10 Minute At Home Glute Workout
Did you know that the glutes are the largest and strongest muscles in your body? The three muscles in the glutes, (minimus, medius and maximus,) work together to stabilize the pelvis and maintain proper hip movement. Without this group of muscles, twisting, squatting, rotating or doing pretty much any lower body movement would be difficult. Improving the strength of your glutes can increase flexibility, mobility and overall make daily tasks easier, like lifting heavy weights, climbing the stairs, running, sitting with correct posture and more. There are a few ways that strengthening your glutes can improve overall performance:
- Athletic Performance- Since having strong glute muscles improve speed and agility, you’ll be able to run faster and jump higher.
- Prevent Injury- Strong glutes can help to prevent knee pain, low back pain, hamstring and groin pain. You’re more likely to pull a muscle if your glutes are weak. Weak glutes also can cause improper lifting form, which can strain your back.
- Feel Better- Since the glutes are the largest muscle in the body, if they are strong, upper body workouts and cardiovascular exercises become easier. You’ll feel better walking or running up the stairs and you’ll notice a difference in your every day motion.
This 10 minute at home booty workout can be completed at your home with no equipment needed.
Hip Thrusts
Targets: glutes, hip flexors, back
Hip thrusts are a glute exercise designed to improve your strength, speed and power by hip extension. It’s all about the power in your glutes, which are one of the most powerful muscles in your body. If your glutes are underdeveloped, your speed, power and strength are all compromised. That means you’ll have weaker squats and lifts, as well as slower running times and lower vertical jumps, things that many people are trying to improve.
A lot of exercises that improve leg strength don’t maximize hip extension, like leg presses or squats. Hip thrusts can improve leg strength while improving your hip extension, something you will need for everyday tasks.
This exercise can be completed with or without weights, whatever meets your comfort level.
How To Do Hip Thrusts:
- Lay with your back on the ground, bending your knees so your feet are flat on the ground. If you are using a barbell, it should be resting below your hips.
- Drive your hips up, lifting the bar if you are using one. In the top position your knees should be bent at 90° and your shoulders should stay flat on the ground with your body forming a straight line between them. Pause at the top of the lift and squeeze your glutes, then lower your hips slowly.
Complete 3 sets of 10 reps of this exercise.
Donkey Kicks
Targets: gluteus maximus and medius
If you’re searching for an exercise to target and tighten your glutes, the donkey kick is perfect. This isolation exercise targets the glutes in a way that many other exercises can’t.
Donkey kicks are great for stability and toning by targeting the gluteus maximus, which is the largest of your three glutes muscles, and the dominant muscle in your booty. They also work your core and shoulder muscles, since your entire body has to remain stable while your leg lifts. It’s safe to say you can’t go wrong with donkey kicks!
How To Do Donkey Kicks:
- Start on all fours, knees hip-width apart, hands under your shoulders, with your neck and spine neutral.
- Engage your core and begin to lift either leg, knee staying bent with a flat foot.
- Use your glute to press your foot up toward the ceiling and squeeze at the top. Your pelvis and hips should stay facing the ground.
- Return to the starting position and switch to the other leg.
Complete 3 sets of 10 reps of this exercise.
Fire Hydrants
Targets: glutes, cardio (some variations)
Fire hydrants are an excellent bodyweight exercise that uses hip abduction to work the glutes. When this exercise is done regularly, they can strengthen your glutes and improve lower back pain. Some variations also work your core.
The fire hydrant involves all three major movements of your hips- hip extension, external rotation, and abduction, so it’s a great glute exercise. Hip extension movement allows you to walk and go up and down stairs, external rotation allows you to complete movements like step out of your car, and hip abduction allows you to step to the side, or move your leg away from the center of your body. So, it’s safe to say that fire hydrants can help you with every day movements. Having strong glutes also improves your posture, lowers your risk of injury, and reduces back pain.
How To Do Fire Hydrants:
- Start on your hands and knees. Place your shoulders above your hands and your hips above your knees. Tighten your core and look down.
- Lift your left leg away from your body at a 45-degree angle. Keep your knee at 90 degrees.
- Lower your leg to starting position to complete 1 rep.
Complete 3 sets of 10 reps on each leg for this exercise.
Donkey Kick Pulses
Targets: full body, cardio
Burpees are renowned exercise known to burn fat while building muscle. Burpees work your arms, back, chest, core, glutes and legs- essentially your whole body. Burpees also spike your heart rate as much as sprinting does.
Not only do burpees work a range of muscles, they help you become more functional too, so you’ll notice the improvements to your strength and mobility in your daily life, not just in the gym. A gym isn’t required to do burpees, you can do these from the comfort in your own home.
How To Do Donkey Kick Pulses:
- Start from a standing position, then squat down and place your hands on the floor in front of you.
- Quickly kick both feet out behind you so you are in a push up position, and then do one push up.
- Bring your legs forward to go into a squatting position again, and jump up.
Complete 3 sets of 10 reps of this exercise.
Side Leg Lifts
Targets: calves, quads, hamstrings, abs, cardio
If you’ve never tried this exercise, you are in for a treat! This plyometric exercise will help strengthen your body and burn calories, helping you achieve your goals even faster.
High knees work your calves, quads, hamstrings, abdominal muscles, and cardio. When more than one muscle is being worked at the same time, you will burn more calories than if you were just doing an isolation exercise such as crunches.
How To Do Side Leg Lifts:
Complete 3 sets of 10 reps of this exercise.
- Stand up straight and place your feet hip-width apart.
- Place your hands palms down facing the floor.
- Quickly bring your right knee up to meet your right hand, bring the same leg back to the ground immediately bring the left knee coming up to meet your left hand.
- Alternate knees with a hopping motion.
- Make sure you are engaging your abdominal muscles as each knee comes up to meet the hands.
Do two rounds of this exercise for 30 seconds.
You’re done! You just completed an extensive cardio routine in just 10 minutes. Great work!