Wishing your butt was a little more bootylicious? Borrow from the ballerinas to get a perky, round butt. Bonus — this works out your legs as well.

With blizzards blowing around us and layers of sweaters and jackets to hide the post-holiday pudge, it’s hard to even consider putting on a bikini. But spring is right around the corner — which means short shorts, mini-dresses, and bared shoulders. Get ready for the swimsuit season by trimming your love handles, tightening those thighs, lifting that butt and toning those arms now. You’ll be ready to flaunt your taut physique in no time!

Stand facing a barre, a back of a chair, or something about waist-level that can provide you support. Hold onto it lightly about half an arm’s length away.

• Move your feet into a small first position (heels touch, toes about 3–4 inches apart).
• Tuck your pelvis forward and contract your glutes.
• Bend at your knees so that you form a small diamond shape with your legs.
• Tuck and contract again. With your left leg is still bent during the entire exercise, extend your right leg straight behind you. Try to lift your toes off the ground while holding the contraction and tuck.
• Lift your leg up and up, never letting it come back down. These should be tiny movements as the contraction in your glutes and tucking of your pelvis is preventing you from a wide range of movement.
• Repeat the lifting motion for 30–60 seconds.
• Then, holding your leg completely straight and as high as you can without letting go of the pelvic tuck, pulse it in for 30–60 seconds.
• Then, bending your right knee like you’re trying to kick your butt with your toes pointing at the ceiling, start lifting your toes up, focusing on the contraction of your glutes. Repeat for 30–60 seconds.
• Open your bent leg out to the side (unfortunately, a little like a dog at a hydrant). Lift your leg in and out, making sure your lifted knee never comes further forward than your standing knee. Repeat for 30–60 seconds.

Now do the other leg!

Camouflage it: The easiest way to conceal a less-than-beach-ready bottom half is with a sheer sarong, or cute swim shorts. Otherwise, look for full-coverage bottoms or ones with skirts attached. Many retro-inspired styles cut fuller bottoms that can cover almost as much as tap shorts.

Looking to pump up the volume? A skirted bathing suit with ruffles and ruching can plump up the look of your backside.

Flaunt it: Showcase a perfect butt with Brazilian cut bikini bottoms.

Add in at least half an hour to an hour of cardio every other day to burn off some of that winter padding. Walking is the most joint-friendly, easy way to burn calories as you run daily errands. Jumping-rope for 10 minutes has the same calorie burn as jogging for 30! Try HIIT (high-intensity interval training) to really crank up your calorie-torching potential. With a solid cardio routine, these toning exercises and a clean diet, you’ll be ready to saunter down the beach in your bikini in no time.

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Marcela De Vivo is a freelance writer in the Los Angeles area. Her writing has covered everything from marketing, tech, and real estate, but she has a special love for health & fitness.