Lower Body and Booty Workout

It's time to get that lower body and booty in shape.  The summer seems to be coming to an end faster than we are ever ready for it to but this workout will benefit far beyond bikini and shorts season.  Lower body and glute strength helps with countless everyday activities such as sitting down and standing up as well as going up and down stairs.  It also helps balance and stability and strong glutes will ensure a stronger lower back.  Did you know glutes are actually part of your core muscles and it's not just your abs?  Well, if not you learned something awesome today that could help you a lot in the long run. pun intended or not.

So here's the workout I put together for you to get you started.  I've incorporated six exercises as well as a few variations based on fitness level for you to try. 

• Reverse Lunges - 3 x 15/leg
• Bridge Hold or Single Leg Bridge Hold - 3 x 30 seconds each exercise or 1 min if you aren't doing the single leg variation
• Hip Circles - 3 x 20 each direction
• Heel to Sky - 3 x 20/leg
• Romanian Deadlift - 3 x 15
• Single Leg Step Ups - 3 x 15/leg

Reverse Lunges.  I used a step as my platform but you can use whatever you'd like such as a step platform or a 25 pound plate if you're at the gym.  The lunge off a higher surface will incorporate more glute action.  It will be performed just like a basic lunge but you take a step back instead of forward.  Always make sure your knee never crosses the plane of your toe and you're standing with good posture.  As you step back to the step, squeeze those glutes to help pull that leg back to your starting stop.  You will always start each repetition with both feet on the platform or step. 








Bridge Hold/Single Leg Bridge Hold. Lay on your back with your arms next to your sides.  Lift your hips up as high as you can and squeeze your glutes at the top of your rep.  Your body should be as straight as possible.  If you want an extra challenge, lift one leg off the ground.  Make sure you keep it in line with the other knee and keep your hips high.  This is going to be a timed hold so you can do 30 seconds starting with two feet on the ground and then 30 seconds with each leg in the air.  If single leg isn't working for you, decrease your time or just hold your bridge with both feet on the ground.








Hip Circles.  Start on all fours with your hands stacked below your shoulders and your knees stacked below your hips.  The first direction of the circle,  you will kick your leg back and then lift your knee up drawing a circle with it.  The tighter your hips are, the harder this will feel and your circle will probably be a bit smaller.  Repeat this exercise and then switch directions by bringing your knee into your chest first and then lifting your knee to draw a circle.  Try to keep your body parallel with the ground as much as possible.  When we feel inflexible, we tend to turn and compensate instead of working on correct range of motion within what we can  actually do.

Heel to Sky.  This exercise will also start on all fours.  Keeping your knee at 90 degrees, lift your leg up until the bottom of your foot is facing the sky.  From there you are going to pulse up and down no more than 12 inches up and down. If you want to make this more challenging, you can stick a weight behind your knee and pulse squeezing that weight to keep it in place.



Romanian Deadlift.  This is the straight leg version of a deadlift.  You should feel this exercise in your hamstrings as well as your glutes and you should be able to use a little bit heavier weight.  I had to improvise using a fire log as my prop but you can use dumbbells or a barbell to complete this.  Start with your feet a little closer than shoulder width apart.  You want to make sure you are continuously keeping good posture and keeping your shoulders back giving you a nice flat back.  Keeping the weight close to your body, slide the weights down close to your legs until you get to just below your knee.  As the weight is moving down your leg, think about shifting your weight to your heels so you feel a good stretch in your hamstrings.  Once you get to your end point just below the knee, slide the weight back up keeping it close to your body and squeezing your glutes the whole way back up to your starting point.



Single Leg Step Ups.  I used a step but you can use an 18" box at the gym, a chair or a bench.  Place one foot on top of the step and that foot will stay there until you switch legs.  Step up with the opposite leg until the leg with the foot up is fully extended and then slowly control your leg back down to the starting point.  Make sure that you are stepping back behind the step to ensure your knee is protected.












Incorporate this workout two times a week into your exercise routine and I promise you will feel results.  It will take time and consistency but I know you're up for the challenge.  Time to get bootilicious for fall.

Sunshine Workout #2

It's round two of the Sunshine Workouts so grab some water, yourself and a friend and that sunscreen and let's get moving.  You can mix and match all the exercises in the past two workouts or perform all of them if you're really feeling like a rock star.  Remember it's 45 seconds per exercise with 15 seconds rest to get set up for your next exercise.  Your core kicker is 90 seconds long and then a small rest before you start the circuit again.  Get after it and keep in mind quality form is more important than trying to complete a hundred reps in the time allotted.

Squat Jacks.  Little Miss Addy helped me out with this one.  The helmet is optional but she is practicing safe exercising and I can't fault her for that ;)  Start with feet together and then jump your feet out wide as if you're going to do a jumping jack.  Instead of keeping your legs straight dip down into a wide stance squat.  Toes can be pointing out on an angle a little bit just so you don't put a lot of pressure on your knees.  Jump back to your starting position and repeat.








Frop Hops.  Start in a plank position on your hands.  Jump your feet forward, landing outside of your hands and jump back to your starting plank position.  If you want to challenge yourself you can always add a push up after each jump forward. Make sure you are engaging your core at all times.











Plyo Push Ups.  You can do your push ups on your knees or your toes.  Find what works for you and roll with it.   Perform a normal push up and at the top of your push up, push your hands off the ground and back down to their starting position.  This is an explosive movement and will get your heart rate up a little more than a normal push up.  If this isn't going to work for you, rock out the movement your best at and do the best you can. 

Stationary Monkey Hops.  Start in a plank position on your hands.  Hands should be directly below wrists and body should be in a straight line with your core zipped up nice and tight.  Keeping your feet together, you're going to hop to the right and then hop to the left.  Continue this burner of an animal exercise for the remainder of the time.  Make sure to always keep your shoulders right above your hands and engage that six pack of yours.

Core Kicker this week: Plank Up Downs.  Start in a plank position on your hands.  Hands should be stacked directly below shoulders with your core zipped up. Drop down to your elbows and then push back up to your hands.  Make sure you are alternating the starting arm.  Keep your feet wide and try to keep your body as parallel to the ground with as little movement in your hips as possible.









Next week I will be starting a series on some bootilicious and lower body work.  Get fired up and have a great week.  Get a plan for your workouts and your eating and stick to it.  Being prepared is one of the keys to success in your fitness journey.  Have fun and get sweaty :)