Free-spirited fitness artist Nicole Winhoffer has two dreams for you: To have a life filled with “freedom and magic and happiness,” and to have a slammin’ booty.
Inspired by years of working with world-class performers like Madonna, Winhoffer founded the powerful workout class NW Method, which puts challenging moves to energetic pop songs to create a fun and dynamic, all-over workout.
But Winhoffer will be the first to tell you that she’d choose leg day over arm day any day. Winhoffer paid us a visit at Byrdie HQ to show us three secret weapon moves for shaping, toning, and lifting your rear. With Winhoffer, working out your butt is always a party.
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Side-butt builder
Looking to lift your booty? Here is your move. “This is really good to lift the top muscle of the butt called the medius,” Winhoffer said. “That’s the one that gives you the shelf you can rest your margarita on top of.” Since this move requires side to side motion, it gives your obliques a great workout, too.
1. Start on your knees with your arms at your sides. Place your right hand on the floor about one foot to your right so your arm is outstretched. Place your left hand on your hip so your elbow is bent.
2. Lift your left knee so it’s parallel to the floor, and then kick your leg out to the side, straightening the knee.
3. Bend that knee back, and return it knee to center, dropping both arms.
4. Repeat on the opposite side. Place your left hand about one foot to the side, then lift the opposite knee. Kick that leg out to straighten. Then bend that leg back, and return your knees to center. Repeat for 30 reps.
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Skin tightener and butt shaper
This comprehensive move challenges not only your backside, but your legs and core as well. “The reason why we put our hands on our head is so that we rely just on the legs and butt to do the work,” Winhoffer said. “We’re not just using our arms for balance.”
1. Start on your knees with your arms at your sides. Step your right leg to the side so that your toes face outward and your knee is rotated outward as well. As you do this, bring both hands to your head so that your elbows are bent.
2. Step your left foot to the side so that it mirrors the right in second position.
3. Keeping your hips level with your knees, place the right knee back on the ground. Bring your left knee to the ground, and meet the right in kneeling stance. Drop your arms and repeat. Do so for 30 reps.
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The beetle
When it comes to butts, we’re all going for that perfectly round shape, right? That’s what this move is for. “This hits the butt at all angles, because our asses are circles,” Winhoffer said. “You can’t just do one movement and hit one part of the circle; the circle is a sphere.” This “beetle” focuses on the smaller muscles of the butt at all angles, which we don’t naturally target in everyday life. “So we have to do a little deeper work to make sure our butt is lifted, round, and soft,” she said.
1. Start on all fours. Take your right leg and bend it to hip level. As you do that, place your arms slightly to the left to counteract your right knee as it lifts off the floor.
2. You’ll proceed to straighten your leg out at three levels: high, then bend, middle, then bend, and low. After that, you’ll return to all fours.
3. Repeat on the other side by placing your hands slightly to the right and lifting your left leg up so that it’s bent and parallel to the floor. Straighten the leg at a high level, then bend, middle, then bend, low, then return to center. Repeat for 30 reps.
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