​8 Moves to Make Your Pancake Butt Pop

You won't even recognize your booty.

21 March, 2018
​8 Moves to Make Your Pancake Butt Pop

​PSA to any women who's dreamed of having a bigger, rounder butt: You don't need to settle for the buns you're born with. 

Give your backside some sexy pop (and strength!) with the workout below, designed by fitness trainer, health coach, and fitness model Elizabeth Bracero

Do 20 to 25 reps of each exercise before moving on to the next one. Complete up to three sets of the entire series, and perform the workout up to four times a week to really see results. 

1. Squat Jumps

Stand with your feet about shoulders-width apart and your elbows bent, hands near your chin. Sit back into your heels, bring your elbows to your knees, and explode up into a jump, extending your arms toward the ceiling. Land on the pad of the foot (not the heel) with soft knees. 

2. Squat Togethers

Start with your legs wide, knees bent, hips back and low, and toes pointed 45 degrees outward. Clasp your hands in front of your chest and jump your feet together and back to starting position in quick succession, keeping your hips low the whole time. 

3. Alternating Forward Lunges

Take one step forward. Come up onto your back toes and bend both knees 90 degrees, keeping your shoulders directly over your hips. Bring your forward foot back to starting position. Repeat on the opposite side to complete one rep. 

To take it up a notch: Hold 5-pound dumbbells at your sides.

4. Dead Lifts

Stand with your feet together holding either a 10- to 15-pound weighted bar or two 5- to 7.5-pound dumbbells with your hands shoulders-width apart and palms facing your body. Bring your weight into your heels and keep the knees locked as you hinge forward from the hip, lowering the bar toward your feet but keeping it close to the legs. Squeeze your butt and thighs as you come back up to starting position, being sure to keep your neck in neutral alignment with your spine, your shoulder blades down, and ears away from shoulders. 

5. Rainbow Toe Touches

Get onto all fours on the floor and extend your left leg at a 45-degree angle so the toe points beyond the back left corner of the mat. Keeping your shoulders over your wrists, your back and neck straight, your core tight, and your hips square to the ground, squeeze your butt and raise the leg into a high arc, lowering down pointing beyond the right back corner of your mat. Trace the arc to come back to starting position to complete one rep. Complete all your reps with the left leg, then put the left knee down and extend the right leg to complete on the opposite side. 

6. Weighted Donkey Kickbacks

Get onto all fours with your hips over your knees, your toes tucked under for stability, and your shoulders over your wrists. Place a 5- to 8-pound weight in the nook behind your right knee. Keeping your hips square to the ground and both knees at a 90-degree angle, lift your right heel straight up toward the ceiling until the knee reaches hip height. Lower with control, squeezing the glutes the entire time. That's one rep. Complete all your reps on the right side, then move the weight to behind your left knee and repeat on the opposite side. 

7. Step-Up Deep Reverse Lunges

Stand on a step or low bench (no higher than 1 foot). Transfer the weight into your right heel, and step back and down with your left leg, landing with a straight leg and on your left toes. Adjust to keep your shoulders over your hips. Bend both knees 90 degrees. Squeeze your glutes to come back up to a standing position before you shift your weight into the front heel and come back up to standing on the step. Repeat on the opposite side to complete one rep, and continue to alternate sides. 

To take it up a notch: Hold a 5-pound dumbbell in each hand.

8. Single-Leg Glute Bridges

Lie face-up on a mat with your arms along your sides, your palms facing down. Bend your knees about 90 degrees with your feet flat on the ground, and extend your left leg. Engage your core and squeeze your butt as you press into your heels and shoulders to lift your hips up until your body forms a straight line between your knees and your shoulders. Lower with control and without dropping the lifted leg to complete one rep. Complete all your reps, then do the same number lifting the opposite leg.

Elizabeth is wearing a Sports Bra, FOREVER 21, $14.90; Leggings, FOREVER 21, $19.90; Sneakers, NEW BALANCE, $89.99. Helin is wearing a Sports Bra, FOREVER 21, $7.90; Tank,FOREVER 21, $4.90; Leggings, ADIDAS, $55; Sneakers, ADIDAS, $130.

Follow Elizabeth on Twitter and Instagram.

Credit: Cosmopolitan
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