How to Intensify Squats for a More Defined Butt

Kourtney Kardashian

Welcome to another article on how to hack your way to look and feel your best. We recently shared daily habits to burn calories without exercising (yeah, we’ve been doing them on repeat). Today, we’re highlighting ways to intensify your next butt workout to make the most out of your time exercising.

Yes, it’s all about your rear today with tricks to take squats to the next level. Since we didn’t want to overcomplicate your fitness routine, we decided to focus on one move with 10 examples of how you can elevate the exercise for maximum (bum) results. Fair warning, you’ll feel the burn but in the best way possible, and your backside will show it. Learn the different ways to boost your squats below.

The Trick: Squat Walk
How to: This is a variation of the classic squat that increases the amount of time your muscles are activated. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and assume a basic squat position. Maintain weight in your heels and stay low while taking several steps forward. Without popping up, walk backward until you are back to your original starting position. To intensify, use a resistance band by attaching it around your ankles as you walk.

The Trick: Heel Lift Squat
How to: Lifting your heels while doing squats is a simple yet effective way to intensify your squats. The move is simple. Start in a basic squat position by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes facing forward. Keeping your chest and head held high and your spine in a neutral position, slowly elevate your heels off the ground. Slowly lower into a squat and then push on your toes until you are at starting position. Intensify this squat by placing a weight under your heels to keep them lifted or pulse while in a squatted position.

The Trick: Curtsy Squats
How to: This type of squat isolates each of your glute muscles. Begin by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and place your hands on your hips. Using your right leg, step back and cross it behind your left. Continue by bending your left leg at the knee and stop until your thigh is just above the ground. To intensify, try pulsing on either side to further activate your glute muscles or clasp a dumbbell in between your hands.

The Trick: Frog Squat
How to: This squat not only is great for the glutes but also targets the quads and back of the legs. Begin this squat by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly angled out. Maintain this position while lowering down into a squatting position so your butt hovers a few inches above the ground to resemble a frog (hence its name). Raise your hips so they are halfway off the ground and then lower them back down. To intensify, hold your squat position (for about 30 seconds or so) before raising your glutes up.

The Trick: Plie Squat
How to: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointing outward. While holding your hands in the middle of your chest, slowly bend your knees until they’re just above your ankles and your thighs are parallel to the ground. Slowly rise to the starting position while engaging your glute muscles when you reach the top, and repeat. To intensify, try holding a dumbbell or incorporate heel raises with each rep by raising your heel up and down after each squat.

The Trick: Side Squats
How to: Start with your feet hip-width apart and bend your knees while engaging your core. Step wide to the right using your right leg and squat down. Bring your leg back to the middle and repeat with your left leg. To intensify, use a resistance band around your ankles or thighs to create more tension.

The Trick: Chair Squats
How to: Stand in front of a chair while keeping your feet hip-width apart. Lower your glutes down until they are just barely touching the chair without sitting down (your knees should be right above your ankles) and hold for a few seconds. Slowly rise up to the starting position and repeat. To intensify, remove the chair or try jumping once you come up from a seated position. You can also put all your weight on one leg to isolate that glute.

The Trick: Squat Jump
How to: Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your butt down to the floor and bend your knees until you are stable enough to press yourself off the ground. Using your body weight, jump as high as you can. When you land on the floor, return to the starting squat position so you can jump again and repeat. To intensify, tuck your knees into your chest while jumping and quickly extend them again to catch yourself.

The Trick: Rolling Squats
How to: Stand at the front of your mat with your feet hip-width apart. Bend your knees and squat down until your glutes touch the floor. Roll on your back while keeping your knees bent and extend your legs until they are up in the air. Roll forward into the same squat position and stand up. To intensify, jump once you stand up after your rep is completed.

The Trick: Squat to Lateral Leg Lift
How to: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and chest lifted. Squat down with your weight in your heels. As you come up, raise one leg off the ground and bring it back to the middle before repeating on the other side. To intensify, use a resistance band on your ankles or thighs (ankles are more challenging). You can also increase muscle activation by pulsing on either side.