30-Minute At Home Abs and Booty Workout (Equipment Free!)
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Today, we’re challenging you to engage your core and butt in this no equipment, at home butt and abs workout. This home workout features a glute and ab circuit that is guaranteed to get the muscles firing up and fatigued. Plus, this workout is a great way to get in an intense muscle-building workout without having to go to the gym.
Since it can be done all on your yoga mat, this quiet routine is perfect in small spaces, such as your living room or hotel room. The entire workout can be done with just your bodyweight but, if you want to increase the intensity, feel free to use a mini band or light weight to add difficulty.
Why Work the Butt & Abs?
Having strong glutes is about more than simply having a nice looking butt. The glutes play a large role in the entire strength of the posterior chain, affecting your core, lower back and are responsible for helping assist in a variety of compound movements. By building butt and core strength, you also increase hip mobility and better posture.
What is the Goal of this Workout?
We're looking to fire up and activate the three gluteus muscles—maximus, minimus, and medius—to target strength imbalances and muscle weakness in an intense butt workout. The muscles of the deep core—the transverse abdominis—also play a critical role by working with the glutes and hip flexors to stabilize the pelvis. All of these exercises combined create a solid working foundation to layer additional strength on.
See our full workout series here.
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30-Minute At-Home Abs and Butt Workout
Suggested:
5-10 Minute Warmup + Cool down of your choice.
Optional:
If you would like to make this workout more challenging, you can use a mini band placed directly over the knees. They come in a variety of sizes and strengths, so feel free to try different levels of difficulty!
Increase the difficulty!
Looking to make it even more challenging? Use a light weight (3-5 lbs) and squeeze it behind the knee during donkey kicks and dire hydrants for a weighted challenge. During the Bird Dogs, Donkey Kicks, and Fire Hydrants, pick both knees off of the ground for an added balance and stabilization challenge.
Need a modification?
If you have sensitive wrists, during any of the glute exercises, you can come down to your forearms. All exercises can be done without any equipment.
Workout Equipment Ideas:
Exercise List:
25 reps per exercise. Do Rounds 1 & 2 and then repeat for Rounds 3 & 4.
Round 1:
Leg Lowers
How-to: On your back, press your lower back into the ground, legs at 45 degrees, ankles and knees together. Slowly lower down and lift, controlling through the entire movement.
Form tip: Keep the core engaged throughout the entire movement and don’t let the back arch.
Pulse Lowers
How-to: On your back, press your lower back into the ground, legs at 45 degrees, ankles and knees together. Slowly lower down and lift, opening the hips and pulling the legs apart, controlling through the entire movement.
Form tip: Keep the movement small and controlled to work the outer thighs and glutes. Avoid putting your hands underneath the small of your back for stability. Simply reduce the depth at which you lower.
PushAways
How-to: On your back, knees stacked over hips, feet at 90 degrees. Press the legs out and away to 45 degrees and then back to center.
Form tip: Don’t let the back arch.
Russian Twist Leg Lowers
How-to: In a seated position, knees bent, feet lifted and parallel with the mat. Twist to one side, bringing opposite elbow to opposite knee. Extend the other leg long and lift and lower, keeping the chest tall and the scoop in the tailbone.
Form tip: Maintain the twist and use the hip flexor and lower transverse abdominals to lift and lower the leg.
Modification: Drop the foot to the ground for added stability.
Round 2:
Side Lying Leg Raise
How-to: Lying on your side, hips and knees stacked, hand underneath your head for support. Lift and lower the top leg.
Form tip: Avoid your hips twisting backwards by taking the top hand and pressing it front of you on the mat and tilting the hips forward to focus on the gluteus medius.
Challenge: Add a mini band over the knees for added resistance.
clamshells
How-to: In the same position, bring the heels behind you, keeping the knees in one line. Squeeze the glutes and open the hips and knees, keeping the heels together.
Form tip: Avoid your hips twisting backwards by taking the top hand and pressing it front of you on the mat and tilting the hips forward to focus on the gluteus medius.
Challenge: Lift the bottom hip into a side plank for a balance challenge.
Bird Dog
How-to: In a table top position, extend the opposite knee and opposite leg long. Bring both back to center, touching elbow to knee. Perform all exercises on one side before switching.
Form tip: Avoid arching through the back as you extend and rounding the back as you touch elbow to knee. Squeeze the core and glutes to stay in one line.
Donkey Kick
How-to: In a tabletop position, tuck the toes of the working leg, flex the foot, and send the bottom of the foot directly up towards the ceiling, thigh parallel to the ground. Squeeze the glutes at the top and return the knee to the mat.
Form tip: Don’t let your back arch. Engage the core and squeeze the glutes.
Challenge: Add a weight behind the knee for a hamstring squeeze and added difficulty.
Fire Hydrants
How-to: In the same donkey kick position, open the hip to the side, keeping the knees in alignment.
Form tip: Don’t let your weight shift to the opposite side of the lifting leg. Make sure to press into both hands evenly to maintain equal weight distribution.
Challenge: Keep the weight behind the knee or add a mini loop band over the thighs for added resistance.
