subject: Bikini Competition Prep: Butt Training Secrets [print this page] Whether or not the butt is the most important part of your physique to bikini competition judges is debatable (they look at everything), but it definitely seems to be the one area that makes or breaks many bikini competitors.
We all know that women have a tendency to lose fat in their lower halves only once they've lost significant fat everywhere else. There is actually a scientific explanation proving this to be a legitimate problem for even very lean women (has to do with receptors and all sorts of stuff too technical for this article).
Female figure competitors and bodybuilders are able to solve this problem via their typical aggressive pre-contest diets, but even then it's often not until they have reached very, very low bodyfat levels that their lower body fat begins to shed.
So I'm sure you're probably wondering:
"Why can't I just do what the bodybuilders and figure competitors are doing?"
"If they're able to rely heavily on dieting to tighten up their glutes, why can't I?"
Well, you may be able to...but there is also a good chance that by the time you get your lower half looking as firm and tight as you would like, the rest of you would be too "hard" for what the judges are looking for in bikini division. This is not a concern for all bikini competitors, as genetics definitely play a large role, but it is definitely a legitimate concern for many.
So what's the answer? A little more emphasis and reliance on your butt training so that you're nice and firm back there even at the moderately low body fat levels that are ideal for bikini competitions.
While bodybuilders, figure and fitness competitors are focusing primarily on multi-joint, lower body exercises such as lunging, deadlifting and squatting variations, you should be adding in isolation movements for the glutes and hips.
Don't get me wrong, multi joint, compound movements should still make up the most of your lower body training program, but you will definitely need extra glute and hip isolation work if being tight and firm back there is of particular concern.
Try starting your workouts with single leg exercises such as single leg squats squats, single leg straight leg (aka "romanian") step-overs, or bulgarian split squats (choose 1 per workout). Then move on to your normal lunge/squat/deadlift movements and finish with variations of reverse hyperextensions, bridges, hip thrusts and hip abduction (choose 1-2 per workout). Don't be afraid to train your hips hard and often...they can handle it!
