Many of the best glutes exercises require a cable machine or barbell, which isn’t that surprising considering the gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in your body. But you can still get an effective glutes workout at home using just your own bodyweight and this six-exercise session is proof.
It’s been put together by Sabrina Ovadya-Lenson, a Pilates teacher, level 3 personal trainer and founder of Urwell, an at-home holistic health club.
“The beauty of these exercises is that they are all performed lying down,” says Ovadya-Lenson. That’s a blessing for anyone who’s got on the wrong side of their neighbours performing home HIIT workouts.
“Beginners may want to do one round only, but I would recommend two to three rounds as a great workout for a firm butt.”
If you fancy adding resistance to these exercises to make them a little harder, use ankle weights, or place a mini resistance band on the thighs above the knees. This type of band is cheap and readily available. You’ll find a range of options on our round-up of the best resistance bands; once you have a set, you can add this home glutes workout from Krissy Cela and resistance band glute workout to your routine.
Home Glutes Workout
1 Donkey kick
Get on your hands and knees with your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Tuck your pelvis under – keeping your hips still and back straight, move your tailbone down and in – and keep it tucked throughout; this will limit your range of movement but ensure you really target the intended glute muscles.
Lift your right leg behind you, keeping the 90° bend in your knee. Make 10 small pulse movements with your heel flexed, then 10 pulses with your toes flexed. Repeat on the other side.
2 Leg lift and leg circle
Get on your hands and knees with your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Extend one leg behind you, tap your foot on the floor, then lift your leg to hip height, keeping your spine neutral throughout. Perform 15 reps.
Perform 15 more reps of the movement, but tapping your foot twice before lifting. Then, keeping your leg in line with your spine, perform 15 pulses.
Finally, keeping your leg elevated in the same position, make 10 tennis ball-sized circles with your foot. Ensure the movement comes from the hip rather than your knee or ankle.
Repeat all of the above on the other side.
3 Side-lying donkey kick
Lie on your side, supporting your head with your bottom hand. Relax your top shoulder and bend your knees. Move your top knee and tap the floor in front of you, then extend your leg diagonally up. Bend at your knee again and tap the floor. Perform the move 10 times in total, then swap sides.
4 Clamshell
Lie on your side, supporting your head with your bottom hand. Bend both legs and keep your heels in line with your spine. Keeping your feet together, lift your top knee as far as you can and then lower it, keeping the rest of your body still. For a more challenging option, raise your feet off the floor and then perform the movement. Just make sure your heels remain in line with your spine.
5 Side-lying knee taps
Lie on your side, supporting your head with your bottom hand. Bend both legs and keep your heels in line with your spine. Keeping your bottom leg still, lift the top foot and rotate your leg so your knee faces down. Your top foot should be higher than the knee. Tap the floor in front of you with your knee, then externally rotate your leg so your knee points up and you can tap the floor with your foot behind the bottom leg. Perform the full movement 10 times, then switch sides.
6 Glute bridge with leg extension
Lie on your back with your legs bent and feet hip-width apart on the floor. Push your arms into the floor. Take a deep breath, then as you exhale, tuck your pelvis under and peel your spine off the ground slowly, raising your hips until your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Keeping your hips square, lift your right leg, extend it, then reverse the entire movement, bending your right leg, returning it to the floor. Then lower your hips to the floor, rolling your spine back onto the floor one vertebrae at a time with your pelvis being the last part of your body to touch the mat. Repeat on the left side, and continue alternating sides to perform 10 reps on each side.
