The New Lara Croft: Alison Carroll

The UK receptionist/gymnast Alison Caroll has just been announced as the new face of Lara Croft. No more Angelina Jolie? Not quite, according to the Telegraph:

“But Carroll has not landed a movie role – instead she will promote the new Tomb Raider video game, Underworld, which is released in November. Nell McAndrew found fame as the first Lara Croft model in the 1990s. Carroll will star in TV adverts and travel the world to meet Lara Croft fans.

“This is a fantastic opportunity and I am really looking forward to embracing Lara’s world,” she said. “I still can’t believe they chose me to take on the role of Lara – and I can’t wait to get stuck in. This is my dream job. I have always wanted to be an action hero and hope to be able to use my gymnastic ability to perform all of Lara’s stunts.”

The Perfect Butt Workout

What do one look at to tell if the jeans are hot? The butt! Here are some tips and exercises from Men’s Health that’ll make your butt look hotter in those jeans you adore:

Single-Leg Pelvic Lifts

Lie on your back with your right knee bent, foot flat on the floor. Cross your left leg over your right so your left ankle is resting a few inches above the knee of your right leg. Your arms should be at your sides, with your hands palms-down on the floor.

Now slowly and deliberately lift your pelvis up toward the ceiling. As you lift, clench your butt muscles together. Keep lifting until your back is straight-but not arched. Lower, then repeat. Work up to a maximum of three sets of 20 reps.

Raised-Leg Curls

Get down on all fours on the floor wearing an ankle weight on your left foot. Raise your left leg to about butt level and extend it straight, away from your body and roughly parallel to the floor.

Curl your heel toward your butt until your lower leg is perpendicular to the floor. Keep your thigh parallel to the ground. Your thigh shouldn”t move much-all the movement is done below the knee. Don”t sway your body or arch your back, and concentrate on the contraction in your butt. Do one to three sets of 8 to 12 reps for each leg.

Standing Kickbacks

With an ankle weight on one leg, stand facing a wall, leaning slightly forward so your whole body is in a straight line. Your weight should be shifted to the unweighted leg. Place one or both hands lightly on the wall, just for balance.

Now slowly move the weighted leg back as far as you can, feeling the contraction in your butt. The knee of your weighted leg should be slightly bent. Don”t arch your back or overextend your leg. Hold for a few seconds before lowering. When you”ve done about ten reps, switch the weight to the other leg and repeat the lift again.