Sir Mix-A-Lot may have said it first, with “we like ’em real big and juicy,” but you would be surprised at how many of the fairer sex love a good booty as much as you do. The glutes (or butt) are among the largest and strongest muscles in the human body and should be the primary muscle that drives lower body movement (wink wink).

With the CFL starting in August, watching all of those football players might start to make you feel a little self-conscious about your less than rock-hard quads. Fear not. This guide to squats will have your quads, hamstrings and glutes in shape in no time.

Squats are a well-known way to build up football players’ muscles yet are simple enough that an absolute beginner can do them as well. Best of all, they can be done in your living room, a shady spot in your backyard, or at a local park. You don’t even need to put on workout clothes to bust out a set of squats throughout the day.

Regular Squats

This intense leg-strengthener works many of the muscles in your lower body. Improve your golf game (or any sport for that matter), lift heavier objects without killing your back, and increase your stamina in bed (and we don’t mean sleeping).

Follow these simple steps to the perfect squat, adding a few more each day. Start with 1 set of 12, and build from there.

Man doing squats
Regular Squat
  1. Place feet shoulder-width apart and look straight ahead.
  2. Line up your knees directly above your feet.
  3. Lower your weight until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Imagine coming down to sit your butt on a bench.
  4. Focus on keeping your abs tight and a natural arch in your back.
  5. Stand back up until your knees and hips are straight, but don’t lock them.

Once you get the hang of these, try adding hand weights to increase the resistance or up your number of sets each day.

Split Squats

With a lack of gluteus muscle, you are risking pinched nerves in your lower back and bad knees. You don’t want to be that guy—unable to move, and sweating for no reason other than excruciating pain, do you?

Man doing split squats
Split Squat

That being said, a strong butt is especially necessary if you spend a large amount of your day sitting. Start your trek to a sweet hiney with Split Squats, which are the base exercise for almost all other glute and lower body workouts.

  1. Kneel on one knee like you’re about to propose. Smile because you don’t have to propose. Check your angles in the mirror.
  2. Keep your feet in the same position and rise to standing.
  3. Lower your body until your knee is an inch off the ground.
  4. Engage your glutes, keep your hips pointing forward and rise to stand.

Repeat 10 times on each side. 

Too difficult? Try lowering your knee less.

Too easy? Add more reps or dumbbells for more weight.

Jump Squats

Q: What kind of running shoes are made from banana skins?

A: Slippers!

If the thought of jogging makes you groan louder than you did after reading the punchline above, we’ve got some good news. Many simple jumping exercises deliver all the benefits of running, such as preventing heart disease, diabetes and improving our immune systems. 

Try it out every other day for a few minutes. You’ll see your fitness and strength improve surprisingly quickly. No running shoes required!

Regular squats work many muscles in your lower body, and building in a leap only adds to the leg-building benefits. Start with a set of 10 and see how high you can jump. If you have Van Halen’s “Jump” in your music collection, crank it up!

Man doing jump squats
Jump Squat

Easy 3-step method:

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Slowly lower your body until your knees are at 90 degrees. Hold for 10 seconds.
  3. Quickly return to a standing position and use your upward momentum to jump into the air.
  4. When you land, use your downward momentum to return to the bent-knees squat position.

Wall Squats

Man doing wall squats
Wall Squat

Your hands are free, so wall squats are ideal for multitasking. Tear off a set while brushing your teeth at home, using your smartphone at the bus shelter, solving a Rubik’s Cube in the lunchroom at work—you get the idea. Aim to complete one set each day this week.

Your easy 3-step method:

  1. Stand straight with your back up against the wall.
  2. Slowly lower your body until your knees are at 90 degrees.
  3. Your goal should be to hold for 15 seconds. The longer you hold, the more intense the wall squat becomes.

Kick it up a notch

While squatting, hold an object with both hands right in front of you with your palms facing each other. Anything will do: a dumbbell, a phone book (a what?), a small dog or child.

Who do you think will win the Grey Cup this year? Make your prediction in the comments below!

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