a few tips to keep you moving toward your goal too.
1. See your doctor. If you think you may be injured, it never hurts to see a doctor and get expert advice. If your injury is muscular, I suggest requesting physical therapy. There is no one who truly understands muscle repair and recovery like a physical therapist. The same goes for skeletal tissues. It’s always good to establish a relationship with a reputable chiropractor as well.
2. Put your pride aside. Sometimes an injury can take more of a toll on your mind than even your body. I am an all-or-nothing kind of girl; it kills me to do a squat when everyone around me is burpeeing their hearts out.
As a trainer, one of the biggest challenges I have with clients is their struggle to modify exercises. Some people are embarrassed or ashamed if they aren’t doing what everyone else is. It is so hard for previously strong and capable people to take their workout down a few notches. Frustration can actually cause someone to stop working out altogether. But think about it: What’s worse, doing your best or not doing anything at all?
I once saw a fitness meme that said, “Giving up on your goal because of one setback is like slashing your other three tires because you got a flat.” That sums it up for me. If you really want to stay on track despite an injury, you have to keep rolling with what you’ve got.
3. Differentiate between pain and injury. Some people have pain without an actual injury. In the world of fitness, there will be a lot of painful moments, from muscle soreness to the normal effects of aging. Pain just comes with the territory. But there are many different levels of pain.
Before you do anything, you have to determine your pain threshold. Some people consider muscle soreness to be quite painful, while others may not seem to be affected as much with a real injury. Understanding your body and your own pain threshold is crucial to effective recovery.
The next step is to assess any changes during or after exercise. If your pain is still there and doesn’t get any worse during or after an exercise, it is very likely you can still work through it without causing more damage. Although your range of motion and physical ability may be limited, you can continue training carefully.
If the pain is acute from a blow, pull, spasm, or movement you just did during an exercise, you may need to rest at least a day because pain, adrenaline, and activity can mask your diagnosis.
4. Treat your injury. So many people just rely on time to heal injuries. Time may mend a broken heart, but ice and anti-inflammatories help heal most injuries. If you’re not sure if you truly injured yourself, it never hurts to decrease or prevent inflammation.
People tend to avoid icing because it’s not especially comfortable, but it’s incredibly therapeutic. It speeds up recovery and increases blood flow by decreasing swelling.
5. Work around your injury. Just because you are injured doesn’t mean you can’t work out at all. We had a member who was in a horrible car accident, crushing many bones in her foot and ankle. As soon as she got out of the hospital, she came back to the gym and started working on her upper body and abs and even did yoga. It took several months for her to start walking, but her hard work paid off.
6. Focus on your diet. Even if you can’t be hardcore in the gym, you can still be hardcore in the kitchen. Weight loss is 80 percent diet. Unfortunately, I often see people throw their diet away right along with their workouts. This brings us right back to the slashing the other three tires because of one flat.
If you have to take your exercise down a few notches, take your diet up a few notches. You’ll be amazed with how much weight loss progress you can still make with just diet alone.
7. Keep testing the waters. Even if you truly do need a rest, going back to exercise can be scary. One of the biggest problems with recovering from an injury is the fear that follows. People often let their fear keep them from getting back in the game.
You want to be careful not to overdo it when you get back, but you also don’t want to be so careful that you stay in that guarded state for too long. You will likely feel discomfort and weird twinges. You may have some mild inflammation in the beginning, but you can still make progress as long as you continue working through it.
8. Keep moving. One of the worst things you can do is stay sedentary. Our bodies were made to move. Although you may not be able to move the same way, it’s imperative that you stay mobile and continue to move your body in a full range of motion.
Everyone gets injured. But it’s not what happens to you that really matters, it is how you respond. Be proactive, be patient, and never give up.