Five ways to improve your ass & 10 Fall skirts to show off the results

In my experience, there is no body part more immediately responsive to targetted tightening than the ass.

By the same token, there is also no body part that when its owner is left to her own slothful devices is more immediately vulnerable to gravity's pull than this same area.

Not that I would ever adovocate working out for the purpose of looking more attractive for others (by Jove, wouldn't that be a gas!), but here below are five relatively easy-to-stick-to boo-tay-hey exercises I swear by and that have earned me in some very private circles (i.e., with former and current lovers, a few friends' fathers and the day laborers outside the P St. Whole Foods) the reputation for having a fantastic ass.

Without further ado...

Exercise 1: Bathroom squats

After business is taken care of and before you head back to your desk, squeeze in 15 deep-bend squats. If you drink the 96 oz. of water per day you're supposed to, that would accumulate to more than 90 per day.

Exercise 2: Walk up the stairs and flex those cheeks while you do it

Commit to walking up every escalator and when you're not short on time, also opt for the stairs over the escalator or elevator. If you're at home and in casual clothing, try running up the stairs, taking every other stair as you climb.

Exercise 3: Do at least part of your cardio workout uphill/at an incline

The monumental difference between four months ago and now in the highness and tightness of my backside is almost exclusively due to the hilly terrain of MassAve running route. Nothing creates a taut lil' Bieltastic booty like regular uphill walking, running and/or elliptical-ing.

Exercise 4: Superman, baby

It may look silly, but man, does this work. Instead of getting a snack during the second commercial break of "The Hills," why not get down on your floor 8th-grade-gym-class style and do 10 sets of 10 10-second holds?

Exercise 5: Be on top more often and really "go for the gold" while you're up there

If you really need elaboration on this one, feel free to leave a comment to that effect.

Once you've followed my daily regiment for a few weeks and earned that rock-hard pop of ass, you'll want nothing more than to showcase it in one of these for-Fall beauties:

Silk pencil skirt by Castle Starr ($71 at revolveclothing.com)

Luigi skirt by Dallin Chase ($151 at otteny.com)
Plaid mini by Walter ($165 at daszign.com)

Mermaid skirt by What Goes Around... ($230 at activeendeavors.com)*

Herringbone Nina skirt by Esprit ($79.50 at espritshop.com)
Pencil skirt with flip hem by Ted Baker ($265 at urbanminx.com)

High-waisted tweed pencil skirt by Lux ($58 at urbanoutfitters.com)

Belted pencil skirt by Kenneth Cole Reaction ($74 at macys.com)

Liddy mini skirt by Theory ($235 at shopbop.com)*

New Marple knit skirt by DvF ($210 at nordstrom.com)

*your Editrix's top picks