Bootyful Buns and tight, lean thighs in 8 weeks!
-or your money back!
by Corey Springer
NarkSide: November 7th 2009
Hello all.
Over the months I've received a lot of your questions regarding building the perfect pair of buns. You know the type I'm referring to: The stop-and-stare-and-forget-to-breathe-as-she-passes-by type of butt. Well... your wait is over! Your journey towards a perfect butt starts today!
Just about anybody can benefit from stronger, sexier buns. From the functional perspective, strong buns can prevent back pain... an affliction which 75% of society suffers from.
In this article, I'm going to lay out one of my MOST effective booty-shaping work-outs from start to finish. All you've got to do is follow it to the letter... 3 times per week, for 8 weeks. That's it.
A tip: Take a day of rest in between each work-out. You'll need it.
Exercise 1: The glute bridge
Beginning:
End:
You guys may remember this exercise, as I introduced it a previous article: "Narkissos resurrects the dead(-lift)". In this article however, we'll be using this exercise as our primary warm-up. By directly targeting the glutes, via this exercise, we ensure that they'll be firing correctly during our work-out.
Target: 2 sets of 15-20 repetitions.
Rest between sets: 30 seconds
Tips and tricks: Pause for two seconds at the point of peak contraction... and then release slowly, lowering yourself back to the start position. Upon reaching the starting position, don't pause... immediately return to the end position for a peak hold.
I've got to warn you... This. Will. BURN!
Your hamstrings should be slightly taxed as well if you've done this correctly.
Exercise 2: The plie squat
Beginning:
End:
Ah... the plie squat. We'll be using this exercise as our secondary warm-up.
This exercise? This exercise is an inner-thigh KILLER!
Say good-bye to THAT problem area!
Target: 2 sets of 20 repetitions.
Rest between sets: 30 seconds
Tips and tricks: Pause for two seconds at the point of max stretch... and then slowly return to start position. Upon reaching the starting position, don't pause... immediately return to the deep squat position for a peak hold.
Searing pain.
Loads of it!
Exercise 3: The dumbbell front squat
Beginning:
End:
With our warm-ups completed, now we get to the REAL meat of the session. This may be an unfamiliar move for many of you, but this brute here is one of my all-time favourites. Why do I prefer this movement to the standard barbell squat? Well because the weight is held in front of you, your center of gravity shifts... imbuing the exercise with a frontal-thigh-specific focus.
The short story? This exercise addresses the entire frontal thigh, including the area just above the knee... which is a problem area for a number of women. Flabby thighs be gone!!!
Target: 3 sets of 15 repetitions.
Rest between sets: 30-60 seconds
Exercise 4: The leg-press - Feet positioned high on platform.
Beginning:
End:
Everybody's seen the standard leg-press. This variation however, specifically targets the butt and hamstrings ( - the rear of the thigh - ). How does it do that? Well, it's like the exercise which precedes it... but in reverse: By placing the feet high on the platform, the center of gravity is shifted rearwards... thus the exercise becomes posterior-specific.
Target: 3 sets of 20 repetitions.
Rest between sets: 30-60 seconds
Tips and tricks: Due to the position of your feet, you'll need to push through your heels. To ensure that your heels remained grounded, a trick I use with clients is to have them curl their toes towards their instep. This ensures that the heel remains in contact with the platform through out.
Exercise 5: The Bulgarian Split-Squat
Beginning:
End:
Wicked... I know!
Because of that, I'm not going to tweak this movement at all. It's brutal enough as is!
Target: 2 sets of 10 repetitions (each leg) per set.
Rest between sets: 15 seconds (i.e. enough time to switch legs)
Exercise 6: Good-Mornings
Beginning:
End:
Target: 2 sets of 15 repetitions
Rest between sets: 30-60 seconds.
Execution: Begin this lift by resting a barbell across your shoulders. Pinch the shoulder blades together slightly to assist in keeping the bar in place. My preferred stance for this lift is about shoulder-width stance. Exhale... and slowly bend forward at the hips ( - all the while inhaling -) until your torso is just about parallel to the floor. At this point, your lungs should be full of air... thus supporting core stability. Slowly return to the fully upright position, all the while clenching your butt muscles.
Exercise 7: Dumbbell Stiff-leg Deadlifts
Beginning:
Midpoint:
End:
Target: 2 sets of 15 repetitions
Rest between sets: 30-60 seconds.
Execution: Again, my preferred stance for this lift is approximately shoulder-width. Grab two dumbbells using a neutral grip (i.e. palms facing body). With a very slight end in the knees, slowly bend forward at the hips... lowering the dumbbells until you feel an intense stretch in your hamstrings and/or butt ( - whichever comes first -). Slowly return to the fully upright position, all the while clenching your butt muscles.
Exercise 8: Unilateral hip extension static hold
Peak Contraction:
Most of you are accustomed to seeing women in the gym executing this exercise for endless repetitions... never really achieving much of anything. I'm not going to let you waste your time here... so we're going to do something atypical. We're going to do just 2 repetitions of this exercise on each leg. That's right... just two! There's a catch though. I want you to hold the peak contraction until your legs shake uncontrollably. Deal? Let's get cracking then!
Target: 2 sets of 2 repetitions (on each leg)
Rest between sets: 30-60 seconds.
Tips and Tricks: Each repetition should be held for 20-30 seconds. Try to breathe normally through-out. Do NOT get tempted to hold your breath.
Exercise 9: Kneeling Lateral Hip Abduction
Beginning:
End:
Target: 2 sets of 20 repetitions (each leg) per set.
Rest between sets: 15 seconds (i.e. enough time to switch legs)
Exercise 10: Standing Hip Abduction
Beginning:
End:
Target: 2 sets of 20 repetitions (each leg) per set.
Rest between sets: 15 seconds (i.e. enough time to switch legs)
And that's a wrap!
Remember... three times per week ( - every other day -) for 8 weeks.
You can do it!
Regards,
-Corey "Narkissos" Springer
Owner of:
"The NarkSide" Fitness Forums
Apollo Fitness Barbados
NarkSide Apparel
-or your money back!
by Corey Springer
NarkSide: November 7th 2009
Hello all.
Over the months I've received a lot of your questions regarding building the perfect pair of buns. You know the type I'm referring to: The stop-and-stare-and-forget-to-breathe-as-she-passes-by type of butt. Well... your wait is over! Your journey towards a perfect butt starts today!
Just about anybody can benefit from stronger, sexier buns. From the functional perspective, strong buns can prevent back pain... an affliction which 75% of society suffers from.
In this article, I'm going to lay out one of my MOST effective booty-shaping work-outs from start to finish. All you've got to do is follow it to the letter... 3 times per week, for 8 weeks. That's it.
A tip: Take a day of rest in between each work-out. You'll need it.
Exercise 1: The glute bridge
Beginning:
End:
You guys may remember this exercise, as I introduced it a previous article: "Narkissos resurrects the dead(-lift)". In this article however, we'll be using this exercise as our primary warm-up. By directly targeting the glutes, via this exercise, we ensure that they'll be firing correctly during our work-out.
Target: 2 sets of 15-20 repetitions.
Rest between sets: 30 seconds
Tips and tricks: Pause for two seconds at the point of peak contraction... and then release slowly, lowering yourself back to the start position. Upon reaching the starting position, don't pause... immediately return to the end position for a peak hold.
I've got to warn you... This. Will. BURN!
Your hamstrings should be slightly taxed as well if you've done this correctly.
Exercise 2: The plie squat
Beginning:
End:
Ah... the plie squat. We'll be using this exercise as our secondary warm-up.
This exercise? This exercise is an inner-thigh KILLER!
Say good-bye to THAT problem area!
Target: 2 sets of 20 repetitions.
Rest between sets: 30 seconds
Tips and tricks: Pause for two seconds at the point of max stretch... and then slowly return to start position. Upon reaching the starting position, don't pause... immediately return to the deep squat position for a peak hold.
Searing pain.
Loads of it!
Exercise 3: The dumbbell front squat
Beginning:
End:
With our warm-ups completed, now we get to the REAL meat of the session. This may be an unfamiliar move for many of you, but this brute here is one of my all-time favourites. Why do I prefer this movement to the standard barbell squat? Well because the weight is held in front of you, your center of gravity shifts... imbuing the exercise with a frontal-thigh-specific focus.
The short story? This exercise addresses the entire frontal thigh, including the area just above the knee... which is a problem area for a number of women. Flabby thighs be gone!!!
Target: 3 sets of 15 repetitions.
Rest between sets: 30-60 seconds
Exercise 4: The leg-press - Feet positioned high on platform.
Beginning:
End:
Everybody's seen the standard leg-press. This variation however, specifically targets the butt and hamstrings ( - the rear of the thigh - ). How does it do that? Well, it's like the exercise which precedes it... but in reverse: By placing the feet high on the platform, the center of gravity is shifted rearwards... thus the exercise becomes posterior-specific.
Target: 3 sets of 20 repetitions.
Rest between sets: 30-60 seconds
Tips and tricks: Due to the position of your feet, you'll need to push through your heels. To ensure that your heels remained grounded, a trick I use with clients is to have them curl their toes towards their instep. This ensures that the heel remains in contact with the platform through out.
Exercise 5: The Bulgarian Split-Squat
Beginning:
End:
Wicked... I know!
Because of that, I'm not going to tweak this movement at all. It's brutal enough as is!
Target: 2 sets of 10 repetitions (each leg) per set.
Rest between sets: 15 seconds (i.e. enough time to switch legs)
Exercise 6: Good-Mornings
Beginning:
End:
Target: 2 sets of 15 repetitions
Rest between sets: 30-60 seconds.
Execution: Begin this lift by resting a barbell across your shoulders. Pinch the shoulder blades together slightly to assist in keeping the bar in place. My preferred stance for this lift is about shoulder-width stance. Exhale... and slowly bend forward at the hips ( - all the while inhaling -) until your torso is just about parallel to the floor. At this point, your lungs should be full of air... thus supporting core stability. Slowly return to the fully upright position, all the while clenching your butt muscles.
Exercise 7: Dumbbell Stiff-leg Deadlifts
Beginning:
Midpoint:
End:
Target: 2 sets of 15 repetitions
Rest between sets: 30-60 seconds.
Execution: Again, my preferred stance for this lift is approximately shoulder-width. Grab two dumbbells using a neutral grip (i.e. palms facing body). With a very slight end in the knees, slowly bend forward at the hips... lowering the dumbbells until you feel an intense stretch in your hamstrings and/or butt ( - whichever comes first -). Slowly return to the fully upright position, all the while clenching your butt muscles.
Exercise 8: Unilateral hip extension static hold
Peak Contraction:
Most of you are accustomed to seeing women in the gym executing this exercise for endless repetitions... never really achieving much of anything. I'm not going to let you waste your time here... so we're going to do something atypical. We're going to do just 2 repetitions of this exercise on each leg. That's right... just two! There's a catch though. I want you to hold the peak contraction until your legs shake uncontrollably. Deal? Let's get cracking then!
Target: 2 sets of 2 repetitions (on each leg)
Rest between sets: 30-60 seconds.
Tips and Tricks: Each repetition should be held for 20-30 seconds. Try to breathe normally through-out. Do NOT get tempted to hold your breath.
Exercise 9: Kneeling Lateral Hip Abduction
Beginning:
End:
Target: 2 sets of 20 repetitions (each leg) per set.
Rest between sets: 15 seconds (i.e. enough time to switch legs)
Exercise 10: Standing Hip Abduction
Beginning:
End:
Target: 2 sets of 20 repetitions (each leg) per set.
Rest between sets: 15 seconds (i.e. enough time to switch legs)
And that's a wrap!
Remember... three times per week ( - every other day -) for 8 weeks.
You can do it!
Regards,
-Corey "Narkissos" Springer
Owner of:
"The NarkSide" Fitness Forums
Apollo Fitness Barbados
NarkSide Apparel
