One-Legged Butt Lift
This exercise tightens and tones the entire hip-buttocks area.
START - Face an object you can hold for support, such as a bench. Kneel with your back straight and your shoulders slightly forward. Extend your left arm fully as you grasp the supporting object.
ACTION - Point your toes behind you and raise your right knee to the side and extend your leg behind you, all the time squeezing your right hip-buttock as hard as possible. (Your knee will be about eight inches off the floor in its final position.) Continuing to keep the pressure on your right hip-buttock area, return to the start position and repeat the movement until you have completed your set.
Feather Kick-Up
This exercise tightens and tones the entire hip-buttocks area. It also helps to firm the biceps femoris (back thigh).
START - Get on the floor on all fours. Raise your left thigh up and bend the knee so that your leg takes the shape of an "L."
ACTION - Pointing your toe behind you, straighten your left leg by raising it and unbending your knee at the same time. Continue this movement until you cannot raise your leg any higher. Flex your buttocks and return to the start position and repeat the movement until you have completed your set. Immediately do the set for the other leg. You must apply continual tension to your working buttocks muscles, both on the up and down movement.
Sit-Up
This exercise tightens and tones the upper abdominal area. It also helps to strengthen the lower back.
START - Lie on the floor, flat on your back, and bend your knees to a 30-degree angle. Place your hands behind your neck, or cross them in front of you on your chest.
ACTION - Flexing your upper abdominal muscles as hard as possible, raise yourself off the floor until you are sitting up. Keeping the pressure on your upper abdominal muscles, return to the starting position. Repeat the movement until you have completed your set.
Crunch
This exercise tightens and tones the entire upper abdominal area. It also helps to strengthen the lower back.
START - Lie flat on your back on the floor, and place your calves over a flat exercise bench. Place your hands behind your neck.
ACTION - Curl your body upward until your shoulders are completely off the ground, all the time flexing your upper abdominal muscles as hard as possible. Without letting up the tension, return to the start position and repeat the movement until you have completed your set.
