By working out your butt, you can achieve the shape you desire. But it’s not just about appearance. Having stronger glutes also means having better posture, healthy knees, and it can help you relieve back pain. And if you’re tired of doing squats and lunges all the time, there are many alternative yoga poses that you can try out.
We at Bright Side think it’s important to switch things up every once in a while to make your workouts more fun. So here’s how yoga can help you with that!
1. Yogi squats
- Start standing with your feet a bit wider than your shoulders. Your feet should be placed diagonally so that when you bend your knees, they track over your toes.
- Bend your knees and sit down, hovering your hips over the floor. It’s okay if your heels lift up a bit or if you can’t sit all the way down.
- Keep your spine straight.
- Pressing your hands together in a prayer position, bring your elbows to the insides of your knees, and gently press your hips open. Also, engage your outer hips to keep your hips open.
- Lift your hips up so that they’re parallel to the floor. Keep your spine parallel to the floor too.
- You can keep your hands as they were or extend them to the sides. This will make you activate your glutes even more.
- Lower your hips back down. Repeat several times.
2. Chair pose
- Stand with your big toes touching and your heels about an inch apart.
- Raise your arms straight above your head. Your palms should be facing each other.
- Sit down like you’re sitting in a chair. The weight should be held in your hips.
- Make sure your spine doesn’t arch.
- Stay in this pose for as long as you can.
3. Goddess pose
- Take a wide stance with your heels in and toes out. Your knees should be tracking over your toes when you bend them.
- Lower your hips down until they are parallel to the floor. Engage your glutes to keep your hips open.
- You can hold this pose, and do up-und-down pulses. You can also do backward pulses with your knees.
4. One-legged bridge
- Lie down on the floor.
- Bend your knees and bring your feet together.
- Lift your hips up.
- You can keep your hands on the floor or clasp them underneath you.
- Lift one leg off the floor and extend in, keeping it in line with your other thigh.
- Move your leg up so that it’s perpendicular to the floor.
- Move the leg back down, repeat several times, and change legs.
5. High lunge
- Start standing. Move your left leg back as far as is comfortable for you. It can be straight or just slightly bent. Your right leg should be bent at a 90° angle.
- You can put your hands on your hips or extend them up.
- Bend your left knee and dip it down so that it almost touches the floor. Then come back up.
- Do it several times and switch legs.
6. Standing big toe pose
- Start in a standing position. Move one knee up toward the chest and take a hold of your big toe with your fingers.
- With a straight spine, extend your leg forward, while holding on to your toe. Stay in this pose as long as you can. Then change legs.
- You can also extend the leg to the side.
7. Half-moon pose
- Start standing with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Turn your right foot outward and left foot inward, so that you start facing in the direction of your right foot.
- Bend your right knee and start shifting your weight forward, while lifting your left leg up parallel to the floor.
- Put your right hand on the floor for support. You can keep your left hand either on your hip or lift it up.
- Make sure to not hunch your shoulders and to keep your spine straight.
8. Locust pose
- Lie on your stomach with your arms on the floor near your body and your forehead on the floor.
- Lift your head, chest, arms, and legs off the ground as high as you can.
- Keep your arms parallel to the ground and legs straight and together. If you can’t keep your legs together for long, you can move them wider apart.
- Stay in this pose as long as you can.
9. Upward plank
- Start in a seated position, with your legs together stretched out in front of you.
- Bring your hands behind your hips, with your fingertips pointing toward your feet.
- Start lifting your hips up while keeping your legs straight. The soles of the feet should be touching the floor, and the toes pointed.
- Your arms should be straight or just slightly bent.
- Make sure to not hunch your shoulders.
10. Warrior III
- Start standing. Take a step forward with your right leg while keeping your left leg on the floor.
- Put your hands on your hips and start bending your right leg — shifting your weight forward.
- Continue bending forward and lifting your left leg up until your spine and your left leg are parallel to the floor.
- Extend your arms forward in line with your spine.
- Stay in this pose for as long as you can.
11. Bow pose
- Start lying on your stomach.
- Bend your right leg and grasp the outside of your right foot or right ankle with your right hand.
- Do the same thing with your left leg and hand.
- Lift your heels up toward the ceiling. Your head, chest, and upper torso should also lift off the mat.
- Stay in this pose for as long as you can.
12. Three-legged downward dog
- Start on all fours. Place your hands on the floor shoulder-width apart and tuck your toes underneath.
- Keeping your arms and spine as straight as possible, lift your hips up, so that your body forms a triangle. Your legs can either be straight or slightly bent.
- Shift your weight into your right leg and lift the left leg up.
- Bend your left knee and lift it up toward the ceiling.
- Hold this pose for a while and then repeat with the other leg.
13. Extended side angle pose
- Stand with your feet wide apart.
- Turn your right leg and foot outward 90° and bend it until your right thigh is parallel to the floor.
- Keep your left leg straight.
- Lower your right arm so your forearm rests on your right thigh.
- Extend your left arm over the top of your head.
- Keep your spine straight, and your chest, hips, and legs in one straight line.
14. Cobra pose
- Lie on your stomach.
- Place your palms underneath your shoulders, while rolling your shoulders back.
- Press down through your hands and start lifting your chest up. Your arms can be bent or straight.
- Keep your legs and glutes engaged.
15. Side plank
- Start in a regular plank position on your hands.
- Put your feet together and start shifting your weight into your right hand.
- Roll over to the right side, stacking your left leg on top of your right.
- You can keep your left hand on your hip or lift it up toward the ceiling.
- You can also lift your left leg up as high as you can and hold this variation.
What butt exercises do you usually do? Would you like to try any of these yoga poses?
