Bret Contreras - Strong Curves: A Womans Guide to Building a Better Butt and Body

First Published in 2013 by Victory Belt Publishing Inc.

Copyright 2013 Bret Contreras and Kellie Davis

All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher.

ISBN 13: 978-1-936608-14-0

This book is for educational purposes. The publisher and authors of this instructional book are not responsible in any manner whatsoever for any adverse effects arising directly or indirectly as a result of the information provided in this book. If not practiced safely and with caution, working out can be dangerous to you and to others. It is important to consult with a professional fitness instructor before beginning training. It is also very important to consult with a physician prior to training due to the intense and strenuous nature of the techniques in this book.

RRD 01-13

Strong Curves: A womans Guide to Building a Better Butt and Body was written with the needs of women in mind, but the Strong Curves workout program can also greatly benefit men. Women arent the only ones who have weak and underactive glutesmen do as well. Ive used all of the methods in this book with male clients, and whether they were retirees or professional athletes, each one saw incredible improvements in strength, physique, and mechanics.

The mainstream male workout programs do not adequately strengthen the glutes through their full range of motion. If youre a man and you purchased this book, dont pass it along to the woman in your life without giving the program a try. I believe that most men should stick to the Strong Curves Program as well. After all, its very similar to the way I regularly train.

Since Lou Shuler and I wrote The New Rules of Lifting for Women in late 2007, women have finally begun to understand and embrace the fact that lifting heavy weights does not make us big and bulky and will not turn us into men.

Instead, todays women recognize that getting under the bar, so-to-speak, and lifting, pressing, and/or pushing heavier weights than they ever thought possible actually makes their bodies look the way they really want them to lookstrong, sexy, and lean. Lifting weights gives us a feeling of empowerment and strength when so many parts of our lives are still minimized or weakened. So, women are now freely stepping away from the treadmill and moving into the weight room, which was formerly a taboo place for us. (As a teenager, I remember being the only woman in the weight room; I hated cardio machines but loved the feeling that lifting weights gave me. If I ever saw another woman in there, I made her my new best friend because we were the only ones aware at that time of this great secret.)

With Strong Curves , Bret has moved past the need for convincing women to lift. Instead, hes put together a book that shows women how to lift weights in a way that makes all of their curves stand out. And trust me, theres nothing pink or little about anything in this program.

Bret is one of the most intelligent, wise, and in-tune guys Ive ever met. He doesnt have to interview other people to get the answers he needs; he already knows it because he has the amazing ability to synthesize research and real-world information into something we can all use. And he does it with style. He may be a man, but he knows what womens bodies need in order to look and feel great, and its far from guesswork. He understands the mechanics of the female body in a way that not many people will ever grasp, and he knows how to translate this information into directions and explanations that all women will understand, not just fellow science nerds.

As you will read, Bret spent years building great glutes in women, and he developed and marketed the hip-thrust and glute-bridge exercises. But then, he did something not many people could or would do: He tested it using credible scientific methods (EMG). Youd be hard-pressed to find any trainer who puts his or her money where their mouth is, but Bret did. This is why you should and will trust that Brets methods work and that this program isnt just something he threw together to get his name on a published book.

Bret also isnt just some new kid on the block. In his 36 years on this planet, he has accomplished and learned more than most of us put together. He isnt just a workaholic; hes a help-aholic. His experiences in the real world and in the lab have helped hundreds, if not thousands, of women to transform their glutes to perfection and the rest of their bodies into something that other women envy and work to duplicate. The good news is that with Brets help, these inquisitive women can and do duplicate the results.

Every woman can take part in the program that Bret has outlined in Strong Curves , which he co-authored with the lovely, talented, and outstanding writer, Kellie Davis. He and Kellie didnt write this book only for the super strong, the ultra skinny, the childless, or unmarried. This program can easily be followed by your sister, your mother, your niece, and beyond. In fact, Im taking on this program myself and loving every second of it. Why? Because it makes me feel strong, capable, and beautiful, and its written in a way thats easy to comprehend, thanks to Brets extensive research and Kellies relatability.

For me, a nice booty has been a long-time goal. I was a gymnast in my younger years (not anything spectacular, but I gave it my best), and I always admired women who had well-muscled bodies, including a fantastic, round butt. Thankfully, I was blessed with a backside (you can look at my mom to know what I mean), but without exercise, it wasnt a backside I wanted anyone to see, especially not in a bikini. It was droopy and flabby, and it definitely produced some saddle bags in my jeans. So, I made it my goal to make my butt perky, pretty, and rock solid. Like Bret, I looked for all the ways to make my butt round and gorgeous. I squatted, I leg-pressed, I lunged, I stepped-up, I leg-curled, I deadlifted. In fact, I trained my legs and butt more than any other body part because I wanted and needed them to improve. And they did, but they still werent solid. It wasnt until I started glute-bridging and hip-thrusting that my glutes started to look like the ones I admired in the fitness magazines. I finally realized that I was definitely missing these movements in my former training programs.

Now, Im training with Bret full-time (after all, hes the glute expert), and Im so impressed with not only his methods, but also his coaching. Hes an amazing coach who knows how to help a woman set goals, challenge herself, reach new heights, and, of course, build the body (and booty) of her dreams. Youre going to get all of this with the Strong Curves Program .

Youre going to feel your glutes like youve never felt them before, and youre going to love that the rest of your body will follow suit. In other words, youll see the body transformations that youve always wanted. Why? Because youll finally be training the areas that need the most attention but never get it. Trust me; Ive been training for as long as I can recall, hitting the gym at age fifteen, and this program is the perfect complement to The New Rules of Lifting for Women .

As Bret and Kellie state, they wrote this book with a long-term vision in mind. This isnt meant to be a routine that you follow for only a month; its a way of training forever. They address everything women need to know about training, eating, and living a strong, healthy life. From cellulite, to pelvic floor strength (can you say Kegels?), to pregnancy, Bret lays it on the line. Both Kellie and I have had babies, and we both know how important strength training is for pregnancy and post-partum. And youll learn just how amazing the training is for not only your body, but also for your mind and your soul. Being strong in the gym brings strength to all areas of your life, including your job, your marriage, your role as a parent, and your friendships with others (with a strong booty to complement it all).