Try this 25-minute glute and abs workout

Additionally, balancing the strength of your abdominal and gluteal muscles is crucial to preventing problems like hip and lower back pain. When one muscle group is stronger than another, it throws the pelvis out of balance, causing poor posture and increasing stress on the spine.

“It’s crucial to balance glute training with training all other muscle groups, including your abs,” says Kelsey Wells, personal trainer on the Sweat app. “This can help you avoid muscle imbalances and reduce the risk of injury while maximizing your strength training. benefits.”

Ready to find balance and step up your workout? This 25-minute workout designed by Wells targets your glutes and abs, proving they’re perfect for building full-body strength.

Join the movement

If you’re following our Sports of the Month Clubs for October 2024, these are the sports for Week 3. Repeat for a total of 3 rounds.

As a bonus, you can follow along with Wells and the full workout below! This quick workout follows Wells’ signature training style and consists of seven exercises, including an activation, two supersets, and a 60-second burnout.

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This is your glute and abs workout

1. Glute bridge

This basic glute exercise activates and strengthens your glutes while improving hip stability and reducing lower back strain.

1. Lie on your back, bend your knees and place your feet hip-width apart. Let your arms rest at your sides, palms facing down.
2. Engage your core, press your heels into the mat, activate your glutes, and lift your pelvis off the floor until your body forms a straight line from chin to knees, resting on your shoulders.
3. Inhale as you return your pelvis to the starting position in a controlled manner.
4. Repeat for 30 seconds.

2. Dead bugs

This core-strengthening move enhances stability, coordination, and protects the lower back by reinforcing proper movement patterns. Yes, you may feel like a dead (or dying) bug.

1. Lie on your back with your arms extended directly in front of your chest, palms facing each other. Bend your knees and place your legs in a tabletop position with your knees stacked over your hips and your calves parallel to the floor.
2. As you return your left arm to the floor beside your head, engage your core and extend your right leg, lowering it to the floor.
3. Inhale and return left arm and right leg to starting position.
4. Exhale and place your right arm on the floor beside your head while extending your left leg toward the floor.
5. Inhale and return your right arm and left leg to the starting position.
6. Continue alternating left and right sides for 30 seconds.

3. Dumbbell deadlift

This full-body exercise targets the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back to build strength and improve posture through proper articulation.

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip (palms facing your body) in front of your legs, with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Pull your shoulder blades down and back and lift your chest slightly.
2. Inhale and rotate your hips forward, letting the dumbbells slide from the front of your thighs to your mid-calf.
3. When the dumbbells are halfway up your calves, exhale and push through your heels. Squeeze your glutes and hamstrings as you extend your knees and hips to return to a standing position.
4. Repeat 12 times.

4. Weighted scissor legs

This dynamic exercise targets the lower abs and strengthens the hip flexors while challenging core stability. Alternatively, holding a dumbbell over your chest while performing scissor kicks can also work your upper body muscles.

1. Lie on your back with your legs and arms extended, holding a dumbbell above your chest with your hands facing each other. Engage your core by pulling your belly button toward your spine.
2. Lift your right leg slightly while lowering your left leg, making sure both legs are touching the floor.
3. Switch sides by raising your left leg slightly and lowering your right leg, maintaining control and making sure neither leg touches the floor.
4. Continue to alternate the left and right legs in a “scissor-like” motion and repeat 12 times.

5. Squats and Pulse

This squat variation relies on a principle called “time under tension,” increasing the time you’re in the most difficult part of the exercise. By maintaining tone in your quads, glutes, and hamstrings, you can build lower-body strength and endurance.

1. Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Looking ahead, bend your hips and knees, keeping your knees aligned with your toes.
3. Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor, making sure your back and hips maintain a 45 to 90-degree angle.
4. Press through your heels and extend your legs slightly to lift yourself a few inches out of the squat.
5. Bend your knees again to return to a full squat.
6. Continue this pulsating movement, alternating between slightly extending your legs and returning to a full squat position, and repeat 12 times.

6. Pat very gently

Don’t be fooled! This simple but effective ab exercise works your lower abs and improves core stability, specifically the stability of your hip flexors.

1. Lie on your back with your arms by your sides, knees bent and feet hip-width apart.
2. Slowly lift your head, shoulder blades, and arms off the floor while gently drawing your ribs toward your hips to engage your core.
3. Bend your torso to the right and reach your right hand toward your right ankle.
4. Return to the starting position, then bend your torso to the left and reach your left hand toward your left ankle.
5. Continue alternating left and right for 12 times.

7. Oblique crunches

While most of your ab training should be spent on exercises that target your entire core, a little isolation training can go a long way. This crunch variation specifically targets your obliques (the muscles on the sides of your torso) for core stability and powerful side-to-side movement.

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in your left hand and your right hand behind your ear.
2. Inhale, exhale, and tighten the right side of your body with your right oblique muscles. Lift and straighten your torso back to a standing position.
3. Repeat for 30 seconds on each side.