Who doesn’t love a good bum?! Everyone does. Don’t lie. Men and women alike like to look at good bums. Great butts aren’t just for aesthetic purposes though! Strong glutes improve posture, reduce pain and prevent injury by supporting your lower back, and they increase your athletic ability by generating an enormous amount of energy that translates into speed, acceleration, vertical distance, and endurance. While squats are a great way to perk up your butt, we’re challenging you to move beyond the basic squat and try some of these booty busters*: EXPLOSIVE LUNGES These aren’t your Granny’s lunges! Wait. Do Grannies lunge? Are their hips strong enough? Either way, these explosive lunges are meant to stretch out your glutes, while incorporating balance and coordination. Here’s what you do: Stand with your feet together, hands on your hips Lunge forward with your right leg Jump up, switch legs midair, and land with your left leg in a forward lunge Continue these explosive lunges, alternating sides, for one minute Some tips: Keep your fists up in front of your chin Push off the floor with both feet Your front knee should be bent 90 degrees and align over your ankle FLOOR JACKS This is, quite literally, jumping jacks - but on your belly, on the floor. This is going to fire up your glutes and it’s gonna burn baby, burn! Here’s how you do ‘em: Lie facedown on the floor (preferably on a mat so your face isn’t touching when your dog licks his bum) Extend your arms and legs into an “X” shape Do jumping jacks! … without jumping. Move your arms and legs as you would if you were doing standing jumping jacks. Your arms, legs, shoulders, and chest should all be off the ground. Do 3 sets of 30! (and don’t hate us, please!) Some tips: Make sure your knees stay straight Keep your feet off the floor ALWAYS Focus on squeezing your glutes Activate those bum cheeks! If you feel this in your lower back, lower your arms and chest to the floor and just do the leg movement until you feel ready to add the arms back in. INCLINED REAR LEG EXTENSION This one’s a doozy - it’s going to work your booty, your hamstrings, and your core. Coordination and balance are key! Here’s what you have to do: Starting from a standing position, hinge forward at your hips, and lower your hands to the ground. Find your upper-body balance through hand placement aligned shoulder-width apart (think Downward Facing Dog). Extend your right leg up and back, reaching your right heel up to the sky while squeezing your right glute. Slowly lower your leg, tapping your toes on the ground. Repeat the right sequence for 10-15 reps, then switch legs and do 10-15 reps. SINGLE LEG BALL SQUAT This is another one that’s gonna make you work! Due to the single leg movement, your glutes will be working at maximum capacity, while you’re maintaining balance and coordination. This is how you do ‘em: Stand on one leg while pressing an exercise ball into a wall with your lower back. Squat down slowly while tucking the raised leg underneath you, making sure the knee of the supporting leg stays behind the toes. Stop when the leg is bent to 90 degrees, then press back up to the starting position. Do 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps with each leg. TOE TAPS You know that part of your bum that’s kinda jiggly? Don’t pretend you don’t know, we all have a little jiggle in our booties! Well, this move is gonna work that jiggle out. Here’s what you gotta do: Lie on the floor with your arms on your sides. Lift your feet, bending both knees to 90 degrees so your thighs are perpendicular to the floor. Now slowly and quietly tap your left toes to the floor, then your right. Alternate tapping feet for one minute. A tip: If you feel any lower back pain, don't bring your toes all the way down * It should be noted that the language used implies that you have a basic understanding of these exercise terms and what they refer to. Please don’t try these at home if you aren’t sure about correct form!