Weekend Reading

Get Your Ass in Shape

Three proven exercises to bring up the rear

There are vanity muscles and then there are functional muscles. One group gets all the attention, while the other does most of the real work. Big, round biceps and defined pecs? Vanity muscles. Strong quads or your entire core? Functional muscles. But there's one set of muscles that's a little of both—your glutes. That's right, your butt muscles. And they're often overlooked. Which leaves you with the sad, pancake-flat posterior of a middle-aged man. Look, booty training shouldn't just be for the ladies.

What you want is a rear view that's toned and strong, which not only makes you look better in clothes but will help improve posture, movement and athletic performance. “Much of your power and strength comes from the biggest muscle group in your body, your glutes,” says celebrity trainer and strength and conditioning coach Michelle Lovitt, who has whipped such leading men as Jason Statham into shape. “But if you can't fire those muscles while you're working out, then you're likely to overuse your hamstrings and hip flexors instead, which can compromise your results and lead to injury.” Lovitt suggests working your glutes from multiple angles, like in these three exercises below, for maximum results. They might hurt, but you'll see results. It's time to put that cushion you sit on all day to work.