Did your booty disappear after you gave birth?
The last time we chatted about your post-baby bum I let you know that the case of the disappearing booty may be because you’re rocking a posterior pelvic tilt. And letting your booty free – AKA not keeping your pelvis tilted forward constantly – can help you get more junk in your trunk.
The truth is though, for some women this is a great start, but it’s not enough to get the stronger, rounder butt they’re hoping for. That’s where the glute-focused exercises come in.
The best part about working on getting a better butt is that a strong booty is key to a well functioning core and pelvic floor. Everything works together and the stronger your butt is, the stronger your whole body will be.
So jump into your comfies and let’s get your glutes going.
You can do all of these exercises together (if you’re brave!), add a couple of them to your usual routine, or split them up into two mini circuits (with 3 exercises each) and do one circuit one day, and the other circuit another day.
You can do 2-4 sets of the exercises depending on how your energy is and how much time you have.
If you’re newly postpartum, remember to check-in with your doctor or physio before you tackle these exercises to make sure they’re right for your body.
Booty Exercise #1 – Mini Band Walks
For this exercise, you can either put the mini band above your knees (for less of a challenge) or above your ankles (for more of a challenge). If you find your knees wanting to collapse in, start with the band above your knees and graduate to above your ankles at a later date.
1. Put the mini band around your legs just above your knees or ankles.
2. Keeping your legs straight, the band taut, and feet pointed forwards or slightly turned in. Take 10 – 12 side-steps to one side, then 10 – 12 side-steps to the other side. Repeat 1 more time.
3. It’s really important that your knees don’t buckle in and you keep your torso strong and as still as possible.
Booty Exercise #2 – Rainbow Kicks
It’s important that you keep your leg straight (without hyper-extending) for this exercise because we want you to feel it in your glutes and that won’t happen as well if your leg is bent.
1. Get down on all fours, hands beneath shoulders, knees beneath hips.
2. Extend one leg out straight behind you. Keeping the leg straight, lift it up in the air and swing it out to the side to tap the ground with your toe. Keeping the leg straight, lift it up again and return it to the starting position. You’re making the shape of a rainbow with your leg.
3. Do 10 -12 reps on one side then switch and do 10 – 12 reps on the other side. (Forward and back counts as 1 rep).
Booty Exercise #3 – Bulgarian Split Squat Off Step
It can be really helpful to lean your torso forward slightly to get the best balance on this exercise.
1. Setting yourself up in a narrow split squat stance, put your back foot up on a step, low bench, or low stair. Holding dumbbells at your side if you’re using them. Make sure you have a staggered stance so your feet aren’t in one line – there should be some horizontal space between them for balance.
2. Lean your torso forward slightly and lower down into a split squat – making sure your weight is into the heel of your front foot.
3. Do 8 – 10 reps on one side then switch to do 8 – 10 reps on the other side.
Booty Exercise #4 – Bridge + Ball Squeezes
When you’re doing a bridge it’s really important that you keep your butt untucked. It can feel natural to tilt your pelvis as you’re coming up but avoid doing that. You’ll get more out of the exercise if you keep your booty untucked.
1. Lay down on your back with your knees bent, feet below your knees. Place a pilates or playground ball between your knees.
2. Push through your heels and lift your hips until your body is a straight line from knees to chest, making sure to keep your butt untucked. Squeeze the ball between your knees. Release and come back down.
3. Do 15 – 20 reps.
Booty Exercise #5 – Squat + Mini Band
Don’t underestimate the power of a good squat. If you want to add weight to this and your body is ready for that, go ahead. You can keep your toes pointing forward, or turn them out slightly if that feels better for your body.
1. Start standing with feet about as wide as the bony protrusion of your hips, toes pointing forward or out slightly. Put the mini band around your legs, just above your knees.
2. Slowly lower into a squat, keeping your pelvis untucked. Push through your heels to come back up.
3. Do 10 – 15 reps.
Booty Exercise #6 – Kneeling Clam + Butt Lift
For this exercise it’s really key that you keep your hips stacked and still. So don’t bring your knee out and up so much that your hip starts to rotate. That may mean that you can’t lift your knee out to the side very far right now. You’ll be able to do a larger range of motion overtime, but start with great form where you’re at and progress from there.
1. Get down on all fours, hands beneath shoulders, knees beneath hips, slightly lean to one side, lifting the opposite knee off the floor.
2. Pretend you have a string on the outside of your knee pulling your knee up and out to the side then back down again. Then, keeping the knee bent, press the heel of your foot up towards the ceiling then back down. Repeat (the two movements together count as 1 rep).
3. Try not to put too much weight in the opposite side of your body. Stay as centered as possible and keep your hips stacked in one line so your hip doesn’t come up as you do your kneeling clam motion.
Enjoy exercising your way to a more bootylicious backside!
Once you’ve tried the exercises I’d love to hear how they went for you. Did you like them? Could you feel your glutes working? What one(s) were your favourite? Feel free to let me know in the comments below.
Thank you so much for checking out today’s post and I’ll catch you soon.
Hugs,
Jen
P.S. Did you like this post? I would be super grateful if you shared it with your mom friends – especially the ones you know would love a better booty.
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You talk way too much!
Thank you so taking the time to both explain and give video example . Can’t wait to try these .
You’re so welcome, Toffany! I hope they work well for you 🙂