by Karishma Sharma – Follow @kaysharmaa
It’s June, people! And you know what that means: bikini season is upon us. It’s time to get to the beach, get sandy, and sip on margaritas every Saturday. If you’re anything like most people I know (including myself), by the time bikini season comes around, the regret sets in—regarding being a couch potato eating cheese puffs in front of reality TV for the last eight months.
Here’s the “triple-five” to get you going: five booty-toning exercises when done correctly for five minutes, five days a week will start yielding results the first week you do them!
A quick note: three of the five exercises below use dumbbells. You can either use lighter dumbbells, such as 2 or 5-pound dumbbells, or heavier dumbbells, such as 10 or 15-pound ones, depending on your personal strength. You can also do variations without the dumbbells if you would like, but having some weight brings better progress.
1. Dumbbell – Squats with a slow rise
This is your traditional squat, but with two variations: holding a dumbbell by your chest and rising up slowly. Start with your feet apart and facing forward (left photo), and bend downward (right photo). For this one, proper form is very important. Make sure your back is straightened out, your knees are loose, and your tailbone is up. Then, rise slowly and squeeze your glutes together. Count in your head “1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi, 3 Mississippi” as you slowly come up. Repeat for one minute straight.
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2. Dumbbell – Bend and rise
This move is pretty simple and helps round out the shape. Start with your feet widely apart, facing the front, and holding your dumbbell down at hips level. Bend into a forward fold, like you’re touching your toes, come back up, and firmly squeeze your glutes. The squeeze is what eventually gets the tightness you’re looking for, so it’s important not to skip that step. Repeat for a minute.
3. Dumbbell – Backward lunges
This one is pretty much your typical lunge while holding a dumbbell vertically across your chest. Step back into a lunge, bend low, and retreat to the first position (left photo). Alternate your legs back-and-forth, stepping back, and then together. Repeat this combination for a minute and make sure your lunges are wide and strong.
[Read Related: 5 Quick 1-Minute Workouts to do While you Make Dinner]
4. Low skaters
This is a tough move to hold for a minute straight, but it really helps with completely rounding the shape of your booty. Start with your feet apart, then take your left leg and cross it over your right. Touch the ground while doing so. Then, with a jumping motion, switch sides. This move is hard, fast, and swift. It’s a tough motion to get at first, but once it sticks, you got it. This is a good exercise to search videos for how to do it! Repeat for a minute or as long as you can.
5. Floor kickbacks
For this one, you’ll need a yoga mat or a smooth, soft surface (rug or carpet, not hardwood floor). Start propped up on the mat, knees apart, and hands centered together with your palms clasped. Start with your right leg, lift it off the mat and bring it up as high as you can. Then release back, as in the left photo. Repeat for 15-reps on each side, as many times you can in a minute.
This “triple-five”—a set of five exercises done five times a week for 5 minutes—will get you the bootylicious results you want for summer. When sharing before and after “belfies” (bottom-selfies!) or snaps, tag @browngirlmag on Instagram and #bikiniseasonbrowngirlmag.
Comment below your progress or tips on your own butt exercises!
Karishm
a Sharma is a Bollywood Dance Fitness Instructor based in Minneapolis, MN. Her biggest hobby, her passion, and her dedication are all to fitness. She is also a dancer and is passionate about spreading her culture to those who may not be familiar. She aspires to keep her love of fitness alive each day in everything she does!
