Movement Monday - Booty Builder

Welcome back to Movement Monday! 

This workout is a bit more in-depth, and is in celebration of my fully functioning glute muscles!
I was trying to describe to Sam today just how amazing it feels to be able to use my butt muscles - it's almost like having a brand new body part!!

This workout is a great one to do at the gym if you have a membership, as it's more of a rep-based weighted work-out, but still in a circuit style so that you don't have to spend more than 45 minutes working out.

If you are short on weights, you can always use a resistance band or body weight & just up the reps & intensity.

Make sure you start this work-out with at least 5 minutes of glute activation. See our "Project Build-a-Butt" posts for some inspiration - 1: Activation or 2: Strengthening

For example, I started with:

30 x Shoulder Bridges/20 x Abductions

30 x Monster Walks

20 x Clam Shells (per side)

Repeat twice

I cannot stress enough how important glute activation is before a glute-focussed work-out. This will ensure they fire properly during weighted movements, rather than other muscles like the quads, taking over.

BOOTY BUILDING WORK-OUT

2 Rounds, with 1-2 minutes rest in between - focus on form, not speed

CIRCUIT ONE:

Kettlebell Deadlift x 15 (I used 20kg) - you can do these with a resistance band if you put it underneath the balls of your feet.

Kettlebell Swings x 20 (I used 16kg) - substitute this for mountain climbers if no weight

*Brace your core, and breathe out strongly at the top of the movement. You should be thrusting your hips forward & using momentum to get the weight to shoulder height, not your arms!

Bodyweight Squats x 20

Weighted Walking Lunges x 20 (I used 7kg dumbbells)

REST 1-2 Minutes & repeat the exercises 

CIRCUIT TWO:

Weighted Hip Thrusts x 15 (I used 20kg kettlebell & also elevated my upper body, resting my shoulders on a chair)

*Core tight, and squeeze squeeze squeeze that booty!

Weighted Step Ups x 10 per leg (I used 7kg dumbbells & a chair)

*Hold the weights by your sides. Make sure you are doing this movement slow and controlled, pushing through your heels & squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement and fully extending your hips. Lifting your other knee at the top will help. At the bottom of the movement, make sure you reach full extension again and squeeze your opposite glute!

Side to Side Banded Squats x 20 alternating

*Keep your resistance band above your knees, stay low & step deeper into the squat as you move your leg out to the side. Make sure you are pushing the resistance band with your knees.

You can do this movement without the band, but having it will stop your knees from buckling in. 

Jump Lunges x 30

REST 1-2 Minutes & repeat the exercises 

Make sure you stretch or foam roll your booty after this work-out :)

If you are uncertain about how to do any of these exercises, YouTube and Google are amazing resources! Sam and I will be trying to film as many workouts as possible in future! 

I have included a few tips :)