Gym? Never heard of it. Just kidding . . . but in all honesty, you don't always have to hit the gym to get in a good workout. If you're looking for something quick that will really fatigue your muscles, this butt and ab workout is what you need.
Strengthening your abs and glutes isn't just about looks (if that's what you're here for, no problem). The muscles that make up your core protect your internal organs, support the muscles of your spine (helping you maintain an erect posture) [1], and are activated every time you pick up something, sneeze, go to the bathroom, and breathe.
Your glute muscles are equally important. Strong glutes will make your butt look great in vintage Levi's [3], but they play a bigger role. Having glutes that activate [4] will also help in your day-to-day activities, prevent dormant butt syndrome [5], and ensure that your glutes are firing while performing exercises like squats and deadlifts and when running.
This workout doesn't have to be one-and-done. Do these five exercises together as part of your warmup [6] to ensure that your glutes and core are ready to work before lifting and running.
The Bodyweight Butt and Abs Workout
Complete three rounds of the following workout. As soon as you finish one exercise, transition to the following move. If you need a break, take a short rest in between each exercise.
- Dead bug: 10 reps each leg
- Single-leg bridge: 10 reps each leg
- Plank with clamshell: 10 reps each side
- Fire hydrant: 10 reps each leg
- Side-plank crunch: 10 reps each side
Dead Bug
- Lie on your back with a neutral spine and your hips and knees at right angles with your palms pressed into your thighs just above your knees.
- Pull your abs to your spine, keeping your ribs and pelvis still as you lengthen your right arm and leg out until they are almost parallel to the floor. Keep your torso and spine completely stable as the arm and leg move.
- Return to the starting position, and repeat on the left side to complete one rep.
- Complete 10 reps.
Single-Leg Bridge
- Lie on your back and place your hands on the floor for stability as you bend one leg and lift the other leg off the ground.
- Pressing your heel into the floor, lift your pelvis up, keeping your body in a stiff bridge position.
- Slowly lower your body to the floor. This completes one rep.
- Complete 10 reps on each side.
Plank With Clamshell
- Lie on your left side with knees slightly bent and your elbow underneath your shoulder.
- Press into your bottom forearm to lift the hips as high as possible, keeping your abs engaged.
- Raise your top knee to open the thighs like butterfly wings, then slowly lower the knee, completing one rep. The move is similar to the clam [8].
- Complete 10 reps on each side.
Fire Hydrant
- Start on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips.
- Keep your right knee at a 90-degree angle as you slowly raise your leg to the right until it is parallel to the ground. Avoid lifting your right hip, as you should keep both hips squared toward the floor.
- With control, lower your leg back to the ground.
- This completes one repetition.
- Complete 10 reps on each side.
Side-Plank Crunch
- Begin in a side elbow plank with your left elbow down and your right hand behind your head.
- Keeping your torso stable and your waist lifted, bring your right leg up toward your shoulder to lightly tap your right elbow.
- Lengthen your right leg back to the starting position to complete one rep.
- Do 10 reps on each side to complete a set.