Toning bottom

[PurpleBucket]

Hello everyone! This is the first time I have posted here! Am looking for advice about toning up my bottom- specifically the bit where where bottom meets the top of my thighs (so the bottom bit of my bottom!).

By way of background, I don't need to lose weight and am pretty toned everywhere. Have been exercising regularly since Christmas (the two years before that I wasn't in very good health so my exercising was very sporadic). Up until recently have been doing a lot of nell mcandrews (which are now, well not easy, but not such a challenge). Started jillian michaels about a month ago which I like a lot: 30 day shred (done levels 1 and 2 a few times - good for when not got much time), killer bums and thighs (am ok with level 1 and doing level 2 now - but I always feel afterwards that I should have done my abs too - three children belly!!- and maybe a more all-round workout) and no more trouble zones (which I like a lot because it is a good all over workout).

I am now planning to jog three or four times a week (always HATED jogging) and doing 5km in about half an hour (have only been three times so far though as started last week!) plus a toning DVD (probably a jillian michaels one) on the other days.

Have seen definitely seen my body get more toned with the jillian michaels but still my bottom seems to hang at the bottom!!!!! Do I just need to give it more time??? Or could I be doing there more specific types of exercise there??? I know jillian says dead lifts are good for that area. Perhaps I need to just do her bums and thighs DVD a bit more....

Any ideas????
Thank you so much and sorry for the long post!

I always found lunges to be very good (especially if done with a long stance) also bugarian split squats.

Search on you tube for 'how to ' vids

Thanks. Bulgarian split squat???!!!! Never heard of that!!! Sounds serious!!!!

Yes have been doing lunges. They are one thing I really hate. Squats, ok. Lunges, not

I have seen big improvements doing weights (lunges, various squats, deadlifts) and hill walking (I do mine on a treadmill but if you live near a real hill then...). The lower body work I do twice a week, the hill walking thrice a week. They really work! I am losing weight but was also losing my bottom until I started focusing my exercise routine on my glutes area.

I'd also be flat of derrière were it not for weight training

One that has not been mentioned leg curl on the weights machine. Squats vary them again use a weight bar across shoulders or dumbells in each hand the heavier the better. Lunges again with weights get someone to check your form grab a Pt when they are not busy waste of time doing stuff when your form is incorrect.

Remember it takes four weeks for you to see changes. Eight weeks those close friends will see it and twelve weeks and everyone will see the changes :)
keep going you will get that butt you desire

Thank you for the responses. Sorry I can't remember all your names but my phone doesn't show me all the responses while I type mine!

Have looked up the Bulgarian squat now and will try them. I plan to jog tomorrow so will make sure I do lots of uphill. It's very tiring though....! And perhaps I should add in some more of jillian michaels bum DVD. Today I did 30 day shred level two as was short of time. The good thing about the jillian DVDs is that all the squats and lunges etc are done with arm weights. I don't like to use too much weight though as am scared to bulk up. My arms are quite thin and I don't suit the Madonna muscly look. I alternate between 1.1kg and 1.5kg and that's fine for me as my arms aren't so strong.

I guess I am lucky as my bottom is quite curvy for my size so don't have the flat bottom problem (that's been saved for my boobs )

Do any of you do jillian michaels or nell mcandrew? Which ones do you like?

You will NOT bulk up using weights its a myth 1.1 or 1.5kg is nothing. Women do not have the hormone to BULK UP :) get 4 or 5 in your hands to start with. I am 4ft 10 I bench 20kg, row single arm 10kg squat 17kg sometimes more. Lunges also done on a bar of 17kg I weigh 7stone I am very petite and girly. Honest you will just be very toned quickly by adding in the weights.
Go to a gym class ask those ladies to show you photos of a year ago then go into the weight room the ladies in there LOOK better. Diet is also the key my PT who has a excellent record says 80% is the food the rest is exercise. I have only been with him 4 weeks and the changes are unreal :)

Agree. I used 20kg+ weights for lower body and back work and 8kg+ for arms/shoulders and I'm quite petite and curvy (I have a photo on my profile though I'm leaner now as still losing weight). I'd go heavier than 2kg if I were you. Since building muscle I'm able to eat much more yet still lose weight. Weight training is fab!

*use not used

WOW BssBossh you look amazing my bodyfat was 25 four weeks ago it was 23 last week getting measured again tomorrow. I am still losing but have gained muscle mass. I know I have lost weight again as I jumped on the scales at the gym yesterday. Every inch is measured I do have pictures but not on my profile my back looks great. How many meals do you have a day I am on five.

Thanks Littlepumpkin. I do 5:2 fasting to lose weight so on fast days I just eat dinner. On non-fast days I eat 2-3 meals (the main ones) and minimal snacking. I manage to exercise intensively in a fasted state.

Thanks for all the info. I couldn't find out how to access your profile pics from my phone but I am VERY impressed by how much you weight you can lift!!! And reassured about the not bulking up (I know a woman here who is very skinny and her arms are sooooo muscly - don't like it at all - and assumed she was like that because she lifts v heavy weights and starves herself...). Will definitely try to increase my weights. I have some 2.5kgs here too and my husband has heavier ones. To be honest, at the moment, even 1.5kg (per arm) isn't that easy for me Like the sound of being able to eat more if I have more muscle!!!!

So when you say 23 or 25 body fat, is that a percentage? I was measured for this once a couple of years ago (I think it was that,very weird circumstances) and think I had 18%. I wonder if I've remembered correctly. Maybe I should get measured again.

Hi purple I do Jillian Michaels and love her stuff. I have found by far the best exercise for the bit where bum meets thigh is those dead lifts she does (I think in Killer Buns and Thighs but also in other ones). The exercise where you hold weights keep legs quite straight and bend from the waist whilst dropping arms down. There is a vid of her doing them on google if you search under Jillian Michaels dead lift.
I can use quite a lot of weight for these.
I would be surprised at an 18% body fat as that is really quite low for a woman. I hover around 20- 23 % (as measured by my bathroom scales so probably not 100% accurate) and I am 8.5 stone and 5 ft4"..

Hi Purple

My bodyfat will be dropping to 16/18 and will hopefully replaced with lean muscle. I eat a very clean and strict diet and am sick of the sight of steak/fish/chicken/turkey/buffalo LOL. Eat myself lean yes 16% body fat is low but its what I am aiming for.

High hmmm perhaps I didn't remember that body fat percentage correctly then!!! I'm pretty slim though. Will see if I can get tested again somewhere as sounds a pretty useful measurement.

Also thinking that perhaps I need to do dead lifts with more hand weights. Just always think of my arms as being quite weak but probably depends on what exercise I am doing.

I agree with the others re: bulking up. As a friend's personal trainer once said "it's taken me a decade of diet and exercise to get this physique - you think lifting a few dumbells is going to make you too bulky?!?"

I'd second suggestions of split squats and lunges. Stairmaster is also great for your bum.

YYY to heavy weights - more women should train like men. It definitely doesn't mean you will end up looking like one .

Purple - 20-23% body fat is pretty low for a woman - 18% is, IIRC just into 'athlete' category and below around 14% is unhealthy, this is when periods stop etc. Men have much lower ranges. Personally I wouldn't get too hung up on what % you get (not least because no easily accessible method of measurement is particularly accurate, callipers in trained hands are the best of these though, scales can be crazily inconsistent). I would judge by the old fashioned method, how much of you wobbles when you jump up and down and whether you are happy with that! You know how strong and fit you are, and at what size you feel healthy and happy, that is more important.

Lol @ the old fashioned method :o

Me too Eurochick, I bust my ass in the weights room and have done for the past 20 years,

I'm still waiting to get 'hench' thus far I'm merely athletic

The amount of dedication required to get a really muscular physique is too much even for most blokes!

Yeah I forgot to mention I am an Olympic medal level athlete!

Am aiming to go for a run this morning. Want to do at least 40 mins and will try to do a lot of uphill for my bum! Am disappointed as haven't managed any weights for a few days as had people staying and now it's half term, doubt I'll have time for anything non-children related....

In all honesty, I don't weigh myself very much and go on how I feel and look and how my clothes fit and whether I feel I have even eating healthily. Generally I have a fast metabolism so eat quite a lot and if I don't eat enough carbs, I am without energy for even day-to-day things