Butt naturally: Expert exercises and tips to tone your butt

Want a 'tooh' like Kareena's or a sexy butt like JLo's? Here are expert tips and exercises by celeb fitness trainer Ramona Braganza.

Who doesn't wish to have a sexy butt? From the bootylicious JLo flaunting her derriere in figure-hugging gowns to our desi kudi Kareena Kapoor claiming to have the best 'tooh' in town a toned backside is something that takes one's sex appeal several notches higher. In order to attain the perfect ass, celebrity fitness trainer Ramona Braganza who has worked with Hollywood A-List stars like Halle Berry, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Alba, Scarlett Johansson, to name a few, gives her expert tips.

The first step is to identify the shape of your butt. Ramona divides it into three distinct types namely, flat butt, saggy butt and wide butt. Once you know the type, it is easier to work on it and give it the perfect lift-up and shape.

Exercise to enhance a flat butt

To give your flat butt roundness and curve, find your nearest staircase says Ramona. Now, stand on the bottom step and bend your left knee slightly and place your right leg on the floor. Squeeze your glutes, straighten your left leg and tap the step with your right leg (with the ball of your foot). Do 15 such reps and then switch legs and repeat. Do three such sets. Repeat the exercise thrice a week for 21 days to see visible results. (Read: How I trained Jessica Alba, my first client)

Exercise to tone a wide butt

Most Indian women often complain of putting on weight on their hips resulting in a wide rear. Ramona suggests a simple exercise to tone down the excess fat from the hips, slimming down the width in the process. Think of an imaginary object with a height of a few inches placed on the floor (or place a real object if you wish). Now, jump over this object from side to side without letting your feet touch it. Do this 10 times, pause for a few seconds and then do 2 more sets. This exercise targets the the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus which run along the side and top of gluteus maximus (the largest muscle responsible for the shape of the butt) and slim and tighten the width of the outer hips. (Read: How to get that Hollywood body)

Exercise to perk up a saggy butt

Ramona advises doing the deadlift if you have saggy hips as this workout targets the hamstrings and the back of the thigh muscles which lift and shape the lower butt. Hold a pair of 5-pound dumbbells and stand with your feet apart (hip-width). Soften your knees and hinge forward at your hips. Now, slide the dumbbells down along your legs as far as you can comfortably bend, tighten your glutes and then slowly lift your torso to the standing position, repeat. Do 2 sets of 15 reps, three times a week for a firmer derriere.

Other tips

Apart from these exercises which target your problem area specifically, follow these tips by Ramona to keep your butt in a good shape.

• Go for a walk on an uphill route. This will engage the deeper glute muscles and the hamstrings, giving your hips a good lift.
• Skip the elevator and take the stairs as often as you can as it helps tone the glutes.
• Squats can do wonders in shaping your butt. Take a deck of cards in your hand when in the standing position. Bend your knees to do a deep squat and place the top card on the floor. Finish the entire deck this way in a row.
• Butt squeeze exercise is a quick and easy way to tone the hips and can be done anywhere. Contract your glutes, hold this position for a few seconds and then relax. Repeat this multiple times, several times a day.
• A simple tip that Scarlett Johansson follows to keep her butt in shape is doing plyometric jumps. Begin with a straight jump in the air reaching your hands for a spot against the wall. Do this 10 times for three sets with a break of 20 seconds after each set. (Read: 13 Bollywood celebs who went from fat to fit)

Follow these tips and exercises regularly to get a sexy butt just like celebrities flaunt in the movies.

[polldaddy poll=7592069]

For more articles on Fitness check out our Fitness Section and for videos check out our YouTube Channel. Don't miss out on the latest updates. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus.