I remember a time when my main goal was to minimize my backside, not to draw more attention to it. Oh how the tides have turned. I embrace my ASSets now. The widely accepted 'bigger is better' attitude helps a great deal but age also has a lot to do with it. It took me a very long time to be OK with what I see in the mirror.
Diet and exercise also helped in gaining self acceptance. Not just because I look and feel better. But because I know how hard I work and the effort I put into my health and fitness. Spending as much time in the gym as I do, it is easy to become bored and fall into a rut.
That can create two problems. The first being unmotivated to even go to the gym. Who wants to do something they think is boring? The second problem is, that failing into a rut or steady routine yield little to no results. Your body easily becomes accustomed to your level of exertion and you start to plateau. I avoid that by taking classes and by reading and researching different exercises.
A little research can go a long way. The above video is one of the exercises I do on leg day, specifically when I am targeting my Glutes! The machine is an assisted pull up machine used for...assisted pull-ups. I use it for its traditional purpose on occasion but I also use it to build them glutes.
I start by wrapping a resistance band around the foot pedal of the machine.
Instead of standing on the pedal with both feet and pulling myself up,
I use one foot and push down!
I pick a heavy weight, I had this on about 160lbs here. Don't be afraid to go heavy, you're stronger than you think. Depending on what I am working, I adjust my foot position to feel it in different parts of my leg / thigh / butt.
For example, I push down with my heel to feel it in the glutes or use the ball of my foot to feel it more in the quads.I use a SLOW and controlled movement to really target the area I am working.
Give it a try and feel the burn!
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