Women have a tendency to store fat in the lower body more than men. Two notorious problem areas are the hips and thighs. The slang word "saddlebags" is used to describe the area between the butt and upper thighs right below the hips.

A brand of stair climber, the StairMaster is a cardio workout machine found in many gyms and homes. It builds cardiovascular endurance while toning and firming lower-body muscles, including your glutes.

While cycling conditions your lower body, reducing hip size depends on shedding excess fat around your hips. For fat-burning workouts, you can perform long low-intensity rides or high-intensity intervals. Spot reduction, however, is a myth. Weight loss will occur in all areas of your body, including your hips.

The gluteus minimus is one of the six hip abductors. It starts on your hip bone and extends out to your upper-thigh bone. This muscle is extremely important for hip stabilization, especially when you are balancing on one leg. To keep your gluteus minimus strong, perform hip abduction exercises.

Although a narrow waist and wide hips are signatures of the feminine figure, some women are genetically inclined to have thicker waists and narrower hips. To achieve a more feminine form, do exercises to sculpt the muscles in the waist, hips and buttocks.

Poor technique and an existing injury or condition such as arthritis can lead to popping in your knees when you squat. Knee popping may also be described as clicking, snapping or grinding; ice, stretching and proper squat technique can help eliminate it.

Osteopenia means low bone density. If you have osteopenia, you may be at risk for developing osteoporosis, a disease that makes your bones more porous and thus weaker. Take steps to increase your bone density, or at least decrease the rate of bone loss, in order to prevent or delay osteoporosis.

Hip flexors are a group of muscles that attaches from your lower spine and upper pelvis to your groin and upper thighs. They can get sore from overuse due to exercise and hyperactivity. This causes the muscles and the connective tissues around the hip flexors to become sensitive, tight and inflamed.

To start, a squat is a basic lower-body exercise performed by bodybuilders, powerlifters, Olympians and regular gym goers alike on a regular basis. Due to the activation of more than one joint and muscle, this exercise is classified as a compound exercise.

The perineal muscle is really a group of muscles located in an area known as the perineum, which is the triangular area between the coccyx and genitalia. The perineum contains several muscles, fascia and skin and is often referred to as the pelvic floor.

Many women think that if their mother did not have a slim, curvy waist then they are also doomed no matter what they do. This is not true. A woman's basic shape cannot be changed but excess fat around the waist is not genetic. Eating more calories than you burn causes fat.

Cracking or popping knees can be an annoyance more than a medical concern, especially when squatting down or bending over. Your knees are lined with cartilage that assists in cushioning your knee joints and allowing for fluidity in the joint when flexed and extended.