How to Exercise for Firmer Boobs and Butts

Exercising for a Firmer Butt

Do squats. Personal trainer Melody Sayers agrees that "a squat is one of the best lower body exercises" out there. Still, Sayers stresses that "it's important to have good form, or else you can possibly get injured." To perform a squat correctly: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Either stretch out your arms straight in front of you or maintain them in a controlled position near your chest. Lower your butt towards the floor, as if you were about to sit down on a chair. Aim to get your thighs parallel with the floor, but don't allow your knees to extend over your toes. Keep your back straight and your head up as you perform this exercise, and try to distribute your weight equally between your two feet. Slowly return back to the starting position, then continue for eight to 10 repetitions.

Do lunges. According to personal trainer Melody Sayers, "Lunges work multiple parts of your lower body," including your glutes. To perform them correctly: Stand up straight, then take a large step forward with your right leg. Bend both of your knees until they form right angles. Don't allow your right knee to extend over your toes, or allow your left knee to touch the floor. As you lunge, keep your back straight and your head up. Also try to keep your stomach muscles contracted as you lunge to work your abs. Slowly step back to a standing position, then repeat — this time stepping forward with the left leg. Keep going until you have completed 10 repetitions with each leg.

Do leg raises. Leg raises are performed while lying on your side. They are an effective exercise as they allow you to work your butt and lower back simultaneously. To perform leg raises correctly: Lie on your right side, propping your head up with your right elbow. If desired, bend your right knee but keep your left leg straight and in line with your back. Keeping your foot parallel with the ground, raise your left leg as high as you can, without moving your hips. You can use your left hand to support your hips and prevent them from tilting backwards. Squeeze your butt muscles as you lift your leg and try to keep your abdominals firm. Slowly lower your leg back to the starting position, then repeat eight to 10 more times before switching to the other leg. You can wear ankle weights around your knees to increase the resistance and make this exercise more challenging.

Do kickbacks. One-leg kickbacks allow you to work your butt, while also helping you to strengthen your lower back. To perform correctly: Get down on all fours, with your hands aligned beneath your shoulder and your knees aligned beneath your hips. Keeping your knee at a 90 degree angle, lift your right leg as high as possible behind you. Contract the muscles in your butt as you lift. Keep your neck in line with your spine as you perform the exercise — don't try to raise your head. Also try to avoid arching your spine as you lift your leg. Lower your leg back to the starting position and continue for eight to 10 repetitions. Then repeat with your left leg. If you want a more intense exercise, try to keep your leg straight as you lift instead of bending the knee or add ankle weights to increase the resistance.

Do bridges. Bridges are very easy exercises to do, but produce great results! No butt-toning routine would be complete without them! To perform: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet approximately shoulder-width apart. Your heels should practically be touching your butt and your palms should be pressed down to the floor. Lift your hips off the ground while tightly squeezing your butt muscles and sucking in your tummy. Lift until your body forms a straight, diagonal line from your knees to your shoulders. Tuck your chin slightly as you lift and remember that the lift should come from your butt muscles, not your hamstrings. Slowly lower your butt back to the ground, then continue for eight to 10 repetitions.

Do lateral step-ups. Lateral step-ups are another easy, yet effective exercise for toning your butt. To perform them, you will need a step bench and a set of 5 pound dumbbells (though these are optional). Stand to the right of the step bench and hold a dumbbell in each hand (if using), in front of your thighs. With your right foot, take a sideways step onto the step bench and hold your left leg straight in mid-air. Hold this position for a count of three, squeezing in your butt muscles the entire time. Step back to the starting position and repeat the exercise 10 to 15 more times, before switching to the other leg.

Do deadlifts. Deadlifts are a great total-body exercise, but they are particularly good for toning the glutes and hamstrings. You will need a set of dumbbells for this exercise — 5 pound ones will do, but 10 to 15 pounds will provide a more intense workout. To perform dumbbell deadlifts: Place the dumbbells on the floor in front of you and stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart. Now, squat down towards the floor (as described above), keeping your head and chest up. Grab the two dumbbells simultaneously, using an overhand grip. Make sure your arms are completely straight and that your back is not rounded. Slowly raise yourself back to a standing position by straightening your legs and contracting your butt muscles. Thrust your shoulders back and your hips forward. Hinge forward at the hips, bending your knees very slightly, and bring the dumbbells as close to the floor as you can without any pain or discomfort in your back. Still holding the dumbbells, hinge back up to an upright position. Contract your abdominal muscles and buttocks. Repeat the exercise 10 to 15 more times.

Do some butt-toning aerobic exercise. Getting a firm, toned butt is not all about stretching and weight exercises — you can can incorporate some glute work into your regular cardio workout too! Step aerobics will improve the shape of your booty. Look for a class at your gym or get your own step and watch a video at home. Uphill walking/jogging/running will provide the best workout for your butt and thighs, so hit the great outdoors and do some hiking. If you're not the outdoorsy-type, switch to using the trainer at the gym, or set the treadmill to a steeper incline than normal. Other machines you can use are the elliptical and the exercise bike, as these provide great cardio workouts while also helping to firm and tone your butt and legs. Just remember — working out for short periods of time on high resistance builds muscle, while working out for longer periods of time on lower resistance tones.

Exercising for Firmer Boobs

Do push-ups. Push-ups are a great chest exercise which will help to produce firmer pectoral, arm and shoulder muscles. To perform correctly: Get into a plank position, with your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart and your legs resting on the balls of your feet. Slowly lower yourself down to the ground by bending your elbows. Remember to keep your back straight and your stomach muscles sucked in. Raise yourself back up to the plank position, then continue for 15 to 20 more repetitions. If this exercise is too challenging, you can modify it by balancing on your knees instead of the balls of your feet.

Do t-planks. This exercise will help to stretch out your chest and build muscle, while also toning your arms. You will need a set of 5 to 10 pound dumbbells. To perform this exercise correctly: Take a dumbbell in each hand and get your body into a push-up position (you will be resting on the dumbbells). Place your feet just over a hip-width apart, as this will provide more stability. Lift your right hand straight up into the air, twisting your torso and turning your chest and upper body to one side. Stack your arm above your shoulder and keep your hips in place — the movement should be in your torso and upper body only. Your body should be forming a "T" shape. Return to the starting position, then repeat with the left arm. Continue until you have completed 10 repetitions with each arm.

Do chest presses. Chest presses will firm and tone the pectorals, while also working the arms. You will need a set of 5 to 10 pound dumbbells for this exercise. Lie on your back on the ground or on an exercise bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand, with your palms facing away from you. Bend your elbows so your arms form a 90 degree angle, keeping your upper arms parallel with your shoulders. Slowly extend your arms, stretching them towards the ceiling, directly above your chest. Slowly bring your arms back to the starting position, then continue for 15 to 20 repetitions.

Do chest flys. The chest fly exercise builds muscle in the chest. You will need a set of 5 to 10 pound dumbbells for this exercise. Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and open your arms wide, almost parallel with your shoulders. Raise your arms, palms facing towards each other, until your hands almost meet above your chest. Imagine you are giving someone a bear hug! Slowly lower your arms back to the starting position, then repeat 15 to 20 more times.

Do elbow squeezes. This is a simple exercise that works out the chest muscles. You will need dumbbells again for this exercise. Stand up straight and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Raise the weight up to eye level and bend your elbows so they form 90 degree angles. Imagine your arms as football goalposts. Draw your elbows towards each other, keeping your arms parallel. Don't allow the weight to drop past eye level. Open your elbows wide again, returning to starting position. Continue for 15 to 20 more repetitions.

Do pilates or yoga. These exercises won't do much to physically change your shape, but they can help improve your posture, which can improve your overall appearance. If you have large breasts your posture can really suffer, leading to hunched shoulders and major neck pain. Find out if there's a yoga or pilates school in your local area, or look into what classes your gym offers — they often offer stretching classes which incorporate aspects of yoga and pilates.