These 26 Effective Bodyweight Moves Will Strengthen, Sculpt, and Lift Your Booty
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There's no need to squat heavy in order to shape and tone your butt. If you do these bodyweight moves, your bum will be so sore the next day, and that lets you know these moves are effective. Mix and match four to eight moves to create your own bodyweight butt workout.
01
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Air Squat
- Begin with your feet slightly wider than hip's width apart and toes pointed slightly outward. Bring the hands together in front of your chest.
- Keeping weight in your heels, sit back into a deep squat. Make sure your knees do not go beyond your toes or roll in or out of alignment. Keep your abs engaged as you squat.
- Deepen your abdominal engagement as you press through your heels to return to standing, completing one rep.
02
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Around-the-World Squat Hop
- Before you start this move, visualize a large square on the floor where you're standing in the bottom right corner, feet hip-distance apart.
- Keeping weight in your heels, bend your knees, and squat down. Take a huge jump forward to the top right corner of that imaginary square, landing quietly back into a squat.
- Keep going around the square, jumping to the left, jumping back behind you, and jumping to the right. Now you're back where you started.
03
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180 Jump Squat
- Start in a deep squat with your legs a bit wider than your hips and your toes pointed outward. Twist your torso to the right, reaching your right hand to the ceiling and your left hand toward the floor.
- Jump up, spinning to the left 180 degrees (halfway around), bringing both hands overhead. Land softly in a deep squat, twisting your torso to the left with your left hand reaching toward the ceiling and your right hand toward the floor. This completes one rep.
- Repeat, but reverse directions as you jump, spinning to the right and going back the way you came.
- This counts as one rep.
04
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Burpees
- Lower into a crouching squat with your hands on the floor.
- Do a squat thrust by jumping your feet back into a plank position.
- Do one basic push-up, bending your elbows and then straightening back to a plank.
- Jump your feet forward to your hands and come into a squat.
- Do an explosive jump straight up, getting as much height as you can.
- This counts as one rep.
05
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Sumo Squat Jump
- Stand in a wide sumo squat position with your feet slightly turned out, arms resting on your hips.
- Jump up explosively, keeping your core engaged.
- Land with control, lowering your body back into the wide sumo squat position to complete one rep.
06
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Squat Jack
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly turned out, in a deep squat. Put your arms in a "goal post" position with elbows bent and close to your thighs.
- Jump up explosively, bringing your feet together and clapping your hands above your head. Keep your core engaged.
- This counts as one rep.
07
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Pulsing Sumo Squat
- Start in second position, with your legs opened wide to the sides and your toes turned slightly outward. Placing your hands on your hips, bend your knees, going as low as you can. Make sure your shoulders remain directly over your hips and your knees are in line with your feet.
- While holding second position, make small pulses up and down, moving about an inch.
08
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Gate Swings
- Begin standing with your feet together. Hop your feet wide apart and come into a deep squat, bringing your hands to your thighs. Your toes will be pointed outward.
- Push off your thighs with your hands for leverage as you jump your legs together to complete one rep.
09
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Surrenders
- Stand with your hands behind your head with your elbows wide, and bring your right knee to the floor, onto a yoga or exercise mat for padding.
- Bring your left knee down so you are kneeling.
- Lift your right knee up and place your right foot in front of you. Bring your left foot forward, coming into a deep squat, then press through your heels to come to standing.
- Reverse the move and bring your left knee to the floor to repeat the sequence on the other side to complete one rep.
10
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Squat Thrust
- Begin standing with your feet hip distance apart.
- Lower into a crouching squat with your hands on the floor.
- Keeping your abs engaged, jump your feet back so you're in plank position.
- Keeping your arms straight, jump your feet forward behind your hands.
- Stand up to complete one rep.
11
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Standing Booty Kicks
- Stand tall, and place your hands on your hips.
- Put all your weight in your right leg, keep both legs straight, and lift your left leg directly behind you. Let your glutes do all the work. Keep your left foot flexed, and work on lifting your heel as high as you can without leaning your torso too far forward. Engage your abs to help you stay balanced.
- Then lower your left leg so it's parallel with your right, but don't let it touch the ground. This completes one rep.
12
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Leg Balance Warrior 3
- Stand on your left foot with your right leg lifted to 90 degrees and your right knee bent.
- Lean your torso forward as you lengthen your right leg behind you. Reach your arms overhead for balance as your torso and leg come parallel to the floor. Keep your left knee slightly bent.
- Hold this position for a moment, and reach through your right heel to engage the back of your right leg.
- Bring your right leg forward, and return to standing upright. This completes one rep.
13
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Single-Leg Squat
- Stand firmly with both feet together. Put weight into your left leg, and lift your right leg into the air.
- Keeping your leg lifted, bend your left knee into a squat. Then straighten your leg to complete one rep.
14
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Single-Leg Toe Touch
- Begin standing with all your weight on your left foot.
- Keeping your spine long, reach forward, bending your left knee and touching your fingers to the floor a few inches in front of your toes. Keep your abs engaged to stabilize your torso. Your right leg will go behind you to help you balance.
- Press your left heel into the ground as you lift your torso to stand, bringing your right foot to touch next to your left foot. This completes one rep.
15
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Alternating Forward Lunge
- Stand tall with your feet hips width distance apart. Bend your elbows at your sides, or rest your hands on the hips.
- Step forward with your right foot, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at about a 90-degree angle. Keep your front knee directly above your ankle, and lower your left knee to just above the floor.
- Keep the weight in your heels as you push back to the starting position, completing one rep.
16
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Lunge Jumps
- Stand with your feet together and your knees soft.
- Jump and come into a lunge with your left leg forward.
- Push off with both feet, jumping them together, then hopping into a lunge with your right leg in front.
- Jump your feet back together to complete one rep.
17
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Forward Backward Lunge
- Stand with your feet together.
- Put weight in your left foot, lift your right knee up, and step into a forward lunge. Your front knee should be at a 90-degree angle with your left knee just barely hovering above the ground.
- Push into your right heel, come to stand, and immediately step your right foot behind you into a reverse lunge with your left knee at a 90-degree angle.
- This counts as one rep.
18
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Skip Lunges
- Come into a lunge with your right leg back.
- Swing your right leg forward to hop up on your left foot, and land softly back in a lunge.
- This completes one rep.
19
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Curtsy Lunge
- Start from standing, and step your left leg behind you and to the right so your thighs cross, bending both knees as if you were curtsying. Make sure your front knee is aligned with your front ankle.
- Return to standing, and switch sides to complete one rep.
20
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Side Skaters
- Start in a small squat.
- Jump sideways to the left, landing on your left leg.
- Bring your right leg behind to your left ankle, and don't let it touch the floor.
- Reverse direction by jumping to the right with your right leg. This completes one rep.
21
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Single-Leg Bridge
- Lie on your back and bring your left knee into your chest with your hands clasped just below your knee. Lift your right toes up, and press your right heel into the floor to lift your pelvis and torso off the floor.
- Lower your back and pelvis to the ground to complete one rep.
22
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Glute Bridge March
- Begin on your back with feet about 12 inches from your bum and hands by your sides with palms up.
- Press your heels into the ground and lift your pelvis up until your knees, pelvis, and shoulders form a straight line.
- Hold your bridge while you lift your right knee toward your chest, until your hip is at 90 degrees.
- Return your heel to the floor, and lift your left knee. This completes one rep.
23
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Superman Lift
- Lie on your belly, engage your abs, and extend your arms straight out in front of you.
- Lift your legs, arms, and chest off the floor as high as you can, extending your fingertips away from your toes.
- Lower your legs, arms, and chest to one inch above the ground. This completes one rep.
24
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Fire Hydrant Exercise
- Start on all fours, with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips.
- Keep your right knee at a 90-degree angle as you slowly raise your leg to the right, until it is parallel to the ground. Avoid lifting your right hip, as you should keep both hips squared toward the floor.
- With control, lower your leg back to the ground to complete the rep.
25
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Elbow Plank Donkey Kick
- Begin in an elbow plank with elbows directly under shoulders, abs engaged toward the spine. Don't let the pelvis sag down or pop up.
- Lift right leg off the ground, bending your knee so the sole of your foot is toward the ceiling. Keep pelvis square to the floor. Don't let your pelvis twist.
- Press your right heel toward the ceiling as high as you can without moving your pelvis or low back. The motion will not be huge, but concentrated on the booty and hamstring.
- Lower your bent leg slightly to complete one rep.
- Complete the same number of reps on each leg.
26
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Good Morning
- Stand with your feet hip-width distance apart and place your hands at the back of your head with your elbows opened wide.
- Pull your abs to your spine and keep your back neutral while pressing your butt backward, hinging at the hips, until your back is almost parallel to the floor. Keep a slight bend in your knees as you bend forward.
- Return to standing, squeezing your glutes when you are upright. This completes one rep.