lol. I know that title might sound weird but that's what i'm looking for: what exercises or exercise programs work for lifting and rounding out the butt?

Unlike most people, I'm not looking to 'firm' up the butt (although I would love to firm the thighs!) and I don't want buns of steel. I just want it to round out (as opposed to being flat from being so overweight) and to lift.

I know that once I lose about 60 lbs my butt will start to naturally round out from dropping all of the excess fat from my stomach, back, etc but I want to incorporate something into my current program that could help.

Thanks.

Squats and lunges! Squats and lunges!

My butt used to be so flat that pants literally fell off. Nothing to hold them up. Now I have a nice, round, shapely rear, built entirely with lots and lots of hamstring/glute work.

thanks Manda.

I will need to strengthen the muscles around my knees before I can successfully do multiple squats and lunges. My knees pain me when I go into a squat. I've tried modified versions and haven't felt much relief.

Perhaps I should keep trying until I can get it.

I have knee issues, so I relate! Eventually they'll get stronger, but in the meantime, you might try doing donkey kicks (if you can go on hands and knees...my knees sometimes resist that as well) or hip raises, with or without weights on your hip area.

Donkey Kicks: http://www.workoutz.com/exercise/donkey_kicks

Hip raises: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hkXkAIRcQQ

On the squats, you might try doing a shorter range of motion...little bit down, little bit up. Depends what area of the movement it hurts you in. Also make sure your form is correct...knees don't go past your toes, weight is in your heel, not the front of your foot, and drop like your chest and your behind are heavier than the rest of you (push your chest forward and down while dropping your rear).

If you have access to a bench press (usually for chest), you can lay down on the bench the opposite way (head facing other way) and lift the bar with your feet. Put your hips almost directly under the bar, straighten your legs, and keep your legs straight while lifting your hips in the air (hips up and down are the only thing moving). It's great for lower abs, glutes and hamstrings. I also do them 1-legged, which is a bit more advanced. It's really filling out my butt (which lost 10 sizes and all of it's shape). Done correctly and with plenty of weight, I have to stand up sloooowly!

Manda, thanks so much for the info and the links!! I'm having some foot pain today and so I think tomorrow I am going to try some floor exericses and see if I can get the donkey kicks and hip raises in. I haven't done them in YEEEEARS! So I'm sure it'll be a riot to try it lol.

I don't have access to a bench press, however if I do I am going to try this. I've never even thought of using the bench press for anything besides bench pressing LOL.

I did it! Woohoo. I managed to do some donkey kicks and hip raises and my knees weren't bothered. Ok, so I'll be honest I didn't get many done (i did 3 sets of 5 reps each foot of donkey kicks and 2 sets of 10 hip raises), but I feel confident that the more I do them the better coordinated I'll be be and also the more I'll be able to do. Thanks Manda!

Oooh I also forgot to mention that I did some squats (without modification)! yaaaay!! It's amazing what you can accomplish when you push yourself and not make excuses for yourself.

now i want to continue to focus on formation (thanks for the tip about knees not coming past the toes) as well as being able to do a couple of sets and then eventually increasing it as I feel my knees strengthening.

thank you for the tips!

Hi again,

just wanted to share that the advice I Was given has helped me tremendously. I have a couple of other butt lifting/rounding exercises that have been added to my routine... the superman, kickbacks, and hip extensions.

It's really liberating to learn how different techniques impact and sculpt different parts of the body.

If anyone else has additional exercises that can accomplish butt sculpting please share!

Well ive always had a large behind (lol hahaha) but with the classes i take at the gym, i do A LOT of squats. I love how it is lifting the booty lol. I feel so much better in my jeans!

I second the donkey kicks! There are also "fire hydrants" which are great for the gluteus minimus which lies higher than the gluteus maximus (which is the main butt muscle that people work on most.) Working the minimus will in turn lift the maximus which will give you that nice shape youre looking for

Fire Hydrants are done on all fours (same position as a donkey kick) but instead of extending the feet back, keep your knees bent and abduct your hip to bring your knee up (like a little doggy on a fire hydrant)

I use these in correlation with donkey kicks (and donkey kick variations) for a kick butt workout

Juicy - I bet it feels (and looks) so good to see results!

Kelly - ooh I never heard of fire hydrants. I definitely want to add this to the list. So they call it a fire hydrant b/c its like a position where a dog lifts up their leg to pee on the hydrant? LOL. Makes so much sense!

It's so interesting that you mentioned the gluteus minimums b/c that's something that's not typically targeted, but in my case it should be b/c I need to tighten up that curve that shapes my maximus . Thanks ladies, keep them coming!

You got it! Such a creative name huh? lol
No problems! I hope you like them! I saw that you don't do a lot of squats and then posted that you've been working on them which is awesome! I love squats!

OMG, hubby helped me put together a lower body workout routine (incorporating the suggestions from here) last night that had me sweating and had my heart rate up LOL. I thought it was LOWER BODY not cardio lmbo!!

I am really rocking my squats! What a difference a week can make! Wow! Woohoo!

Oh, also I thought it was hilarious that yesterday when I asked hubby to help me with my routine he asked me if I had been doing 'fire hydrants'!! Wow! I hadn't told him that was on my list. How ironic is that? Well I assume me and fire hydrants are meant to be LOL.

Wish me luck!

Good Luck! Glad the suggestions are helping!