Grab your dumbbells (or a dumbbell alternative [1]) and get ready to work your lower body with this quick and effective 20-minute workout. Stephanie Sanzo [2], a SWEAT app [3] trainer and founder of the BUILD program, created this workout to get your glute muscles firing, and you're also going to feel muscles like like your quadriceps working throughout the entire workout.
The 20-Minute At-Home Butt Workout
Equipment needed: a set of medium or heavy dumbbells; choose a weight that challenges you while maintaining proper form. You'll also need a resistance band and a chair or a bench. Once you've got you're equipment, be sure to do a few glute-activating exercises [4] to maximize your workout.
Perform three sets of the accessory exercise before advancing to the superset. Once you get to the superset, perform one round of reverse dumbbell lunges and one round of lateral band walks, taking little to no rest in between each move. Complete four rounds of the superset. Once you've finished the superset, you'll finish the workout with 60 seconds of hip abductions. Don't forget to cool down and stretch [5] (or foam roll [6]) once the workout is complete.
- Accessory movement: glute bridge: three sets of 20 reps
- Superset 1, exercise 1: reverse dumbbell lunge: eight to 10 reps (each leg)
- Superset 1, exercise 2: lateral band walk: 15 to 20 reps
- Burnout: hip abduction: 60 seconds
Accessory Exercise: Glute Bridge
- On your mat, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Be sure to keep your feet underneath your knees, not in front. Plant your palms by each side, facing down.
- Press through your heels to raise your hips up to the ceiling, tensing your abs and squeezing your butt as you do. You should be making a long diagonal line with your body, from shoulders to knees.
- Hold for a few seconds, making sure your spine doesn't round and your hips don't sag. Keep your abs and butt muscles engaged.
- Lower down to the ground; this is considered one rep.
- Complete three sets of 20 reps.
Superset 1, Exercise 1: Alternating Reverse Lunge
Perform this exercise with a pair of medium- to heavy-weight dumbbells.
- Stand with feet together. Take a controlled lunge (or large step) backward with your left foot.
- Lower your hips so that your right thigh (front leg) becomes parallel to the floor and your right knee is positioned directly over your ankle. Keep your left knee bent at a 90-degree angle and pointing toward the floor. Your left heel should be lifted.
- Step the left foot in, and lunge back with the right foot.
- Complete eight to 10 reps on each leg.
Superset 1, Exercise 2: Lateral Band Walk
- Place a resistance band just below your knees.
- Begin standing with feet directly underneath your hips, and squat about halfway down.
- Take a step sideways to the right as far as you can. To fully activate your muscle, be sure to step onto your heel, rather than your toes.
- Actively resist the pull of the exercise band as you bring your left leg slowly toward your right, returning to the starting position.
- This completes one rep.
- Complete 15 to 20 reps.
Burnout: Banded Seated Abduction
You can perform this exercise seated on a chair or on a bench.
- Sit on the floor with your elbows resting on a bench (or chair, etc.) behind you and a booty band above your knees. Make sure you're seated tall, lengthening through your spine. Do not slouch.
- Open your knees out to the side, pushing against the booty band for resistance as you do.
- Go as far as your hips allow without causing pain, then bring your knees back together. This counts as one rep.
- Complete for 60 seconds.
Burnout: Banded Seated Abduction
You can perform this exercise seated on a chair or on a bench.
- Sit on the floor with your elbows resting on a bench (or chair, etc.) behind you and a booty band above your knees. Make sure you're seated tall, lengthening through your spine. Do not slouch.
- Open your knees out to the side, pushing against the booty band for resistance as you do.
- Go as far as your hips allow without causing pain, then bring your knees back together. This counts as one rep.
- Complete for 60 seconds.
