How to get your butt bikini ready without a gym

IF YOU want to improve your body and make it stronger, you need to do more than a few donkey kicks and clam shells. Whatever they are.

WE’RE well and truly in the middle of Summer now, and that means it’s beach time.

Now I always talk about improving function, but it’s still nice to look good and feel confident. We are innately attracted to healthy bodies and let’s face it, when you’re in a bikini there’s not much to hide.

Tim Robards and girlfriend Anna Heinrich.

If you want to improve your body and make it stronger, fitter and looking that way, you need to do more than a few donkey kicks and clam shells. If you want a body that looks like someone who squats … you need to squat. If you want it to look like someone who runs regularly … you need to get those joggers on and run.

I do emphasise training smart though. Just because you’re doing a hundred clam shell leg openers and some of the smaller glute muscles are burning doesn’t mean you are exercising efficiently or effectively if a firm butt is your goal.

The exercises below I have found to be a great combo to target all muscles of the lower body, burn the most amount of fat, while improving your cardiovascular function and mobility. If you don’t sweat during this workout there is something wrong!

Anna Heinrich has worked hard for her bikini body.

A general goal with most exercise is to go for 10 reps. That 10th rep should be pretty damn hard to finish to shock your body to change. That why I want you to do 11 reps of each. You need to push to 110 per cent to get your body to change. Get out of your comfort zone! Also, this is not just for a bikini butt, guys can also build muscle, strength and power from these exercises because with body weight exercises, everything is relative.

Do each of the below exercises and aim for 11 reps each (each leg if single legged) with a couple of seconds between. Once you have completed each one through, have a well deserved three minute rest. Then go through and repeat the process three times.

Be sure to stay safe when pushing to fatigue, spend 10 minute warming up with a jog and some stretches, and the same for a cool down. This workout should take you less than 30 minutes if you have minimal rest between individual exercises.

EXERCISES

1. Box jump or Beam jump

Find a box or beam like in the video. Pick a height that’s challenging but safe. For beginners, have a reset between each jump and try and soften the landing as much as possible. Land on your toes before heals when returning to the ground. Use your arms to help with the explosive power you need to get height. When more confident, start to cut out the reset and keep a fluid rebound motion between jumps

2. Figure four hip thrust

Laying on your back, cross the ankle over opposite knee. Use the flute of your grounded leg to push-up until there is a straight line from your grounded knee, through your spine. Then return in a controlled manner. Try to avoid over arching your back and keep the pelvis square and level.

3. Sissy squat

The Sissy Squat is basically a controlled laying back motion. Lift your heels up around 3-5 centimetres. Remain in a straight line from you knee to your shoulders. The only pivot point is your knees, which you can bend to around 90 degrees but not too far beyond your toes. Lifting up the heels protects the knees and ankles.

You can start next to a squat rack or a pole and hold on with hands until you find your balance. If you’re feeling excessive pressure on your knees you are probably doing something wrong so film yourself or check in mirror to observe your form. Great for quad and core strength.

4. Side walking lunge

Great for glutes and inner thighs — Take a wide step to the side, keep your body and chest up as you squat to horizontal. Step the legs back up closer together and continue the same direction until you run out of space, then return! Make sure the first part of the movement is your bum sitting back and not your knees bending. Think bum first, knees second. This will engage your glutes early and take some of the load off your knees

5. Shrimp squat

This move starts like a quad stretch. Make sure you have something to hold onto and just start with short squats to around 45 degrees. As you get more flexible you can go deeper. Again, initiate the movement with your bum going back first, then bending your knee. Don’t let your knee track more than an inch past your toes. Focus on the flute doing the work, not the muscles around the knee.

Dr Tim Robards is a chiropractor and exercise scientist (B. Med. Sc, M. Chiro) and regular news.com.au columnist. Tim recently launched his unique exercise and diet program The Robards Method. You can follow Tim on Instagram and Twitter.