How to get … a pert bottom

Do bend your knees and squat to pick things up, rather than flexing from the waist. Studies show that squat exercises are among the best for toning the gluteus maximus muscles.

Don’t clench the handlebars of the step machine or elliptical trainer at the gym – it lightens the workload for your gluteal and leg muscles.

Do vary your exercises. You need to work the gluteus maximus, medius and hamstring muscles to get the perfect bum.

Don’t take the escalator. Remember that the inspiration for that hi-tech stepper came from the butt-firming benefits gained from climbing ordinary stairs.

Don’t think you can shop for a perfect rear. Despite claims by leading cosmetic surgeons that bottoms can be sculpted with a scalpel, exercise is the best solution.

Do go in-line skating. Kylie Minogue credits it with helping to maintain her posterior.

And the perfect exercise? The quadruped hip extension

Get on to your hands and knees and then tighten your abdominal muscles slightly to stabilise your spine and torso. Lift one leg, keeping the knee bent at 90 degrees, until the sole of the foot is parallel with the ceiling and the upper leg is in line with the rest of the body. Repeat the lift on the same side for eight to 12 repetitions before changing legs. Extensive research commissioned by the American Council on Exercise, found that this move, better than any other, targeted the gluteal muscles. Add ankle weights to make the exercise more challenging and increase repetitions as you get stronger.

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