Five Minute Best Butt Workout:
The first day of spring is quickly approaching and several of you may have plans for an upcoming vacation or spring break trip with friends. Once the weather starts warming up this means it is time to break out the shorts, skirts, and bathing suits. If you are like most people you probably want to tone up your legs and butt before hitting the pool or beach!
Many of us do not have a whole lot of extra time to spare in our day so I’m going to keep this workout routine to five short minutes. Take a little time for yourself right now, clear your mind, put down your cell phone, and get ready for a quick, fun, five-minute killer butt workout!
Time to Shape and Tone Those Legs and Glutes!
- Warm-up is essential prior to beginning this quick workout routine. Take at least 10 minutes to complete some form of exercise that properly warms up your body and increases your heart rate
- Jogging in place or on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike, or using an elliptical machine are all great options if available
Chair Squat
- Begin this exercise with your back to a chair with your feet hip-width apart. Keep your weight centered on your heels and draw in your abs while hinging forward at the hips, slowly lowering your butt toward the chair
- Make sure to pause right before sitting down and then return to a standing position while your core remains engaged
- Remember to squeeze your glutes as you return to the starting position
- If you need more challenge grab some 5 or 8 pound dumbbells while you complete the exercise
Toe Taps
- Lie on the floor with your arms by your sides
- Lift both feet while bending both knees to 90 degrees so your thighs are perpendicular to the floor
- Slowly and quietly tap your toes to the floor, after 30 seconds of lowering both feet at the same time, now tap your left toes to the floor, then your right for another 30 seconds
- If you have any lower back pain while performing this exercise don’t bring your toes all the way down
Kneeling Leg Lifts
- Get down on your hands and knees, with your knees under your hips with wrists under your shoulders
- Engage your abs, draw your shoulder blades back and down, and lengthen your spine
- Keep your right knee bent and lift that same leg behind you, keeping your knee high and knee in line with your shoulder
- Flex your foot and squeeze your right glute
- Continue to press your foot up to the ceiling, and make sure to squeeze your butt at the top of the movement
- Make sure you do not allow your lower back to dip during this exercise
- Perform the exercise for 30 seconds on each side for a total of one minute
Plie Squat with Bridge
- Disconnect the pulley from the glideboard, push the glideboard half way up the rails, straddle the rails, and sit towards the bottom edge facing the tower
- Point your feet and toes facing out to the right and left towards the top of the squat stand and slowly lie back ensuring your head is rested and your hair is not near the pulley
- Rest your hands on the side of glideboard, and in a neutral spine position slowly lower the glideboard by bending both knees and hips to around 90 degrees
- Press your feet into the glideboard and begin to move up the rails as you lift the glutes and low back off the glideboard into a bridge position. As you begin to move down the rails you will simultaneously lower your buttocks and your lower back on the glideboard and return to the same starting position
- Perform this exercise for one minute while you breathe in slowly and exhale at a nice steady pace
Lunge Facing Lateral
- Remove the squat stand from your Total Gym
- Stand behind the lower rail base, facing sideways. Place the foot that is closest to the lower rail base on the bottom edge of the glideboard
- Push the glideboard up the rails while performing a single leg squat with the stationary leg. Once you feel a mild stretch in the inner area of your resting leg bring the glideboard back down the rails by pressing into the active leg into an upright position
- Keep your grounded hip, knee and foot in good alignment with the knee that is positioned over the foot and maintain an upright posture
- Maintain a slow and steady tempo during this exercise. Raise and lower the glideboard in a controlled manner
- You can always use a chair if needed during this exercise or ask a friend/family member to spot you if available
- Perform this exercise for 30 seconds while standing on your right leg then switch and perform for 30 seconds on your left leg
So there you have a fast, fun five-minute leg and butt workout to get your heart pumping and muscles firing! Was your favorite leg or glute exercise included in this workout routine? Send us a photo or email with a description. We would love to hear from you.
Keep Moving,
Cara
