Get Some Ass!

Photo: Peter Reed, 1980, by Robert Mapplethorpe. (Courtesy of The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation)

Most men who work a 9-to-5 job are literally just sitting on their asses all day. Now, that's not a great way to get that Rafael Nadal bubble butt, is it? We took the matter into our own hands and booked the "Ass Blast" class at DavidBartonGym. Here, our trainer and instructor, Cassandra Ayala, recommends a few basic moves to fill your trunk with some juicy junk.

"Ass Blast is the best way to develop muscle, burn fat, and increase your metabolism in 30 minutes," Ayala says. "I teach the class the way I train myself, and I keep it high-energy and pumping with some kick-ass of music (my fav is Janet Jackson) that motivates you to move and burn some fat. Since I only have a limited time to give the maximum results, I always start with a quick warm up consisting of body weight squats and isometric holds, until your quads and glutes are on fire. Some of my favorite moves consist of:

Glute Kickbacks: "A nice way to isolate and burn out the glutes as much as possible, for optimal growth. Kneeling on a mat, bend at the waist with a flat back and your arms extended underneath your shoulders. The bend of the knees should create a 90deg angle between the hamstrings and the calves. This will be your starting position. From here, lift up your right leg towards the ceiling until your thigh is parallel to the floor, while maintaining that 90deg angle. Contract and squeeze the glutes throughout. Move on to the next leg after each set of reps. Perform 4 set of 30 reps for each leg."

Jump squats: "They target your glutes, abs, calves, hamstrings, and quads --and make for a great cardio workout! Bend your knees down to the squad position, making sure they don't go over the tip of your feet (see illustration, left), then jump up as high as you can. Go back to your position, and repeat. Do 3 sets of 15 reps."

Reverse Lunges: "One of the best exercises for glute activation. For most people, glute development is compromised because of the over activation in your hip flexors. Lunges put you in the perfect position to activate your glutes: Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, begin by reaching one legs back behind, bringing your front knee into a 90deg bend. Really reach back with your stride! The deeper you get into your lunge, the deeper you'll get into your glute. Bring that leg back up, driving your knee up in front of you until you're in a high knee sprint position. Move on to the next leg once recommended reps are completed. This exercise should be performed for 4 set with 20 reps each."

Weighted Tempo Squats:
Equipment: Weighted barbell (20-40 lbs)
"Weighted squats by far are the biggest game-changer. They burn an incredible amount of body fat, and will help you build muscle all over. Start with your feet a little more than shoulder-width apart. By bending at the knees with a flat back, bend down to grab your barbell and lift it up onto your shoulder, so that it's not directly on your spine. Once the bar is comfortably secured on your shoulders and back slowly start to lower your body down as if you were about to sit into a seat, while bending at the knee and pushing your butt back. Make sure you maintain proper form while doing this exercise: Make sure your back is straight, with your chest up, shoulders back and down locked into place, keeping your head up. Once you've come almost parallel to the ground, make your way back up into the starting position by pushing up through your heels. Contract your glutes until you're back in standing position. Perform 4 set with 15 to 20 reps each."

Weighted Glute Bridge:
Equipment: Weighted barbell
"Begin seated on the ground with a moderately-weighted barbell in front of you. Lift the bar up towards you, then lay down flat on the floor. Begin the movement by driving through with your heels, and lifting your hips up towards the ceiling while squeezing and maintaining tension in the glutes. Your weight should be supported by your upper back and the heels of your feet. Extend as far as possible, then reverse the movement back to the starting position. Perform 4 sets with 15 to 20 reps each."

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POST-WORKOUT
"After an intense leg workout, I recommend a cool down with some light dynamic stretching for quick muscle recovery, and to maintain flexibility. Right after that, the first thing I reach for is a protein shake to get some basic nutrients into my body and to avoid becoming catabolic. Making this workout a part of your weekly routine, 2 to 3 times a week, is a sure fire way to get those amazing legs and glutes your friends would kill for. As I always say during class: 'You're here because you want an ass: If you want that ass, build that ass!'"

The "Ass Blast" class is offered once a week at DavidBartonGym. For information on locations and how to sign up, go to DavidBartonGym.com