Sliding reverse lunge, step one: Stand with one foot on the floor and the other on a slider, paper plate or Frisbee.

Sliding reverse lunge, step two: Extend the leg on the slider back into a lunge position. Slide back up into place. Do the desired amount of reps on one leg and then switch to the other side. It’s important to keep your front knee from going past your toe while you lunge

Lateral band walk, step one: Stand with an exercise band around your ankles, your legs slightly wider than your hips and your legs in a semi-squat position.

Lateral band walk, step two: Maintaining the squat, step sideways, leading with your heel so that you’re nearly pigeon-toed. Continue to walk that way until you’ve done the desired amount of reps, and, maintaining the squat, reverse your direction and walk back the same number of steps.

Hip raises: Step one of two: While lying on the floor, bend your knees and put your palms flat beside you.

Hip raises, step two: Slowly bring your hips upward until you’re in a bridge position. Lower back down slowly, being careful not to bounce.

If there’s one body part that’s a pain in the rear end for nearly any woman it’s her, well, rear end.

Butts can come in all shapes and sizes, but no matter the dimensions, it’s not the easiest piece of the anatomy to keep toned, being that it is a large fat mass, hence the name “gluteus maximus.”

But Natalie Baumchen has a few ideas to help get your glutes in gear. Baumchen is an ACE certified personal trainer, an AFAA certified group fitness instructor, and in between training and teaching, she’s also getting her master’s degree in exercise physiology from Kansas University. When she finds time she also blogs about fitness and health at http://followmyfitsteps.com.

Baumchen works as a trainer part-time at Body Boutique, 2330 Yale Road, and says she always loved fitness, though she wasn’t always certain she wanted it to be her full-time occupation until she got to KU.

“I’ve always been really interested in health and fitness. My family was big on exercise and nutrition growing up and so I think it stuck with me,” says the Lawrence native and Free State High grad. “I started out in business at KU and after one semester, I was like, ‘I know I want to be in fitness.'”

After earning her master’s Baumchen says she may go on to get a doctorate, or take what she’s learned in a completely different direction — health and fitness writing. All she knows is that she wants to keep fitness in her life.

“I really like training and I’m enjoying research, so I’m hoping that by the time I graduate, I’ll solidify what I really think what I want to do,” she says.

To work your glutes, Baumchen suggests three exercises that are easily done at home with little or no equipment: sliding reverse lunges, a lateral band walk and hip raises.

Baumchen recommends beginners start with three sets of 10 to 12 reps for each exercise for beginners. More advanced exercisers can up the number of reps or sets or hold dumbbells while doing the first two moves to make it more difficult.

As for the tools for each move, Baumchen says they’re cheap and easy to get. You can buy sliders used to move furniture, paper plates or even Frisbees in place of official fitness sliders for the first move. For the second move, Baumchen says you can get an exercise band cheaply online. You can buy one that’s either already a tight circle, or create one by tying together a short open-ended exercise band.

For those wanting to get in a bit of extra rear end work, Baumchen says not to underestimate the power of the little things. She recommends taking steps two at a time, ramping up the incline on your treadmill and/or running hills to give your glutes some extra attention.