SQUATS
"quick and effective way to strengthen your glutes and lower body"
"Okay, so how do we handle this one politely? Gluteus maximus, rear end, tush, gluteals, butt, rump, "the sit" muscles, bottom, buttocks, boo-tay. Nothing really seems to roll off the tongue. Other terms just seem downright improper. Still, no matter how you refer to it, this is one of the largest muscle groups in the body and, for better or worse, one of the biggest reasons people exercise." American Council on Exercise working with exercise scientists at University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse wanted to find out which exercise is the most effective at building the glutes. The study led by John Porcari, Ph.D, and Blake Ristvedt, M.A. used electromyographic (EMG) analysis to compare patterns of eight common gluteal exercises.
The final results yielded no clear winner. It did however confirm that when it comes to effectiveness five other exercises (single-leg squats, quadruped hip extension, step-ups, lunges and four-way hip extensions) are good alternates to the traditional squat.
Bottom line: You need to do lower body exercises routinely but don't restrict yourself to doing squats. Add variety to your workout.
Ace Fitness Matters, January/February 2006