One of the most requested workout – how to build up your booty!

To get a tight, toned derriere – you have to lift weights, heavy weights as your glutes are some of the strongest muscles in your body.

The main lifts – squats, deadlifts and hip thrusts are the primary exercises we do and for maximum power glutes need to be firing!

In #StrongNotSkinny we engage our buttocks a lot, and to make sure they engage when we need them to engage we work on activating them 🙂

This butt sequence can be used as a warm up or at the end of leg day to get extra buttwork in.

Stronger and safer lifts are the prime goal, of course, but definition and firmness are the icing on the cake 😉 (mmmm cake…)

Give this workout a go and let me know the results! I recommend 2 sets of each exercise OR do just repeat the whole workout twice.

Oh, and remember to ALWAYS stretch your glutes after any workout and after a day sitting in the office too!

PS – If you want to get the hip band, I got mine from Amazon.

Banded Walks

• Band just above the knees, sit into a 1/4 squat, core engaged, feet shoulder width and turned slightly outwards
• Push the knees against the band and take a step sideways.
• See that throughout the steps your knees look in the direction of your feet and do not cave!
• Keep tension in the band throughout the exercise.
• 6-10 steps each side, 2 sets.

Banded Squats

• Band around the knees, feet shoulder width and turned slightly outwards, core engaged, push the knees against the band and sit into a squat.
• Heels stay on the floor, push through the whole foot to come up.
• Keep tension in the band throughout.
• 8 reps, 2 sets.

Monster Walks

• Band around the knees, feet shoulder width and turned slightly outwards, core engaged, push the knees against the band.
• Hands on your hips for balance, or stick them in front – imagine you’re Frankenstein’s monster 🙂
• Take a step forward, maintaining tension on the band. You should feel the muscle on the outside of your hip engaging. Repeat on the other leg.
• 5 – 10 steps forward and back.

Glute Bridges

• Band just above the knees, lie on your back, knees bent to around 90 degrees and heels touching.
• Drive your hips up, squeezing your butt! Hold for 3 counts.
• Back neutral and core engaged at all times. I like digging elbows into the floor – helps to keep the torso engaged.
• Keep pushing your knees out to keep tension on the band throughout the exercise.
• 8 reps, 2 sets.

Clams

• Band just above the knees, lie on your side, knees bent to around 90 degrees and heels touching.
• Keep the lower leg firmly planted on floor, open your hips up with the upper leg rotating and lifting against band.
• 8 reps, 2 sets each side.

Kickbacks

• Adopt a kneeling position and shift the band to just above one knee (this leg is going to go up) and just under the other knee (this leg stays on the floor). Arms can be extended or resting on elbows.
• Extend one leg behind you and outwards.
• The band should be just above or in the pit of the knee.
• Back neutral and core engaged at all times, both hips are looking down.
• Pump the extended leg up and down rapidly, squeezing your glutes.
• Maintain tension on the band.
• 10 – 12 reps, 2 sets each leg.

Extended Kickbacks

• Carrying on from the last exercise, remove the band and shift your weight back. Your weight is on the ball of the foot (NOT on the knee) and on the forearms.
• Extend one leg behind you and outwards as far as you can.
• Again, pump the extended leg up and down rapidly, squeezing your glutes.
• 10 – 12 reps, 2 sets each leg.