Get Off That Seat!

by Cheng-Ling Chen — November 20, 2007

Having just splurged on a pair of all-organic-cotton, designer jeans from Del Forte, I've got the bottom line on my mind. It's not my budget I am thinking about (although perhaps I should). It's my gluteus maximus. Nothing wrong with my given assets, but I wouldn't mind toning up to strut around in those new jeans.

Below are some exercises for them pumpkins. These are easy and can all be done while watching your favorite TV show:

• Toe Dip. Lying on your left side, prop up on the left elbow. Keeping abs tight with torso and left leg still, raise your right leg over the body. With right leg as close to your nose as possible, lower it slowly to the floor. Kiss the floor with your big toe and come up half way. Repeat ten times. Remember to breathe. Reverse position and work on the other side raising the left leg.
• Bridge 1. Lie on your back with knees bent. Feet are flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart and close to the glutes. Arms rest at the sides. Press into your heels, squeezing glutes as you lift the hips. This establishes the bridge pose. With hips raised, slowly close your knees until they touch without letting go of the squeeze in the glutes. Take five breaths. You should feel a pain in the butt right now. Release the knees and lower to the floor. Repeat ten times.
• Bridge 2. Establish the bridge pose. With hips lifted and glutes contracted, transfer weight to your right foot. Balancing on your right foot, lift your left leg, toes pointed to the ceiling. Squeeze the right glutes and do mini pumps with left leg, up and down ten times. I call this exercise the Bunsen Burner. If you don't understand why, you probably aren't working hard enough. Push with your glutes, not your lower back. Balancing on the left foot, repeat mini pumps with right leg lifted.
• Lunges. Stand 3 feet from a stair. Facing it, step left foot onto the stair and right heel slightly off the floor. Bend both knees and lower into a lunge. Left knee should be directly over ankle and right knee not quite touching the floor. Spine is straight with shoulders back. Hold for five breaths. Step left foot back to meet the right. Repeat on the other side. Do fifteen rounds. If you're still feeling cheeky, make these harder by holding some weights.

If these don't appeal, then go for a walk. You've been working your butt off, sitting there at your desk, at the wheel, on the couch, in those meetings. Go out, enjoy the fresh air, and cultivate a lovely rear view while you're at it. Walk up a couple hills or climb multiple sets of stairs. You'll be well-rounded in no time.