While training for my second half-marathon, I was determined to beat my previous time. I knew I needed to kick my workouts up a notch. No, I didn't put in more mileage — instead of working longer, I just worked harder. I started doing one specific interval workout once a week — it was finished in under 40 minutes — but man, did I notice a change. Not only in how my overall pace increased on all my runs, even my longer, weekend training runs, but I also noticed a huge change when I looked in the mirror.
Related: Legs? Check. Butt? Check. Arms and Abs? Check! This Running Workout Has It All [1]
My butt had transformed. I come from a long line of flat butts, and I couldn't believe my backside looked so different. It was rounder, higher, and firmer. And I owe my perky, harder tush to hill repeats. It was a grueling workout but totally effective. It not only helped me shave 14 minutes off my previous time for my second marathon (yeah PR!), but when other people noticed my bum, I knew this workout was a keeper.
The workout is simple: There's a hill in the woods by my house. I'd run 10 minutes to get to the hill (about a mile). Then it took about 60 seconds to run up it; 45 to get back down. I'd run up and down that hill 10 times (it took about 17:30). Then I'd run the 10 minutes back home. I'd aim to run up that hill as fast as I could, then used the downhill to recharge. When I first began this type of incline interval workout, I started with three or four hill repeats because my legs were burning so much, but over a few weeks I was able to increase to 10. The total workout takes under 38 minutes, but it is so intense, I feel more spent after that workout than I do after a 10-mile training run.
Running up an incline targets your legs and butt much more than running on a flat surface, so if you want to change the shape of your butt, find a hill near your home or increase the incline on your treadmill [2] to 15 percent. It's OK if you run slowly or even have to walk, but don't be scared to push yourself — you'll feel amazing every time you reach the top of that hill. And with every hill you conquer, you'll quickly build the lower-body strength and endurance to get up the next hill with greater ease — OK, maybe not with ease, but without crying.