You would probably call it the “confidence stealer”, a type of fat commonly found on the butt and thighs – cellulites. Cellulites are the fat deposits below the connective tissue, pushing upwards, towards our top layer of skin. It affects about 80% of all women and most men, however, don’t suffer as frequent from the appearance of cellulite.
Why does cellulite be more common in women than in men? It is because men have a crisscross skin structure while woman’s skin collagen is arranged in parallel rows like pillars. This pattern lends itself to the compartmentalization of fat, which makes cellulite visible.
How to Get Rid of Cellulite?
To name a few, cellulite adorns your buttocks for a variety of reasons: genetics, poor circulation, inactivity, and hormones. Being overweight definitely makes you more prone to have an abundance of cellulite on your behind. You may reduce the appearance of cellulite if you’re currently overweight. Losing weight will shrink your fat cells and reduce your body fat.
If you’re truly overweight, the other things you can do to reduce the appearance of cellulite is strength training. Strength training is the best way to reduce the appearance of cellulite, and it costs nothing. When you build nice, firm muscle underneath your skin, it will fill the space with solid structure and create a smoother surface.
This means, the more muscle means the more fats to burn, and more fats to burn means fewer fats to produce cellulite. So shed any extra weight that may be aggravating your cellulite, but then focus on practical solutions like the 10 best strength training exercises that will firm you up head-to-toe.
10 Best Exercise to Reduce Cellulite
The 10 exercises focus on the most cellulite-prone areas of your lower body, including the glutes and thighs. These exercises target stubborn cellulite and get rid of cellulite fast:
- Donkey Kicks
To perform: Bend your right knee and lift your right thigh, so it’s parallel to the floor. Maintain a 90-degree bend at the knee joint. From this position, kick the right sole of your foot up slightly higher as you squeeze your butt. Keep your abs contracted and avoid hitching up through your whole right side, focusing on making the movement come from your glutes. Do up to 20 reps on each leg.
- Standing Hip Extension
T perform: Stand and hold onto a chair or pole. Bend your right knee, so the shin is parallel to the floor. Press your right heel back as you squeeze your glutes. To make this move more challenging, use a cable machine or anchor a resistance band around a sturdy pillar or in a doorway and loop the other end around the bottom of your right foot. Kick backward against the resistance. Do 15 to 20 reps per leg.
- Single-leg Hip Raise
To perform: Lie face up on the floor with your left knee bent and your right leg straight. (Your right leg should be in line with your left thigh.) Now try to make your stomach as skinny as possible and hold it that way.
Squeeze your glutes and raise your raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. (Your left leg should stay elevated the entire time.) Pause for 2 seconds, as you keep your tummy tight and continue to squeeze your glutes. Then lower back to the starting position and repeat. Key pointer: Your torso and hips should move as one unit. So the arch in your lower back should remain the same from start to finish.
Take note, if that’s too hard then do the same movement, but with both feet on the floor.
4.V-Leg Pull
To perform: When going through these moves, keep your back flat on the floor; do not arch your lower back or twist your torso. If thebalance is a problem, lie next to a chair and hold on to one of its legs for support.
- LungeStanding with your feet together, hold dumbbells down at your sides with palms facing in. Take one big step forward with your right leg. Plant your right foot, then slowly lower your left knee toward the floor. Your right knee should be at a 90-degree angle, and your back straight. Press into your right foot, and push yourself back to the starting position. Repeat with your left leg.
Follow with a standing quadriceps stretch: Standing straight, gently pull your right foot toward your butt. Repeat with the left leg.
Variation: Side Lunge
- Start standing with legs slightly wider than shoulder-distance apart and toes pointed forward.
- Shift your bodyweight to one leg, bending the knee until it reaches a 90-degree angle and the other leg is straight. Glutes are pressing back behind you. Return to center and switch sides.
- Dumbbell Squat
To perform: Stand with your back to a chair and your feet about shoulder-width apart. Hold dumbbells down by your sides, palms facing in. Keeping your back straight, bend from the knees and hips as though you are sitting down. Don’t let your knees move forward over your toes. Stop just shy of touching the chair, then stand back up.
Follow with a lying hamstring stretch: Lying face up, with legs extended, use a towel or rope to pull each leg in toward your chest. Don’t lock your knee.
- Burpees
To perform: Start standing and place your hands on the ground and jump your legs backward until they are fully extended. Quickly jump your legs back towards your hands. Stand up quickly and jump with hands raised up to the ceiling. Repeat immediately when you land the jump. Do this for 30 seconds.
This exercise is difficult but be very careful. You should be able to pass some basic strength and mobility tests before considering burpees.
- Scissors PressTo perform: Tie an exercise band loosely just above your knees. Lie on your back with your arms down at your sides, and extend both legs straight up directly above your hips; your feet should be spread wide enough that the band is taut. Slowly open your legs as far as you can. Pause when the tension becomes too great to pull any farther, then slowly close back to the starting position.
Follow with a lying figure-four stretch. Lying faceup, cross your right ankle over your left knee, and pull your left leg (from behind the thigh) toward your chest. Switch legs.
- Squats
To performStarting position: Stand with your feet placed at shoulder width, with your toes pointing out slightly. Stretch your arms out. Keep your head up and maintain a straight back throughout the exercise.
- Lower your upper body by bending your knees and hips.
- Continue until the angle between upper leg and calve becomes slightly less than 90 degrees.
- Push off the floor by using your quads to get back to starting position.
- Repeat this process as often as it is mentioned in your workout routine.
Variation: Sumo Jump Squats
Starting position: Standing with your feet placed more than shoulder width and your toes pointing out slightly. Throughout the exercise, you have to keep your head up and maintain a straight back.
- Lower your upper body by bending your knees and hips. Keep your hands together in front of your body.
- Continue until the angle between upper leg and calve becomes slightly less than 90 degrees Now, your hands should touch the floor.
- Jump up as high as you can and land in the starting position.
- Repeat this process as often as mentioned in your workout routine.
- Glute Kickbacks
To perform: Kneel on the floor or on an exercise mat with your arms extended, placed at shoulder width and rectangular to your torso. Throughout the exercise, calve and hamstring should be at a 90-degree angle to each other.
- Perform the movement by lifting your leg until the hamstring is in line with your back.
- Return to the starting position and repeat the motion with the other leg.
- Repeat this process as often as it is mentioned in your home workout routine.
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