Treadmill, which comes with variable speeds and incline settings, can be best utilised to firm up the butt muscles.
Walking — either outdoors or indoors on a treadmill — is a productive cardio workout to naturally fine-tune the body. Now, if one can modify the standard one-foot-in-front-of-the-other walking routine, by moving front to back and, or side to side, one can effectively strengthen and tone one's derriere. A treadmill which is a great equipment to carry out endurance routines comes with variable speeds and incline settings. It can be utilised to effect the desired result.
It's All In The Glutes
Before proceeding, it is important for one to know a thing or two about the glutes muscles which comprise the buttocks. There's are three types of glutes — gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus, on both halves of the butt. While, gluteus maximus, the largest of this group, provides the shape, the gluteus minimus helps control leg movements, and gluteus medius accords stability to the pelvic region. Working in tandem, they also control hip flexion and hip and thigh extensions.
Walking Is Good, Running Is Even Better
When it comes to toning up the glutes, running on a treadmill is more beneficial than walking on it, as the former engages and works on the glutes more than the later.
When one runs, the thighs extend in front of the body and behind it, and thus involves hip extensions. These results in contraction and building the gluteus muscles, leading to toning up the butt.
Mimic The Uphill
Providing resistance to the glutes is a fast and fruitful way of building them up. Walking or running uphill targets the glutes more than any parts of the body, thus really helping in shaping them up. On a treadmill, one can mimic the uphill walk/run by increasing the incline. Starters can begin on a two percent incline, gradually increasing the speed and the steepness as one gets more accustomed.
The target, as you advance, is to achieve lunges on a 15% incline on a decent speed.
Before And After Warm-Ups
Before running on a treadmill, it is important to first get the blood flowing to the glutes muscles.
One should put in — strictly to be followed by the beginners — a 5 to 10 minutes walk segueing into a light jog. A good indicator of a warm-up is the point when you just about break out a sweat.
Now, alight and stretch the muscles — especially the pelvic region — to increase the flexibility. Once the main routine is done, follow it up with another 5 – 10 minutes of cooling down stretches. Always remember to use handrails or support when performing complex moves.
