Buzz
Take your booty game to the next level with consistent workouts, self-care, and the right moves.
In recent years, full, curvy backsides — often called “badonkadonks” or “donkey butts” — have become a prominent trend in feminine beauty. Celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, and Beyoncé are frequently credited as trendsetters. While genetics play a significant role in your badonkadonk potential, it's definitely possible to enhance and shape your backside through exercise, diet, and fashion choices.
Steps
Building Your Dream Badonkadonk Through Exercise
Concentrate on your glutes. A well-rounded fitness routine that combines cardio with weight training can tone and shape your body, but to really achieve that badonkadonk, you need to focus on your gluteus maximus — the muscle that gives your butt its structure.
- Any movement that propels your body upward targets the glutes. By engaging in specific muscle-building exercises, you can actually make your butt bigger and rounder, stimulating the growth of your glutes.
Incorporate weights into your routine. One of the best ways to develop your glutes (or any muscle) is by lifting heavy weights 2 to 3 times each week. For weightlifting, choose a weight that challenges you, allowing you to complete 5 sets of 5 reps each with proper form.
- Ensure the weights are heavy enough that the final rep of each set feels slow and difficult to perform.
- Some fitness experts believe the traditional 8-12 rep range is outdated, suggesting that fewer reps (no more than 5) with heavier weights may be more effective.
Master the squat. Squats — especially barbell squats — are considered one of the top exercises for shaping a fuller backside. However, before adding weights to your routine, it's important to perfect the basic squat:
- Starting position: Stand tall with your back straight, chest lifted, and head held high, with your chin parallel to the floor. Your feet should be hip-width apart with toes pointing slightly outward.
- Ensure your heels stay flat on the ground and squat to just below a 45-degree angle.
- Lowering down: Maintain that strong posture (straight back, chest out, head up) as you bend your knees and gradually lower your hips. Pushing your knees outward and focusing your weight on your heels may help prevent slouching.
- As you descend, keep your knees from extending past your toes. Imagine a line running across your toes and avoid letting your knees cross it to prevent injury.
- Though people often stop when their legs are bent at a 90-degree angle, aim to squat lower if possible!
- Once at your lowest point, push yourself back up to the starting position, exhaling as you rise, using the strength from your heels.
Perform barbell squats. Hold a barbell across the back of your shoulders, just below your neck, using both arms. Squat down as low as you can without letting your knees pass over your toes. As you rise, contract your glutes by squeezing your butt cheeks together to maximize the work on your glutes.
- Using a squat rack for this exercise is recommended for safety. If you're unsure whether your gym has one, ask an attendant. Gym staff are typically happy to show you how to use the equipment properly.
Explore back-friendly squat alternatives. If you have any back or shoulder issues, consider substituting the barbell squat with dumbbell squats or wide-stance leg presses.
- The dumbbell variation: Hold a heavy dumbbell in each hand as you squat. The dumbbells should rest along the sides of your legs without any special maneuvering. Make sure to keep a solid core and back throughout, as you would with any squat!
- Leg presses: Position yourself on a 45-degree leg press machine, resting your heels on the top outer corners of the platform, with your toes angled outward. A wide-stance leg press will target your glutes more than your quads (upper thighs).
Incorporate weighted lunges. Squats and lunges are considered the two core exercises for building a strong, toned butt. Though lunges can be done without weights, adding them will significantly enhance your results. Here's how to perform the perfect lunge:
- Stand upright with your back straight, chest forward, and chin level with the floor. Keep your feet hip-width apart, with toes pointing straight ahead.
- Step forward with your right leg about 2 feet (0.6 m), lowering your body until both knees form 90-degree angles. Your front shin should remain vertical, and your back knee should hover just above the ground.
- Push off with your left leg to return to the starting position, bringing your right leg back.
- As with squats, be cautious not to let your front knee extend past your toes to avoid injury.
- To add resistance, hold the heaviest dumbbells you can in each hand with your arms straight at your sides as you lunge. You should feel fatigued after 5 reps.
Try plyometric exercises. Plyometric workouts like jump squats, jump lunges, and box jumps will not only help you build muscle but will also elevate your metabolism and help you burn fat. The key is to make each movement explosive. Here's how to perform a jump squat:
- Start by positioning yourself for a regular squat (feet hip-width apart, back straight, chest lifted) and cross your arms over your chest.
- Inhale and squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor, or lower.
- Push off the balls of your feet and leap as high as you can while exhaling.
- Once you land, immediately squat again and jump once more. Repeat the reps based on your fitness level — aim for a set where the last rep feels nearly impossible.
Activate your glutes at every opportunity. Think about how you can activate your glutes during any activity. For instance, if you're running on a treadmill, raise the incline to better engage your legs and, most importantly, your glutes.
- Even while sitting at a desk or standing in line, you can engage your glutes — though you may get some odd stares! Alternate between tightening and relaxing each glute muscle — flex, relax, flex, relax.
Change up your routine regularly. By varying your workouts, you can prevent muscle fatigue and continue to make progress. For instance, work on your arms every 2 or 3 days and alternate them with leg and core exercises.
- Consider low-impact activities like yoga, pilates, or swimming on rest days to give your muscles a break.
- Reader Poll: We surveyed 173 Mytour readers about which fitness classes they'd most like to try, and 57% said they were interested in yoga or pilates. [Take Poll] These classes are great for building strength and toning your body!
Self-Care Tips
Be ready to commit the time. Achieving the popular “badonkadonk” look — a fuller backside paired with a smaller waist — requires dedication. Be prepared to eat clean and exercise every day, even if it's just a little bit.
- Badonkadonk icons Kim Kardashian, J Lo, and Beyoncé all claim to work out for at least 1 hour daily, splitting their sessions roughly between cardio and weight-training.
Always warm up and cool down. It’s essential to warm up before and cool down after exercising. The type of warm-up and cool-down will depend on the exercise you’re doing:
- For cardio, begin with light aerobic activity such as walking or jogging. Cool down with slower jogging or walking, followed by stretching.
- For strength training, perform a cardio activity that targets all your muscles, especially those you’ll focus on that day. Then cool down with slower jogging or walking, and finish with stretching.
Give your muscles time to recover. Muscles need rest to repair and grow. Rest doesn’t mean skipping exercise, but rather alternating your workouts to avoid stressing the same muscles daily, which could lead to injury.
- Pay attention to your body. If you’re feeling sore, tired, or unmotivated, your body might be signaling that it needs a break.
- The frequency of muscle recovery depends on your fitness level. If you're just starting, you might need more rest initially, but as you get stronger, your body will need less recovery time.
Maintain a healthy diet. Research shows that exercise alone isn’t enough to shed pounds. If you’re aiming for a flat stomach alongside your toned backside, healthy eating and plenty of water are key.
- Focus on lean proteins (chicken, fish, legumes), healthy fats (almonds, chia seeds, avocados), fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole, unprocessed foods.
Ensure you're getting enough protein. Protein is crucial for building muscle — to build muscle, you must consume sufficient protein. Studies show that 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram (0.73 grams per pound) of bodyweight each day is ideal for muscle growth.
- Good protein sources include legumes (chickpeas, soy), lean meats (chicken, fish), nuts (almonds, walnuts), and protein shakes (hemp or rice protein powders can increase protein intake without the bloating often caused by dairy-based shakes).
Don't lose too much weight. As you adopt a healthier lifestyle, you might find that you lose weight. That’s great, but make sure you don’t get too slim! A badonkadonk is the opposite of a supermodel physique.
- Forget your worries about flab or cellulite; those who appreciate a badonkadonk care more about size, shape, and how you carry yourself than about how tight your butt is.
- Kim Kardashian, for example, has spoken openly about embracing her “bumpy bits” (cellulite).
Mastering the Art of Flaunting It
Choose jeans that highlight your curves. A key part of flaunting a shapely backside is in how you present it. A pair of well-fitting jeans can make all the difference when it comes to showcasing your badonkadonk.
- Seek out jeans with a Brazilian waistband: a low-rise cut with a short zipper (just a couple of inches long).
- If you have a smaller waist, opt for high-waisted jeans to accentuate the contrast between your waist and hips, giving your badonkadonk more definition.
- Jeans with smaller back pockets or decorative details around the rear can create the illusion of a fuller, rounder backside.
Opt for tight but stretchy pants. Whatever type of pants you choose, make sure they’re made with a stretchy fabric like spandex. The more elasticity, the better.
- This is especially important for jeans, as they should hug your curves without squeezing too tightly or flattening your shape.
Get dresses and skirts tailored to fit. If you have a badonkadonk, finding clothes that fit just right can be a challenge — particularly if you have a small waist. Having your clothes tailored ensures a perfect fit.
- Kim Kardashian, for example, always has her dresses tailored to perfectly “cup” her backside.
Shake it like you mean it! The charm of a badonkadonk is not just in how it looks, but how it moves. With all that exercise, you may already notice a little extra sway in your step!
- Learn how to strut like a diva.
- Try a hip hop or belly dance class — both will teach you how to shake your booty with confidence and help you stay fit at the same time.
Transform Your Butt with This Expert Series
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Achieve a Bigger Butt in Just One Week
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How to Make Your Butt Look Sexy, Perky, and Lifted
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Achieve a Bubble Butt
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Workouts for Sculpted Buttocks
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Shape and Lift Your Butt
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Achieve a Sexy Bikini-Ready Body
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If you’re getting tired of the same old squats, lunges, and plyometric exercises, try mixing things up with moves like glute bridges or kickbacks to help sculpt that perfect badonkadonk.
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Keep in mind, while a fabulous booty may draw initial attention, it’s your personality that will truly leave a lasting impression. So don't stress if you're not rocking a badonkadonk.
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If you’ve got a fuller butt, embrace it and work it with confidence!
Important Considerations
- Always pay attention to how your body feels during exercise. Exhaustion is different from pain, and if you experience pain in your knees, legs, or anywhere else, stop immediately to avoid injury.
- The badonkadonk trend has led some people to opt for butt implants. If you're thinking about any type of plastic surgery, make sure to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon who can provide a portfolio and references. A poorly done implant can cause both disfigurement and discomfort. Plus, when the trend eventually fades, you may be left with something you don’t want!
- Whether you have health concerns or not, always consult with a doctor before starting a new workout routine to ensure it’s safe for you.
