Put your "rear in gear" with these great exercises

When it comes to muscle groups, the glutes are the largest and the strongest. They're also one of the most popular "problem areas" and people are often looking to reduce, enhance, or or tone to create a beautiful bottom.

The gold standard for working the backside has long been the squat, done in a standing position, bending knees like you were sitting in a chair. But the American Council on Exercise recently reviewed other exercises using EMG technology to measure muscle activity. They've identified four good alternatives to the squat:

• quadruped hip extensions
• step-ups
• lunges
• four way hip extensions

So now when you're working that butt, you've got plenty of choices! To read more about the study and to see the exercises in pictures, go here.