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I am a huge fan of the squat, but let’s face it, targeting the hips with rep after rep, up, down, up, down.. it gets a tad boring. To break the monotony of this tush-toning exercise, try switching to single-leg squats.
What you’ll need:
How to:
Stand next to your bench of choice and take a step up, balancing one foot on the center of the bench. Extend the other leg so that it drops next to the bench, then slowly shift your weight over the center of the foot you are standing on and lower yourself as if you are getting ready to sit down. Return to the starting position by pushing through the heel of the foot you are standing on, extend the hip, and straighten the knee. Be sure to keep your eyes focused in front of you so that head remains in a neutral position (not bent forward – i.e, don’t watch what your leg is doing, it doesn’t need eyes). Perform 10-12 repetitions, then switch legs.
To increase the degree of difficulty, add weights. A pair of dumbbells or a weighted bar should do the trick. Be sure you are comfortable with the basic exercise first and can comfortably perform 10-12 repetitions without weight before adding weight.