Step Your Way to a Better Butt
Never skip leg day…you’ve heard the phrase before, so you started hitting the squats and leg press a little more often, but have you been doing your kickbacks and glute bridges? Even though an isolated glute training day may not take a up permanent residency in your training routine, it doesn’t mean you should neglect targeting your glutes. The glutes are an important muscle group -- one of the strongest in the body. While it’s important to train them for strength, it seems everyone’s focus these days is to train them to fill out their jeans a little better. Although cardio in the traditional sense is solely used for burning extra energy, there is a way you can reap all the cardio benefits and clock-in those precious minutes toward your glute goals.
Take the stairs
While incorporating resistance training will maximize glute growth and strength, you can also take your glute enhancing goals to the cardio side of the gym. It’s important you choose a cardio source that will support those backside gains. Consider a low impact machine like the stepmill. This escalator-looking device appears to be a staircase leading to nowhere, but it could be the key component to enhancing your glute game even further.
Feel the burn where it counts
When you are targeting glutes during exercises, the driving movement should always be applied through the heels. Whether you are performing leg press, squats, step ups, lunges, or hip thrusts isolating the glute muscles is all about where you are placing the emphasis on your foot. By pushing through the heels, this tells the glutes to do the majority of the work, resulting in that glorious glute burn.
The same method should be applied when using the stepmill during cardio. Each step you take should be with the purpose of stimulating your glutes.
TIPS WHEN USING THE STEPMILL
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1. Try your best to avoid holding onto the hand rails. |
Your body will work twice as hard and you will be increasing your core strength and stability muscles. Win-Win! |
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2. Focus on the heels, heels, heels! |
Driving your movement through your heels will isolate your glute muscles and will take the focus off the quads. |
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3. Keep your core tight and back slightly arched. |
This will help protect your lower back and still keep the focus on your glutes. |
Step with a purpose
The glutes are made up of three muscle groups: the gluteus maximus, the gluteus medius, and the gluteus minimus. When building a booty, it’s important that you target each muscle group to develop a full look. You can target each group on the stepmill by rotating through a variety of different stepping protocols.
Here is an example of a routine that will take you (one step at a time) closer to achieving some coveted buns.
Equipment: Stepmill
Total Time: 25 Minutes
Intensity Level Key:
Low – Levels 1-3
Low-Moderate – Levels 4-6
Moderate – Levels 6-8
Moderate-High – Levels 9-10
High – Levels 11-or Higher
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Time |
Intensity |
Footwork |
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0-5 |
Low |
Step Every Step (Warm Up) |
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2-4 |
Low-Mod |
Skip Every Other Step with Kick Back |
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4-5 |
Low-Mod |
Face 45 Degrees Right, Step Right over Left |
|
5-6 |
Low-Mod |
Face 45 Degrees Left, Step Left over Right |
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PAUSE |
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Get off stepmill and perform 50 air squats. |
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6-8 |
Moderate |
Step Every Step |
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8-10 |
Low-Mod |
Skip Every Other Step with Kick Back |
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10-11 |
Low-Mod |
Face 45 Degrees Right, Step Right over Left |
|
11-12 |
Low-Mod |
Face 45 Degrees Left, Step Left over Right |
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PAUSE |
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Get off stepmill and perform 45 pop squats. |
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12-14 |
Moderate- |
Step Every Step |
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14-15 |
Low-Mod |
Skip Every Other Step with Kick Back |
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15-20 |
High |
Step Every Step |
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20-22 |
Low-Mod |
Skip Every Other Step with Kick Back |
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22-25 |
Low |
Step Every Step (Recovery) |
Once you see and feel the results of this glute supporting and fat blasting routine, you’ll be looking forward to punching in your cardio time card with the stepmill.
[Guest Post by Team ICON Member Brandan Fokken. @brandanfokken]