Tighten & Tone in Ten Days: Glutes

Directions: Complete each exercise for ten days, twice daily.

25 Glute Kickbacks

• Get into a quadruped position with all four limbs on the floor.
• Your hands should be lined up directly under your shoulders and your knees should be directly under your hips.
• While keeping your knee bent, lift up one knee off the floor and drive your leg up toward the ceiling until your thighs become aligned with your torso.
• Lower your knee back toward the floor, and immediately move onto the next repetition.
• Perform all repetitions on one leg before switching to the opposite leg.

20 Alternating Bridge Extensions

• Lie on your back with your knees bent so that your feet are flat on the ground.
• Press up through the feet to go into a “bridge” so that your bodyweight rests in your feet and shoulders.
• While in this position, extend one leg completely before placing it back down on the floor while lowering your body from the bridge.
• Alternate which leg extends each time you go up into the bridge.
• The backs of thighs (hamstrings) and glutes are the main targets during the bridge, while you will feel the leg extension in your quadriceps.

10 Split Jumps

• To prepare for the split jump, stand with one foot forward and the other foot back in a lunge position.
• Bend your knees slightly. Position your arms in front of your chest, elbows bent and hands in fists and touching.
• Jump up, swinging the back leg forward and the front leg to the back.
• Land with bent knees and come down into a full lunge so your back knee almost touches the floor.
• You may be tempted to lean forward as you do this move, but try to keep yourself as upright as possible.
• Once you've landed, immediately jump up again and alternate legs.

 15 Glute Bridges

• Lie faceup on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
• Raise your hips so your body forms as straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Pause in the up position, then lower your body back to the starting position.

25 Plié Squats

• Begin in a wide stance with toes out at a comfortable angle. Your knees will need to stay alined with your toes, so don't go out too far.
• To add weight you can hold dumbbells on the upper thighs, a single dumbbell in front or a barbell on the shoulders or behind the head.
• Bend the knees and lower down into a squat, keeping knees in line with toes, abs contracted and back straight.
• Only go down as low as you can without compromising your flexibility or your balance.
• Push back to start without locking the knees.