Boost your glutes: Four booty-sculpting machines to try

Take one glance at the fitness gurus, celebrities and influencers currently enjoying the limelight you’ll notice something they have in common. Brilliantly shaped bums. Embracing your curves and building on them is all the rage and it couldn’t be a better time to start taking your glute strength more seriously.

Before you begin, it’s good to know what you’re working with. Your glutes are actually made up of three muscles: your gluteus maximus, medius and minimus. The maximus is the main player while the other two offer their support when needed. As much as we’re constantly using our glutes - from picking up our shopping bag to climbing the stairs - they can also be tough to target more specifically.

The lower body can be a nightmare to work out, especially as our bodies age and joints become stiff. Other muscle groups are notorious for interfering with the glutes - for example, muscles such as hamstrings can take over the work you’re trying to give the work to your glutes. So what can we do to tone up that pesky fat whilst being kind to the rest of our body? Let’s look at the best workout machines for targeting this notorious problem area:

1.    Leg press

There are a couple of types of leg press. The first is where you sit up straight and push yourself backwards by straightening your legs; the other is where you sit on an angle pushing your feet upwards and away. You’ll target all leg muscles, but this nifty machine is also useful for toning the glutes. To focus your workout on your butt, simply place your feet higher on the foot pad.

Machines like this have received criticism for not working out your core, but this is precisely this reason why the leg press is great for targeting specific muscles rather than working out the entire body. It’s also great for people who are easing themselves into exercising more rigorously, or those with injury who need some extra support.

2. Cable machine

This is the machine that has two cables with handles attached - don’t be intimidated. You can adjust the tension depending on your experience and it can be used in a variety of different ways to work out various parts of the body. To target the glutes, try doing some squats, lunges, kickbacks and step-ups whilst using the machine to create extra tension.

3. Rowing machine

Rowing machines are ideal for an all-over body cardio workout. Not only does the equipment give you a great workout, it’s also low impact and great for beginners, those with injury or anyone who wants to do less damage to their joints. Rowing is great for lower body toning and targets the glutes amongst other muscle groups.

4. Step up

A simple step can be great for your glutes. If you find step-ups a little lacking in the inspiration department, try a step aerobics class to show you what can be done with this essential piece of equipment - and exactly how to tone your behind. You can also incorporate weights and squats into this workout to push those glute muscles even further.

The main thing is to enjoy yourself with these machines. Don’t push yourself too hard too soon and enjoy sculpting that brilliant booty.

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