For day eight of Sweat's Two Weeks to Strong Workout Plan [1], target your hamstrings and glutes from multiple angles with this 15-minute workout from NASM-certified personal trainer Kelsey Wells [2]. Inspired by her PWR Zero Equipment Program, which is available exclusively on the Sweat app [3], this workout will help increase hip strength and stability and strengthen the muscles on the back of your body that have a tendency to be neglected by sitting throughout the day. The superset part of this workout focuses on building strength, and the circuit and burnout aim to improve your muscular endurance.
15-Minute Glutes and Hamstrings Workout
Equipment needed: mini loop resistance band
Directions: Begin with the warmup, then complete three rounds of the superset, three rounds of the circuit, one round of the burnout, and then finish with one round of the cooldown.
Warmup: 1 Round
| Exercise Name | Time |
|---|---|
| Running in Place | 60 seconds |
| Jumping Jacks | 60 seconds |
| Down Dog Calf Pump | 60 seconds |
Running in Place:
- Stand with both feet together with your arms extended by your sides. This is your starting position.
- Inhale and engage your core. Bend your right knee up toward your chest, then quickly switch legs bringing your left knee up. Continue alternating legs for 60 seconds and swinging opposite arms. Land softly on the midsoles of your feet and keep your knees slightly bent at all times.
Jumping Jacks:
- Stand with your feet together on the floor, arms by your sides. This is your starting position.
- Quickly jump both feet outward so they are wider than your hips. At the same time, raise your arms above you so your hands almost meet directly above your head.
- Quickly jump both feet inward, lower your arms, and return to the starting position.
- Keep going for 60 seconds.
Down Dog Calf Pump:
- Come into a plank position with the shoulders over your wrists. Gently draw your ribs to your hips to engage your core.
- Lift your hips to create an upside down "V" shape (downward facing dog [4]). With your knees slightly bent, press your heels into the mat and tilt your tailbone upward. This is your starting position.
- Bend your left knee to elevate your left heel slightly and press your right heel into the mat, stretching your right calf.
- Alternate legs to stretch the left calf. Continue alternating sides for 60 seconds.
Superset: 3 Rounds
| Exercise Name | Time |
|---|---|
| Squat Pulse | 30 seconds |
| Glute Bridge and Opening | 30 seconds |
| Rest | 30 seconds |
Squat Pulse:
- With a resistance band looped around your lower thighs, stand with your feet shoulder-width distance apart. Gently draw your pubic bone to your belly button to engage your pelvic floor muscles. This is your starting position.
- Inhale, and looking straight ahead, bend at both the hips and knees, ensuring that your knees remain in line with your toes. Continue bending your knees until your upper legs are parallel with the floor. Ensure that your back remains within a 45- to 90-degree angle to your hips. This is called full-squat position.
- Exhale, push through your heels, and bend your legs slightly. Bend your knees again to return to full-squat position.
- Continue this pulse action for 30 seconds, inhaling for two pulses and exhaling for two pulses.
Glute Bridge and Opening:
- With a resistance band looped around your lower thighs, lie flat on your back on the floor. Bend your knees and position your feet hip-width distance apart with a neutral spine. Rest your arms by your sides. This is your starting position.
- Inhale, and exhale as you gently draw your ribs to your hips to engage your core. Press your heels into the mat, activate your glutes, and raise your pelvis off the floor until your body forms one straight line from chin to knee, resting on your shoulders.
- Inhale, and while keeping your hips raised and your glutes activated, open your knees outward. Then draw your knees inwards until they are hip-width apart.
- Exhale as you lower your spine to the floor one vertebrae at a time, followed by your pelvis.
- Repeat for 30 seconds.
Circuit: 3 Rounds
| Exercise Name | Time |
|---|---|
| Fire Hydrant | 45 seconds |
| Rest | 10 seconds |
| Donkey Kick | 45 seconds |
| Rest | 10 seconds |
| Glute Kickback Pulse | 45 seconds |
| Rest | 10 seconds |
| Rest Between Rounds | 60 seconds |
Fire Hydrant:
- With a resistance band looped around your lower thighs, come on the floor on your hands and knees. Ensure that your knees are below your hips and your hands are below your shoulders. Set your spine in a neutral position and draw your shoulder blades down and back. This is your starting position.
- Inhale then exhale, and gently draw your ribs to your hips to engage your core. While keeping your knees bent, lift your right leg out to the side, ensuring that your hips and shoulders remain parallel to the floor.
- Inhale and lower your right leg to return to the starting position, but without resting your knee on the mat. Complete half of the 45 seconds on this side before repeating the remaining time on the left side.
Donkey Kick:
- With a resistance band looped around your upper thighs, come on the floor on your hands and knees. Ensure that your knees are below your hips and your hands are below your shoulders. Secure the resistance band underneath your left knee. This is your starting position.
- Raise the right bent knee up and then lower it without resting the knee on the floor.
- Complete half of the 45 seconds on this side before repeating the remaining time on the left side.
Glute Kickback Pulse:
- With a resistance band looped around your lower thighs, come on the floor on your hands and knees. Ensure that your knees are below your hips and your hands are below your shoulders. Set your spine in a neutral position and draw your shoulder blades down and back. This is your starting position.
- Inhale and exhale to extend your right leg behind you until it is in line with your spine, ensuring your foot remains pointed. This is called full-glute-kickback position.
- Inhale to lower your leg slightly and then elevate your leg back into full-glute-kickback position, ensuring that you initiate the movement from your hip.
- Keep pulsing for half of the 45 seconds and then repeat on the left leg.
Burnout: 1 Round
| Exercise Name | Time |
|---|---|
| Squat Walk | 60 seconds |
Squat Walk:
- With a resistance band looped around your upper legs, stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width distance apart. Point your toes slightly outward. Looking straight ahead, bend at both the hips and knees, ensuring that your knees remain in line with your toes. Ensure that your back remains within a 45- to 90-degree angle to your hips. This is called squat position.
- Ensuring your hips remain level, take a step forward with your right foot. Then step forward with your left foot and return to the squat position.
- Continue alternating between right and left for 60 seconds, inhaling for one repetition and exhaling for one repetition.
Cooldown: 1 Round
| Exercise Name | Time |
|---|---|
| Calves and Hamstrings | 60 seconds |
| Deep Squat Stretch for Adductors | 60 seconds |
| Glutes | 60 seconds |
Calves and Hamstrings:
- Stand with the feet hip-width distance apart. Take a large step out to the side with your left foot. Ensure that both feet are facing forward.
- Bending from the hips, turn your torso toward your left leg and reach for your foot (or as far as you can), placing your hands on your foot, shin, or knee — whichever is most comfortable.
- Hold this position for 60 seconds, breathing deeply throughout. Each time you exhale, bring your torso closer toward your left leg to increase the stretch, ensuring that you're bending from the hips and not rounding through your spine.
- Repeat on the other side for another 60 seconds.
Deep Squat Stretch For Adductors
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips. Point your toes outward slightly and track your knees in the same direction as your toes as you lower your hips into a wide squat [5].
- Place your elbows on the insides of your knees and press your palms together. Press your elbows into your inner knees as you press your thighs into your elbows. This helps to keep your chest lifted and your hips low.
- Ensure that you engage your abdominals by drawing your belly button toward your spine.
- Hold the position for 60 seconds, then press evenly through your feet to return to standing.
Glutes
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and both feet planted on the floor. Place your right ankle on your left thigh below your knee.
- Place your right hand on the inside of your right knee and gently press your knee away from you.
- After 60 seconds repeat on the left side.