I have a quick bodyweight workout for you today that’s all about the BOOTY! I am on a mission to build back my backside post-baby and I thought you guys might want to join in the glute strengthening fun! 😉
So what we’ve got is five exercises that you’ll do 20 reps of (all but one movement will be 10 reps each side) for a total of 100 reps per round. You can do one round and tack this onto another workout for a little extra glute work or you can do multiple rounds for a glute focused workout.
Keep reading for photos and instructions for each exercise. I’ve also got a video for you with demos of each of the five movements and their scaling options.
BODYWEIGHT BOOTY WORKOUT: SUMO SQUATS
The first movement is a sumo squat. Take your squat stance wider than the hips and turn the toes out. Press the knees back as you drive your butt back. Try to touch the ground with your fingertips. You can stand up, fully extending the hips at the top, or you can jump up, exploding out of the legs.
Do 20 reps total.
BODYWEIGHT BOOTY WORKOUT: SINGLE LEG REACH + KNEE LIFT
Shift weight to one leg and soften your knee. Start to hinge at the waist and lean forward. Keep the spine long and the back flat as you reach your opposite hand down towards the ground in front of you. You don’t need to touch the ground here. Keep your hips square as you send the extended leg straight back behind you. Really ground down into the heel on the standing leg and engage your glute and hamstring to stand back up.
If you want more lift the knee toward the chest as you come up to stand.
Do 10 single leg reaches on each side.
BODYWEIGHT BOOTY WORKOUT: LUNGE WITH KNEE DRIVE
Do a backward stepping lunge and as you come up, drive the knee up into the chest. In your lunge, be mindful to keep your front knee over your front toes and you’d shoulders over your hips. Take a short step back so that you’ve got a 90-ish degree bend in each of your legs.
If you want to take it up a notch, make it a propulsion lunge and jump as you drive the knee up.
Do 10 of these on each leg.
BODYWEIGHT BOOTY WORKOUT: DONKEY KICK PLANK
Start in a high plank with shoulders stacked over wrists and a straight body line from head to heels. Gaze is between your hands. Don’t drop your head down! Lift one leg and bend the knee at 90 degrees. Flex your foot and lift and lower your knee, reaching through the heel towards the ceiling as you do so. Big squeeze up top!
Do 10 donkey kicks on each side.
BODYWEIGHT BOOTY WORKOUT: HIP/GLUTE LIFT + REACH
This is such a good one. I love it because you think it’s going to burn on the leg you are working but then you totally feel it in the opposite glute as it works to stabilize you. I learned this one last year when I took The Class by Taryn Toomey in NYC.
You start on all fours and drop down to the opposite forearm of the leg that is moving. Bring it parallel in front of you. Float the working knee off the ground and flex your foot.
First lift the knee straight out to the side, still flexing your foot. You’ll really feel this in your outer hip.
Then press strong through your heel and straighten the leg. Retrace your steps back to the starting position with knee hovering.
Do 10 on each side.
BODYWEIGHT BOOTY WORKOUT: VIDEO DEMO
BODYWEIGHT BOOTY WORKOUT: PINNABLE GRAPHIC
Okay! Enjoy and report back if you try it. I am getting back to posting more workouts so stay tuned. I got dumbbells and a kettlebell for Christmas and I commit to actually using them…that would probably help my #glutegoals.
Do you have a current strength training focus?
More glute-focused workouts:
Barbell and Resistance Band Workout for the Glutes and Whole Body
Cardio, Glute and Core Workout
Legs on Fire Cardio Strength Workout
Fired Up Squat Workout
5 of the Best Exercises for Glute Activation
I’m going to try to work a lot of these into my routine! I recently had a quad injury that kept me from running a race I’d been training hard for. My chiro suggested working on my glute strength to avoid overworking my quads.
I’m so sorry to hear about your injury! Yes, quad dominance is so common. You want to get your glutes to activate before you start strengthening them. One way I’ve learned to do that is to lie down on the ground with my hands under my butt. Focus on squeezing one butt cheek WITHOUT engaging the quad. Your quad should stay relaxed. It’s really hard and if you can’t do it, you know your glutes aren’t firing. Keep working that drill until you can engage the glute without the quad flexing. Then try engaging and releasing and really making sure that connection is working. THEN start the strengthening work. Start your glute work with that drill. Does that make sense!?
OK not to get off topic, but did you ever do a recap of your experience with The Class? I’m obsessed with Taryn and NEED to take it next time I visit NYC!
My current strength training focus is upper body…I feel like no matter what I do I just have wimpy arms!
Hey Erin – no I didn’t but it was probably one of my favorite group fitness experiences of all time. It was so wild but so immersive and amazing all at the same time. I cannot wait to go back! I’ve even thought about doing one of her retreats or workshops!
Same!! They just released their upcoming Retreatment schedules and I’m always toying with going to the one-day sessions in California, since it’s the closest to me in Phx. Bucket list for sure! <3
Thanks for sharing! I too lost my backside post-baby. Its just so hard to find time to get away to a gym for weightlifting when I can step out my front door and go running. I’ve been looking for glute work that wasn’t just squats and lunges so this is perfect!