Try Venus Williams's 17-Minute Abs and Butt Workout
Venus Williams's 17-Minute Ab and Butt Burnout Will Get Your Whole Core Trembling
There's no bad time to work out your core, in our opinion — "core" meaning your abdominals and glutes, a major muscle group that supports your back and pelvis. So you can understand why we were so excited to see tennis superstar Venus Williams share a 17-minute butt and abs workout that works this whole section of your body. With 27 years of professional tennis (and counting) under her belt, Williams knows a thing or two about staying in tip-top shape and avoiding injury, and having a strong and stable core is a major factor.
This workout, which starts at about the three-minute mark in the video above, includes a glute bridge section, a clamshell section, and a closing core burnout filled with bicycle crunches, hollow holds, and Pilates 100s. Throughout the workout, Williams shares inside tips from her own training and expertise, including about the importance of glute activation. Activating or "turning on" your muscles before you work them ensures that the strength training will be effective in growing or strengthening the muscle, as well as helping you avoid injury, Williams said. "That's why we're doing some of these functional exercises — even though they burn!" she explained. "We challenge these muscles and then the muscles will thank us later."
Hit play on the video above to work your glutes and abs with "Coach Venus" — we can assure you, you'll be shaking by the end. (Note: Williams uses a dumbbell in the workout, but you can do it without.)
