Achieve a bottom like Kim Kardashian with tips and exercises from her personal trainer
EVER wondered how Kim Kardashian keeps her famous bum in shape?
It’s all thanks to her — who reckons YOU can do it too.
She says: “I’ve learned that the body can surprise you.”
Before Kim got in touch in 2017, Melissa was working as a waitress in New York.
But she had built up a cult following online chronicling her own four-year process of losing 5st and gaining muscle. Even so, she was shocked when one of Kim’s team called to ask if she might be interested in training her in LA.
Melissa says: “It’s like a series I’d watch on Netflix. I was poor and struggling and thought that would be my life for ever. However, Kim gave me the opportunity, and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
The 35-year-old now trains Kim, 39, up to six days a week. The reality star has written the foreword to Mel’s first book, Fit Gurl:The Total-Body Turnaround Program.
In it, she says: “We work out at 6am every day. I feel so much more energised going into my day after my workout.”
Melissa, who is married to personal trainer Victor, says: “We get a good sweat on. Kim loves training.”
Seven years ago Melissa had just given birth to her daughter Bella. She had suffered post-natal depression, couldn’t shift the pregnancy weight and years of partying had taken a toll on her body.
She started working out in her kitchen. Slowly but surely, the intense exercise took effect, which she chronicled on Instagram.
Melissa says: “I’ve learned through hard work and by changing my mind-set that the body can surprise you in many ways.
"There are people who have to work harder than others but we can all make progress. For some it might take longer.”
Melissa’s training schedule is hardcore. She says: “I’d love to say you’ll get the body of your dreams by just doing 12 squatting lunges a day, but that won’t happen. To make a difference, you have to feel the pain. The last five reps of any exercise should be a struggle. It will get easier.”
Yet no matter how much you train, eating well is the key to long-term success. Melissa says: “So many of us reward ourselves with food, it’s how we’re raised. People often go wrong because they think to lose weight, food has to be plain and boring. But if you eat salad for five days you’ll get bored and give up.”
Melissa’s diet includes protein such as lamb, salmon and chicken, as well as complex carbohydrates like brown rice.
Her book includes recipes for ground turkey kofta, beef and broccoli, classic nicoise and mushroom frittata and she says: “I want people to end the yo-yo lifestyle and create physical and mental habits that work long-term. Deprivation isn’t sustainable.”
To get an amazing butt like Kim’s, Melissa says it is important to be aware of anatomy. She adds: “A lot of people are quad (thigh) dominant from all the walking we do, so if you do lots of lunges or squats you’re using your quads."
“What you need to do first is create a better mind/muscle connection. In the early days of training, I’d suggest exercises such as hip thrusts and kick-backs to activate those different muscles first, then move on to lunges and squats.”
Here, she shows you the steps to a better bod.
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KICK BACK
Body part: Legs and bum
Equipment: Body weight
FOCUS on leading with your heel, kicking the bottom of your foot at the ceiling.
These should be done at a dynamic pace so you feel the burn, but always with control.
HIP THRUSTS
Body part: Legs and bum
Equipment: Resistant band
START by placing the edge of a bench right below your shoulder blades, put your feet wider than hip-width apart and align your head with your back.
Tuck in your chin and keep your eyes forward. Move only your hips as you perform a scooping motion on the way up.
BANDED CRAB
Body part: Legs
Equipment: Resistant band
PLACE the band right above your knees and get into a chair position (lower part of the squat). Keep your chest out and back straight.
Now take a step to the side and forward, and follow with your other foot, continuing this pattern.
JUMPING JACK
Body part: Full body (cardio)
Equipment: Body weight
KEEP your eyes looking straight ahead. Your arms and legs move together and open up. Make sure to keep your chest out the entire time – don’t just swing your arms.
Your goal is to control the movement and land smoothly and almost silently.
HIP-UPS
Body part: Legs and bum
Equipment: Resistant band
PLACE your feet on the floor and drive your hips up while keeping your shoulder blades flat on the floor. Exhale on the way up and squeeze your core.
Look straight ahead the entire time, while keeping your chin tucked.
ALTERNATING KNEE TO ELBOW
Body part: Abs
Equipment: Body weight
GET into a plank position. Round your upper back and tuck your butt in. Now bring your right knee to your left elbow, and vice versa.
Exhale as you bring your knee to your elbow and inhale as it moves back.
HIGH KNEES
Body part: Full body (cardio)
Equipment: Body weight
THIS looks like a leg exercise but it’s a really killer core movement.
Start in the standing position and bring one knee to hip level, then switch legs with power and control while switching your arms along with them.
SQUAT-LUNGE-SQUAT-LUNGE
Body part: Legs
Equipment: Body weight
START with your feet slightly wider than hip width apart and move down as upright as possible while bringing your hips parallel with the ground.
Stay low and look straight ahead. Lunge backward with a strong 90- degree angle at the knee. Repeat squat and lunge with other leg.
IN AND OUT ABS
Body part: Abs
Equipment: Body weight
START in the plank position. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, tuck your butt in and bring your feet together.
Drive your knees and feet forward towards your chest, land softly and jump right back. Keep your reps nice and smooth.
AIR SQUAT
MOST READ IN FABULOUS
Equipment: Body weight
KEEP your chest up nice and high, with your weight in your heels.
Get a bit lower than 90 degrees and really push yourself off the ground to work that booty, moving fluidly.
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