Kelsey Wells's 20-Minute Bodyweight Butt and Leg Workout
Focus on Your Butt and Legs With This 6-Move, 20-Minute Bodyweight Strengthening Workout
We love going to the gym and doing barbell squats and other weighted exercises, but we also love training at home. If you feel the same, you've got to try this 20-minute lower-body bodyweight workout from Kelsey Wells, a NASM-certified trainer and the creator of the PWR programs on the Sweat app.
Wells has a way of making short and quick workouts feel like you spent an hour going hard at the gym, and this one does not disappoint. It was inspired by her new PWR Zero Equipment workout program and was designed to help strengthen your legs. (And yes, you'll feel it working your glute muscles as well!) If you don't want to spend a lot of time training but want a workout that's effective and will help you get stronger, this is for you. Grab some water and maybe a towel (it's going to get intense), and get ready to work your lower body.
Kelsey Wells's 20-Minute Bodyweight Leg and Butt Workout
Directions: Before getting started, Wells recommends doing three to five minutes of cardio, such as jogging in place or skipping, to increase your heart rate and warm up your muscles for your workout. After the cardio warmup, Wells recommends performing dynamic stretches such as leg swings, arm circles, and torso twists. These movements will help increase your range of motion and reduce your risk of injury.
This workout is broken up into three parts: a superset, a circuit, and an optional burnout. You'll complete three rounds of the superset, taking little to no rest in between each exercise. After the superset, you'll advance to the circuit. Each exercise should be completed for 50 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of rest. Take 30 seconds of rest after each round, completing a total of four rounds. Take one minute of rest after the circuit, and either cool down or complete the optional burnout.
Be sure to cool down after the workout with three to five minutes of walking to lower your heart rate to normal levels. Wells also recommends completing static stretches, holding for 20 seconds or longer to increase your flexibility, provide relief from potential cramping, and reduce soreness and your risk of injury, she said.
- Circuit 1, exercise 1: fire hydrant: 20 reps
- Circuit 1, exercise 2: squat pulse: 15 reps
Complete three rounds, then take one minute of rest before advancing to the circuit.
- Lateral lunge: 50 seconds (25 seconds on each leg), followed by 10 seconds of rest
- Glute kickback pulse: 50 seconds (25 seconds on each leg), followed by 10 seconds of rest
- Reverse lunge and knee-up: 50 seconds (25 seconds on each leg)
Take 30 seconds of rest after each round of the circuit and one minute of rest after completing four rounds of the circuit.
- Double-pulse sumo squat jump (optional burnout): 60 seconds
1 Superset 1, Exercise 1: Fire Hydrant
2 Superset 1, Exercise 2: Squat Pulse
3 Lateral Lunge
4 Glute Kickback Pulse
5 Reverse Lunge and Knee-Up
6 Burnout: Double-Pulse Sumo Squat Jump
