Bad knees holding you back from going hard after the lunges and squats you think you need to carve out a beautiful butt? The secret is that you can build a better butt without those vaunted lower body exercises. Oh, its true squats and lunches are great if you want to tone up your glutes. But if you have tendonitis or a torn meniscus, you’ll want to trade in butt workouts that put stress on your knees today for others that don’t. Following is a sampling of exercises that are kind to your hurting knees.
Here’s how: D the indicate reps and then repeat the entire circuit two or three times.
Kneeling Back Kick
- Start in tabletop position, on all fours with hips over knees and shoulders over wrists, core engaged.
B. Lift right knee off the floor and kick diagonally backward and up, pressing heel toward the top back corner of the room.
C. Return knee to starting position without touching it to the ground and repeat.
Do 25 reps per side.
Kneeling Combo
- Start in tabletop position, on all fours with hips over knees and shoulders over wrists, core engaged.
B. Lift right knee off the floor and kick diagonally backward and up, pressing heel toward the top back corner of the room.
C. Return knee to starting position without touching it to the ground, then lift knee out to the side, maintaining 90-degree bend.
D. Return knee to starting position without touching it to the ground.
Do 16 reps per side.
Straight-Leg Pulse
- Start in tabletop position, on all fours with hips over knees and shoulders over wrists, core engaged.
B. Lift and straighten right leg backward, knee pointing down. Pulse right leg up and down.
Do 16 reps per side.
Kneeling Bird-Dog Balance
- Start in tabletop position, on all fours with hips over knees and shoulders over wrists, core engaged.
B. Lift and straighten right leg backward, knee pointing down. Extend left arm forward.
Hold for 15 seconds per side.
Leg Lift Hold
- Start in tabletop position, on all fours with hips over knees and shoulders over wrists, core engaged.
B. Lift and straighten right leg backward, knee pointing down. Lift right leg as high as possible, and bend elbows to lower chest to the floor.
Hold for 15 seconds per side.
Shoulder Bridge
- Lie faceup on the ground with feet planted and knees pointing up.
B. Engage core and tuck pelvis, then push into feet to press hips off the ground.
C. Pulse hips up and down, squeezing glutes at the top.
Do 20 reps.
Get more butt kicking exercises from celeb trainer Jeanette Jenkins of the Hollywood Trainer Club at The Best Butt Exercises for Knee Pain—No Squats or Lunges Included.
