Great legs and a toned butt are a summer confidence booster and svelte lower half makes you look instantly younger.

Toning up and shedding body fat doesn't just mean exercising more it's also a question of exercising smarter.

Cardiovascular exercise helps burn off calories but the trick is to pick the right ones if you want a great swimsuit shape. Walking fits the bill for raising your heart rate and targeting the key muscle groups you're aiming to tone up.

You need to walk uphill to get the best possible effects. It can be a vritual hill of course - use a treadmill in the gym and set the incline function to around 5-8%. Walk on the treadmill with your arms free just as you would naturally outside.

Or go hill walking in the open air and get quality oxygen intake and vitamin D at the same time.

Use the stairs at home or work and take long strides covering 2-3 steps at a time. The higher and longer the stride the better. Avoid the elevator and take the stairs when you're out and about - in the subway, in stores and shopping malls. Every bit of exercise counts if you do it right.

If you use an elliptical trainer in the gym - don't use the arms. That way every bit of effort is concentrated in your leg and buttock muscles. It's too easy to grab the arms for support and lose some of the impact.

Keep your core muscles drawn in and hold yourself erect when you walk. Make a conscious effort to squeeze your butt when exercising for added toning and tightening effect.

In fact - you can squeeze your butt any old time you like - doing the ironing, sitting reading or working at your pc, in the shower, in a boring business meeting - even in the car!

Regular and often is the key to most exercise routines and walking your way to a better butt is no exception!