A Trainer Shares His Favorite Moves For a Strong Butt and Better Overall Health

Updated on April 18, 2017 at 11:19 PM

POPSUGAR Photography | Benjamin Stone

A toned and lifted booty is so much more than a great accessory to a pair of jeans. It's integral to our overall health — and goes well beyond just our backside.

This is something Austin Lopez, BS, CSCS, and personal trainer at DIAKADI feels strongly about. "I could go all day on why it's important to strengthen the butt. Besides it being the biggest muscle on your body, it has one of the largest number of connection sites," he told POPSUGAR. "What that means is that it helps stabilize your pelvis in three different dimensions — across the joints, all the way down your leg, and it keeps your hips in line."

Having misaligned hips is a subtle shift that most people won't even know they suffer from, but the consequences are felt throughout the body, from how you walk to the way you use your shoulders and to that unexplained strain in your neck. It may also be the reason you suffer from joint issues or lower back pain. "Everything kind of comes from how your hips move in space," said Austin. It's for this reason that he spends a lot of time helping his clients strengthen their butts. A strong booty is key in helping balance and align the position of the pelvis and hips, he said.

As I've trained with Austin, we've done a lot of killer butt exercises, but if he had to pick his favorite three for getting the butt in strong-as-bricks shape? Deadlifts, squats, and split squats. And if there were only two in his arsenal of best butt moves? "I would pick deadlifts and squats any day of the week." I can say with authority that the man is a huge fan of deadlifts — just ask my hamstrings, which have a love-hate relationship with him. To be honest, I've never quite felt so many areas of my body until I started doing barbell deadlifts with him. It's pretty mind-blowing how much power and effect a single move has on the entire body.

All of these moves, as Austin explains, are full-body compound moves, allowing you to be efficient since they work several different areas at once. He advises to be cautious as you add weight, making sure you have correct form down and the core strength to keep building up. Let's get started!

Deadlift

Holding the barbell (or two dumbbells), keep your arms straight and knees slightly bent.
Slowly bend at your hip joint, not your waist, and lower the barbell as far as possible without rounding your back, which should remain straight. Make sure you keep your spine neutral with a natural low-back arch with shoulders down.
Keep the barbell close to your legs, almost touching them.
Squeeze your glutes to pull yourself up at a quicker pace than when you bent down (beginners should aim to take four seconds to bend down and two seconds to pull up). Don't use your back and do not round your spine.
This counts as one rep.

Squat

Stand with your feet shoulder-width distance apart, feet parallel. Hold your hands out in front of you for balance. Bend your knees, lowering your hips deeply, bringing your thighs parallel with the floor if you can, keeping weight back in your heels. Be sure that your abs are engaged throughout this exercise.
Then rise back up, straightening the legs completely, squeezing the glutes at the top of the movement to get the most out of the exercise.
This counts as one rep.

Elevated Split Squat

Stand in front of a box, bench, medicine ball, or even a staircase. Put your right leg back and rest your toes on the object. If you're in front of a staircase, try to have your foot on the second step and not the first or third — being too high or too low could change the emphasis on your glutes.
Slowly bend your left knee until your hamstring is parallel to the floor. Make sure to engage your glutes throughout the movement. If you're doing it right, you'll feel it on every inch of the motion. You should also lower your pelvis and ensure that your left foot is far enough forward so it is just above your ankle.
Straighten out your bent left leg while returning to the original start position.
Complete your reps, then repeat with the opposite leg.