How can I sort out my glutes without getting even skinnier elsewhere? Help!

Hi everyone

I'm 22 with a BMI of about 19. Never had a problem with my actual weight - hate fast food, don't drink much alcohol etc, BUT whilst at university (a couple of years ago now), I got into the habit of eating a LOT of chocolate etc when studying in the evenings.

I'm much healthier now, and whilst my diet isn't perfect it's ten times better than it was at university. I work out a lot - currently training for a half marathon, so am running at least three times a week and sometimes doing other stuff too like swimming. I also walk to work whenever I can (about 30-40 mins brisk walking each way). 

Most of my body is in good shape - I have virtually no excessive fat on my arms, legs or stomach (just working on toning up). Fully clothed I have a great figure, or so people say. I get comments like 'you don't need to work out!'... then they see me in a bikini and are shocked because I have such a flabby bum! It's literally just fat hanging there. If you poke it it's just soft - no muscle tone whatsoever unless I tense my muscles, then it's a bit better.

I'm determined to sort this out but know you can't spot reduce fat. So if I want on a low-fat, weight-loss diet etc I'd surely lose weight all over and get scrawny! 

So what can I do, other than resort to liposuction!? I'd really rather not go down that route but I don't know what I can do... any advice?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

J

Barbell squats, low reps with heavy weight - they'll work your glutes and sort them out.

Here's a blog article by Physio Tom Goom (he posts often on these forums) that might be useful:

http://www.running-physio.com/glutemed/

I've been doing the side-lying abduction exercises for eight weeks and can definietly feel my glutes as having got stronger. I've basically just been doing these, and also some 'bridges'. I tried single limb squats but my hamstrings stiffen too much and then I can't run, but they might be useful for you. I will try them again in a few weeks.

Some other articles say that as side-lying abduction is not a 'functional' exercise for running (ie lying on your side and raising your leg up is biomechanically different from exercising in a running-type position), but I don't believe that - I haven't run much for the last couple of months due to various injuries but I haven't lost any pace that I can see, and feel myself driving forward quite well even at the end of longer runs. I am sure these glute exercises have helped with this. And you can do them while watching TV.

Good luck!

I should point out that Tom's article mentions post-injury rehab a lot, but even if you are not injured they are great exercises to start increasing the size of weak glutes. And also you can do the single limb squat/single leg reach with added dumbells once you have developed some strength (initially I went straight into doing them with dumbells and I crippled my back and hamstrings, but you might be fit enough already if you work out a lot).

Thanks for the advice guys, will have a go and report back!

Weighted lunges. One-legged squats: squat down as far as you can then jump up on that leg. Butt killah.