The ManicaPost
ALTHOUGH it is not recommended to target just one body part (full-body strength and fitness is what you should be gunning for), strengthening your lower body can have an impact on the appearance of hip dips.
If you have checked in with your overall body fat levels and want to decrease your body fat percentage, then exercise can help.
For a great lower-body focused session to tone your hips, thighs, abdominals and glutes, add the following exercises into your home workout routine:
Squats
Standing with feet hip-width apart, hinge at the knees to come into a squat position — making sure your knees track over your toes and don’t extend past.
With the weight in your heels, push back up to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top.
Hip abduction
Lying on your side, use your top arm to support your upper body by placing it in front of your chest.
Keep your upper body and core as still and engaged as possible and raise your top leg towards the ceiling.
Lower back down – with control – and repeat.
Glute bridges
Laying on your back, bring your heels up the mat so they are a few inches away from your bum, knees pointing upwards.
Take your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart with toes pointing outwards and make sure your knees are pushing outwards to engage your abductors (side glutes).
Thrust your pelvis up towards the ceiling, making sure your upper back stays on the floor, and the driving force of the movement is only from the waist down.
Once you reach the top, squeeze your glutes. Try and keep them engaged throughout the whole movement. Lower and repeat.
Clams
Start by laying down on the ground on your side.
Pop your head onto the arm that’s on the ground.
Start by moving your hips up to a 45-degree angle and your knees to a 90-degree angle.
Push your knee away from your core, but keep your feet pressed together.
Pause when you get to the top of the move, clenching your glutes and ab muscles, and return to the ground.
Repeat.
Fire hydrants
Start on all-fours in a tabletop position, ensure your core is engaged and your back stays straight.
Keeping your legs at a 90-degree angle, raise one leg until it is in line with your hip.
Drive the leg up with the knee, and ensure the foot and the knee are in-line throughout the whole movement.
Engage both glutes to ensure the hips stay square and centred.
If you feel too much movement through your upper body, bring your hands slightly to one side (the side of the planted leg) for more stability.
Repeat.
Glute rainbows
Come onto all fours on your mat. Raise your left leg and extend it straight behind you.
Moving in an arc-motion and keeping your leg level with your body, sweep it behind and across your right leg.
Then, sweep it back past your starting position to a lateral position with your left hip.
Return to centre and repeat on the other leg.
Side lunge
Standing at the top of your mat with your feet together, engage your core and lunge laterally, pushing your bum out behind you and keeping your upper back flat.
Push through the heel of your lunging foot and repeat.
Curtsy lunge
Standing with your feet hip-width apart, lunge backwards, crossing your lunging leg over to the opposite side. You’ll arrive in a deep curtsy position.
Drive through the heel of your front foot to return to your starting position.
Repeat.
Make sure you keep your work-outs well-rounded as not only can too much repetition lead to overuse injury, but overtraining your hip area can actually build muscles that make them look bigger.
An hourglass booty sounds like no bad thing to us, but it may not be what you want to emphasise with your exercises.
