How to Work Out Buttocks and Thighs Effectively
I’ve crafted a phenomenally effective exercise routine to learn how to work out buttocks and thighs just in time for summer! This combination of exercises will slim, tighten, and tone your butt and legs in as little as 1 week.
How To Effectively Work Out Your Buttocks and Thighs Fast
For all woman our buttocks and thighs are constantly in the forefront of our mind to work out. And why shouldn’t they be? They are the biggest and strongest muscle groups in your body!
They are going to carry you and your children throughout the day and they need to be strong! Not to mention we love targeting them for aesthetic purposes as well!
Why Targeted Work Out for Buttocks and Thighs After Pregnancy?
Especially after childbirth I am really focused on this area. My buttocks and thighs gain a ton of baby weight too that seems to deflate immediately. Leaving me soft and lacking in the muscles that are needed to hold everything in correct posture after giving birth.
REALTED: Pilates with Baby Routine Safe for the 6 Weeks Post Partum
To bounce back after pregnancy it is very important to combine a healthy diet with targeted exercises. I love using nutrient loaded protein shakes to quickly drop the baby weight and help my muscles to tone as I slowly begin working out again.
I found a complete gem in Isagenix shakes for post partum. They help you lose the baby weight fast, load you up with the nutrients and vitamins that you need after birth, and give your muscles the protein they need to grow again. You can read all about my favorite shakes for weight loss and boosting milk supply post partum more in this post.
RELATED: Babywearing Workouts Every Mom Wishes She Knew
Why is this work out for buttocks and thighs so effective?
This workout can be done absolutely anywhere, and is fast and challenging. The beauty of this routine is that it combines:
- HIIT
- Pilates
- Yoga
For a highly effective butt and legs routine!
You will be focusing mainly on your hamstrings and quads and will be targeting your gluteus minimus, medius, AND maximus!
You NEED to be working out all three to really get the best lifting and firming results that I know we all crave.
15 Minute Work Out Your Buttocks and Thighs
1. Lunge to Kick (45s, 15s rest each side)
Begin in a standing position and step back into a low lunge. Raise the back leg up in a forward kick while outstretching your arm on the same time. Lightly kick your hand and immediately step back into a low lunge again.
Repeat as many as you can as fast as you can for 45 seconds followed by a 15 second rest.
Repeat on the other side.
2. Speed Skaters (45s, 15s rest)
Begin standing with legs shoulder width apart. Slide your right leg behind and across your body while lowering your torso only enough to touch the ground. Hop off your left leg to the side onto the right foot. Slide your left leg behind and across the body and lower your torso slightly only until you can lightly touch the ground.
Continue this exercise as fast as you can for 45 seconds.
To make it more difficult push off your toes for extra height during the jump. To make it easier do not lower your torso or touch the ground between jumps.
3. Step Ups (45s, 15s rest each side)
Find a bench or chair and raise one foot onto it. Lift your body until you are standing on the chair. Lower the same leg you stepped up with slowly and repeat. Find a rhythm you can stick to that is of moderate speed for this exercise to fully challenge your muscles.
Complete on each side 45s.
4. Shuffle + Touch (1 minute + 1 minute rest)
You will need at least 10-20′ of space to complete this exercise. Lower your body into a wide stance
squat with feet pointed outward at a 45 degree angle. Do not raise above this position for this entire exercise.
Shuffle your feet by taking a wide step to the right and pulling your left foot the meet your right. Begin your next step to the right without raising your body. Take 4 shuffle steps to the right and then touch the floor out to your right. Change directions and take 4 shuffle steps to the left before touching the floor to your left.
Take a minute to rest while stretching arms overhead and then into a forward fold to prepare for the next exercises.
5. Bridge Leg Raises (10)
Lie on your back and form a bridge by setting your feet on the floor and lifting your hips. Point your right leg straight out (with upper leg parallel to the other). Lift your right leg until your toes are pointed at the ceiling. Do not allow your hips to move for this exercise. Lower right leg until it is once again parallel to the left.
Repeat 10 times.
6. Raise the Bridge
Stay in the finishing position from the last pose. In a bridge position with leg raised straight up toward the ceiling. Lower your hips toward the floor and raise them back to starting position. Your leg does not move for this exercise.
Complete 16 repetitions.
(These are tough, I find it the most motivation to count your reps up to 8, then the last eight backwards. It really makes the finish seem more achievable.)
THEN PULSES: Remain in the finishing position with your right leg extended up toward the ceiling and hips off the ground in a bridge. Hold for 10 seconds. Then complete 10 baby pulses, only lowering your hips an inch or two before quickly lifting again.
Complete on both sides.
7. Reverse Kick (20)
Flip over to a kneeling position with hands and knees squarely on the floor. Point your right leg out behind you, toes resting on the floor. While keeping the leg straight, raise it up behind you as high as you can without arching your back. Return foot to the floor for 1 repetition.
Complete 20 reps on each side.
THEN PULSES: On the last repetition hold leg in the air for 10 seconds, then do 10 baby pulses (only lowering leg an inch or two before quickly lifting) before lowering your leg.
8. Bend + Extend (20)
Remain in the same position on your hands and knees and lift your leg up straight behind you just as you did in the lst exercise. This time, bend your knee to raise your flexed foot toward the ceiling. Your upper leg should be parallel to the floor, and your lower leg should be perpendicular.
Extend your lower leg straight out (until the entire leg is parallel to the floor) and then flex your foot and return to starting position.
Complete 20 repetitions on each side.
THEN PULSES: Remain in the starting position for 10 seconds. Then complete 120 baby pulses by moving the foot slightly up and down toward the ceiling before lowering your leg.
9. Fire Hydrants (20)
While remaining in the same position on the floor on your hands and knees, lift your left knee directly out the side. Then extend your lower leg outward. Imagine kicking a ball.
Complete 20 reps.
THEN PULSES: Hold the last fire hydrant for 10 seconds. Then complete 10 baby pulses, only lowering and lifting your leg an inch or two.
After a killer work out of buttocks and thighs a proper cool down and stretching is key!
Your leg and butt muscles have a tendency to build up a lot of lactic acid and become extremely rigid and sore the next 2 days. To combat this so that you have the endurance and ability to keep up the following days be sure to hydrate a lot!
Also be sure to complete this yoga sequence to end off the work out for buttocks and thighs.
Hold each pose for 20 seconds before moving on to the next.
YOGA TO COOL DOWN:
- Downward Dog (Pump your legs to release calves and hamstrings)
- Warrior II
- High Lunge, Crescent Variation
- Puppy Pose
- Side Angle Pose
(Yoga images and directions thanks to Yoga Journal.)
How did you like the routine? Which was your favorite move? Please let me know in the comments below! Don’t forget to pin this so that you can rock out this routine any time.
If you liked this routine you’ll love checking out my entire exercise archives!