Stairway to a Heavenly Tush

All of my students in my Zumba class know how obsessed I am with working the tush. One of my favorite workouts when I’m not shaking it in class is running stairs. The perks of this work out are obvious: 1) It doesn’t cost a thing, just throw on your running shoes and go, 2) it’s great cardio, which is essential for melting fat, and 3) it strengthens your butt like nothing else, which is fantastic for so many reasons. The gluteus maximus (a.k.a. booty) is the largest muscle in the body, which means working your back-side will have more calorie burning power than working your biceps, for example. And who doesn’t want a killer booty for bikini season? Stairmasters are great and all, but there’s something about being outdoors that really amps me up for a workout. So I like to take my workout outside to the stairs of my apartment building.

If you’re just starting a stair workout, sprinting up stairs probably isn’t a great idea. Warm up by walking for 5 minutes at the bottom of the stairs. Keep a brisk pace for this walk, and really focus on warming up your lower body. Keep this pace when you walk up two flights of stairs, then march in place, walk around the floor for a minute,  or carefully walk back down the stairs. Do this for 20 minutes for your first week, then increase by 5 minutes every week. Always end your workout with a 5 minute cool down and stretch.

Do this a few times a week to vary your workouts. And believe me, your booty will thank you.


For more ideas on how to use stairs to boost your booty and all your other muscles, check out this article from Women's Health Magazine.

- The Sassy Gal