Three Ways to a Bikini Ready Booty

By Lara Rosenbaum

Just as all roads once led to Rome, there are several ways to sculpt a beautiful bikini booty. In fact, if you combine different workout methods and exercises, you'll be able to completely strengthen and tone your glutes from different angles and keep your mind and muscles engaged. Your body actually needs variety to keep improving, or else it adapts and your fitness results plateau.

Steal these secrets from Los-Angeles-based trainers Cindy Whitmarsh and Ashley Marriott, and get your booty ready for the beach.

For visible results in 6 weeks, Whitmarsh recommends:

Steering clear of excess sugar and fatty food and incorporating 30 to 40 minutes of cardio into your routine four to five times a week. Performing the following exercises every other day:

Get Classic: There's no denying plain Jane Fonda was anything but. When it came to glutes, Jane had it going on. Basic strength-training exercises and calisthenics go a long way in shaping up a saggy bottom. Whitmarsh loves lunges for creating 'lift,' along with this one-legged, pulsing bridge exercise she demonstrates in her Quick Fix Butt Lift video, on Exercise TV. "I love this exercise because it's effective, non-impact and anyone can do it," Whitmarsh says. "Keeping the weight in your heel as you pulse makes you properly engage your glutes, so there is zero chance of injury!

Get Balletic: It's no secret that dancers have fantastic gams. "Ballet exercises are great for sculpting lean muscle, improving posture, balance, stability and flexibility," Marriott says. Plie squats (squats with the toes turned out) target the outer sides of glutes and thighs, and Arabesque lifts-like Marriott performs in her Ballet Butt video on Exercise TV-add an extra boost to the same area. "The move has you up on your toes on the standing leg, which works the calf muscles, too," Marriott says. "Pulsing with the opposite leg also creates a peak contraction in the glutes, making them work just a bit harder."

Marriott suggests holding the 'pulsing' leg up for 10 to 20 seconds each lift (as you get stronger), and incorporating the exercise into your strength routine three to four times a week. For an extra balance challenge and increased calorie burn, stand on one leg and perform the exercise without holding onto a chair or anything for support.

Get Off the Ground: Plyometrics or jumps build athleticism because training your fast-twitch muscle fibers helps increase your power. Whitmarsh likes them because they add variety to a workout, and the added intensity revs your heart rate to help burn more calories. "If you ever hit a plateau, plyometric training is a great way to spice up your workout, but the jumping action also helps to quickly shape glutes," Whitmarsh says.

Finally, try Butt of Course with Jillian Michaels to add jumps to basic lunges and power up the exercise and your calorie burn.

*Download and own Butt of Course and 14 of Jillian's favorite mini workouts for FREE by clicking HERE.