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If there's one thing 2014 with be remembered for it's the butt. Round and toned is what we're talking about - just look at Nicki Minaj's Anaconda video or Kim Kardashian's Paper magazine cover. Even Jennifer Lopez and Iggy Azalea got tongues wagging with their raunchy Booty promo. But what if your behind is a little lacking? Buttock implants have become one of the most sought-after surgeries, with the number of UK women going under the knife rising by 500 per cent over the past two years. Butt boosting injections, where fat is transferred from one area to the posterior, are also on the rise, but there is another way.
Squats
If you only do one exercise, make it this one. There really is no better way to get a toned backside, and the more you feel the burn the better.
Stand with your legs a little over hip-width apart then bend your knees and move your butt back and down, as if you're sitting in a chair. Keep your chest lifted and your spine straight and make sure all your weight goes through your heels. Try to get as low as possible, ideally you want your thighs parallel with the floor. Move back up to a standing position and you've completed one rep.
To mix things up you can turn your feet outwards (it works the inner thighs too), or try squatting with your legs closer together, then when you come up move your right leg a step outwards and squat again. Continue by moving your right leg in again as you squat, then moving your left leg a step out.
Once you've got the hang of this try a 30 day squat challenge, where you build on the number you do each day. Time tables are available on many fitness websites - how low can you go?
Walking lunges
Trainer Jennifer Pattee tells popsugar.com that this is one of the few exercises which allows you to spot reduce an area - namely the butt.
Stand with your feet together and weights in your hands, then step forward with your right leg curling your dumbbells. Lower your hips until your knees are both at 90 degree angles, with your back one almost on the floor. Then rise to a standing position again and repeat with the other leg.
Side lunges
These work the muscles on the side of your pelvis, otherwise known as the muffin-top region, but your behind gets a pasting too. Start with feet together, take a wide step to the side and then lower yourself down so your back is straight and you're touching the floor. Come back to a straight position, then step in the other direction.
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