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Squats            

 

Lunges

Lunges are a challenging exercise because they work so many muscles at the same time. On the front leg, you'll work the glutes and hamstrings and, on the back leg, you'll work the quads and calves. What's nice about lunges is that there are a variety to choose from such as:

• Side to Side Lunges
• Reverse lunges
• Front lunges
• Walking lunges
• Wheel lunges (front, side, reverse)

You can also elevate the back foot on a step or platform to really challenge both legs. This is a great move for the glutes and thighs, but please avoid this move if it aggravates any knees problems.

Step Ups

For step ups, you simply place one foot on a step or platform and push through the heel onto the step. This is an excellent exercise for the glutes, providing you use a step that's high enough...just make sure your knee is bent to 90 degrees or less to keep it safe.

The other key to making this move work is to concentrate all your weight on the stepping leg. In other words, lower down gently, barely touching the toes of the other leg to the ground. You'll really feel this when you take it slow and concentrate on the working leg.

Hip Extensions

While I'm fond of more compound moves (like the squats, lunges and step ups listed above) since they work more muscle groups, the hip extension is an exercise that targets the largest muscle in the body...the gluteus maximus.

For this move, you can hold a dumbbell behind the knee or use ankle weights for added intensity. Another interesting variation is to lie with your hips and torso supported by a ball, hands on the floor, and bend the knees. Then squeeze the glutes to send the feet straight up to the ceiling