Lifestyle | Health & Fitness

Wimbledon 2015: smash your way to a Wimblebum

Lusting after some centre court glutes? Peta Bee explains how lunges, squats and box jumps can give you an ace arse
Tone up like a tennis player (Picture: Alamy)
Alamy
Peta Bee
6 July 2015

It is easy to forget that it’s the tennis we’re supposed to be watching at Wimbledon, to get sidetracked by the glamour, the outfits and, let’s face it, the sheer athleticism of the Grand Slam body.

Tennis has been dubbed the “ultimate body-sculpting workout” by American Vogue and it’s not hard to see why when you catch a glimpse of the hard-worked buttocks on display. All that dynamic lunging and leaping has clearly worked its magic on the gluteal definition of the top male and female players. When it comes to rear view, it is fair to say centre court displays only pertness and tone.

What is encouraging is that you can make strides towards achieving a tennis bum without even picking up a racket. Perform this glute-firming routine three times a week, eventually progressing to do the whole workout two to three times per session for buns of steel.

Clock lunges

Stand with feet hip-width apart. Lunge forward with your right leg, bending the right knee to 90 degrees — imagine that if you were standing in the centre of a clock face, this would be 12 o’ clock. Push back up to standing. Repeat, facing forward but lunging diagonally to 2 o’ clock, then 3 o’clock, 4 o’ clock, and lunging in reverse to 6 o’ clock. Reverse pattern back to start. Switch legs and repeat the series on your left side, going anticlockwise.

Read More

Wimbledon 2015: How to max out on the fun

Wimbledon 2015: How to max out on the fun

Wimbledon order of play 2015: Monday July 6 schedule - Andy Murray, Djokovic, Federer, Serena Williams vs Venus Williams

Wimbledon order of play 2015: Monday July 6 schedule - Andy Murray, Djokovic, Federer, Serena Williams vs Venus Williams

R&A follows Wimbledon by banning selfie sticks from St Andrews ahead of the Open

R&A follows Wimbledon by banning selfie sticks from St Andrews ahead of the Open

Box jumps

Stand in front of a box or step. Bend at the knees and drive explosively upwards, jumping and landing as softly and quietly as you can on the box with your feet flat. Step down and repeat as many times as you can in 40 seconds. Rest for 20 seconds and repeat the entire routine three times.

Rafa Nadal (Picture: EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA)
EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA

Cycle split squat

Get into a lunge position — one foot in front of the other — with both knees bent. Make sure your front knee is directly above the ankle. Bring both arms back as you lower down into a lunge. Explosively, jump off the ground and switch feet in the air. Land softly in a lunge position with your other foot forward. Keep switching at a quick pace. Make sure you keep your chest lifted and swing your arms forward as you jump. Do five jumps per side before swapping.

Bear plank leg lifts

Begin in a plank position with your shoulders positioned directly above your wrists and weight supported by your hands and the balls of your feet. Bend both knees slightly as you bend your left knee to 90 degrees. With a flexed foot, squeeze your glutes and raise your left heel up towards the ceiling as high as you can. Pause, then bring your left knee back to meet your right knee. Repeat for 45 to 60 seconds before switching sides.

Wimbledon celebrity style file

1/35

Tennis ball glute massage

Recommended by top sports physiotherapist Jon Cooke, who works with athletes and tennis players, this post-workout massage will help to release tension in tightened gluteal muscles. Sit on the floor, bend both knees and place your right foot on top of your left knee. Place the tennis ball under the left glute, towards the outside, and transfer all of your body weight onto it. Search for the tight and painful spots and stay on each spot, breathing deeply, until the tightness goes away. Roll around the entire glute area, until you don’t find any more knots, then switch sides.

Bun fight: Serena Williams (Picture: EPA/SEAN DEMPSEY)
EPA/SEAN DEMPSEY

Single leg deadlift

You can do this with or without a weight, depending on your fitness. Stand on your right leg, holding the weight in your left hand if you use one. Engage the abdominal muscles and lean forward from the hips, keeping you back straight and your right knee slightly flexed. Extend your left leg behind you in a straight line. Keep the weighted arm straight, allowing it to hang downwards. Bend until your back is parallel to the floor. Squeeze the buttock muscles and return to the start position. Repeat six times on one leg before switching sides.