Butt — Page 4

15-Minute Lower Body Resistance Band Loop Superset Workout

October 25, 2016 by Nicole 1 Comment

This whole YouTube thing has been quite the learning experience. I got a wireless mic so that I could stop doing voiceovers (the mic on my digital camera just does NOT cut it), and it’s a huge advancement, but with it has come a whole new set of challenges. It picks my voice up clearly which is great but it also picks up my breathing which, halfway through these workouts, is much like that of Darth Vader. And then there’s the struggle of securely attaching the mic to my clothes without it slipping out or getting in the way. Not sure if this workout video is a step forward or back, but it’s been fun for me to self-learn the video-making process. I appreciate you all bearing with my not-so-professional videos. One day they’ll be kickass and I’ll look back on these first months and laugh … I hope. 😉

15-Minute Lower Body Resistance Band Loop Superset Workout

Equipment I Used:

Interval timer – I used this iPhone app but if you’re looking for a separate timer, the Gymboss MiniMax lets you create multiple-interval workouts
Resistance band loop – I recently bought this set of five loops so that’d I’d have a variety of resistance loads to choose from (only $10) and am using the heaviest option for this workout
Exercise mat
Something to help you balance (chair, wall, table, etc.)

A superset is two exercises performed back-to-back. There are lots of ways to couple moves; today we’re going to pair a high(er) impact move (think big movements and jumping) with a smaller, more controlled pulse or lift. For each superset: Exercise 1 for 30 seconds + Exercise 2 for 30 seconds + Rest for 10 seconds x4. Don’t rest between exercises in the set. Once you finish four rounds of the first superset, move onto the second (rest for 30 seconds in between supersets).

SUPERSET 1

30 seconds each exercise back to back + rest 10 seconds after finishing both moves x4

Squat Jacks | Start in a low squat position with feet wide, band around your thighs above your knees. Staying low in a squat, jump your feet in close together and then jump your feet out wide again to the starting position. Every time your feet jump wide, touch the floor with your hand, alternating hands each time. This just keeps you in check to ensure you’re staying low.
Hip Bridge – alternate between dips and pulses | Each time you come to this move, alternate between a full range hip bridge dip and a bridge hold at the top with a little pulse combo. For the dip: lay on your back, heels under your knees and lift your hips up into a bridge position and then back down to a hover. Actively press out against the band as you do this. Squeeze into the base of your seat as you lift the hips, rather than just arching the low back. For the pulse combo, hold the hip bridge at the top and pulse the knees out wide and then the hips up high, back and forth.

SUPERSET 2

30 seconds each exercise back to back + rest 10 seconds after finishing both moves x4

Side to Side Step with Squat Jump | Start in a low squat and staying low, step to the right three times, do a jump squat, land low and repeat, stepping to the left this time. You want to keep tension on the bungee as you do these so don’t let your knees come together too narrowly.
Standing Angled Leg Lift (alternate legs each round)| Stand facing a chair/bar/wall and place your hands lightly on it for support. Lean forward slightly with your upper body, keeping your core engaged (this is going to help you stay out of your low back and more easily target the glutes). From here, lift your right leg up and back, keeping the leg straight. Rotate your thigh bone outward so that toes angle out. Square your hips so that both hip bones point forward. From here, lift your right leg up and back. This will be a relatively small movement. Make sure your standing knee is soft and not locked out.

SUPERSET 3

30 seconds each exercise back to back + rest 10 seconds after finishing both moves x4

Cowboy Walk (4 up, 4 back) with Squat Jump | Picture how cowboys walk in the old movies, kinda swinging their legs out as they step forward. You’re going to do that staying low in a squat. Walk four steps forward, four steps backwards, and then do a jump squat, landing back down low and starting from the top.
Clamshell (alternate legs each round) | Lay on your side and rest your head on your bottom arm. You want a straight spine so squeeze the core, lifting the waist away from the floor a bit. Bend your knees at about a 45 degree angle and keeping the toes touching, rotate the top knee up and open. Keep your hips stacked one on top of the other as you do this (it’s really easy to roll open–don’t!). This should be a small movement, keeping tension on the resistance band the entire time.

WEARING | leggings c/o Nualime (also love this twisted floral pattern) // Nike tank // adidas sneakers

Let me know if you try this workout! And back to YouTube–who are your favorite YouTubers to follow?? I need suggestions!

Links to outfit details are affiliate. I appreciate your support! 🙂

Filed Under: Butt, Lower Body, Resistance Band, Superset, Video, Workouts

No-Squat Butt Workout (20 Minutes)

August 11, 2016 by Nicole 7 Comments

No Squat Butt Workout - This 20-minute workout will target your glutes without doing a single squat! Video included. #glutes #workout #buttworkout #athomeworkout #glutesworkout

Hopefully you all aren’t sick of bodyweight workouts because just about all my equipment is in storage for the summer. 😉 Today’s is going to focus on the glutes, and while I love squats, we’re seeking alternative ways to reach that booty burn. This no squat butt workout will target your glutes without a single squat.

I wasn’t able to shoot the video until later in the day yesterday because it rained all morning (=terrible lighting in my apartment) so I still have some editing to do. I’ll update the post later today with the video so check back here or my YouTube channel if you’d rather follow along than use the pictorial.

No Squat Butt Workout

As you can see in the pictures, I’m not using any equipment for this workout. That being said, if you are advanced, wear ankle weights. I wished I had worn mine for the tabletop exercises.

No squat butt workout breakdown:

20 minutes long, 10 minutes per side
3 circuits (each 3 minutes long)
For each circuit: 20 sec per exercise x3
Rest for 30 seconds between circuits
Do each circuit on the right side and then repeat the three circuits on the left. If you’re a beginner, you might want to alternate instead (Circuit 1 Right, Circuit 1 Left, Circuit 2 Right, etc.).

Circuit 1

Donkey Kicks | Start on all fours: knees stacked under hips, hands stacked under shoulders. From here, you’re going to press the bottom of your right foot up towards the ceiling, squeezing that right butt cheek. Pause at the top and then lower down most of the way. Don’t let the right knee come to rest on the floor. As you do these, keep a straight spine by engaging your abs, pulling the belly button in towards the spine. This will protect your low back.
Donkey Kick Pulses | Hold the top of your donkey kick and pulse. This is a small movement. Instead of pressing the foot up, think of just making a fist with your right butt check. That contraction creates the tiny upward pulse of the leg.
Dynamic Donkey Kick Extensions | With your right leg, you’re going to continue to do a donkey kick, as described above. The difference is we’re going to bring the left leg into the picture as well. Tuck your left toes and hover your left knee off the ground in a table top position. As you do the donkey kick on the right, straighten your left leg, extending up into the air. Bend the left knee back to a hover as you bring the right knee down as well. You’ll be working your right glutes still but also that left quad.

Circuit 2

Single-Leg Hip Bridge Lifts | Lay on your back, arms flat on the ground by your side for support, knees bent and feet flat on the floor. From here, squeeze your glutes and lift your hips a couple inches off the ground so that your butt is hovering. Lift the left foot into the air as well. Leg can be straight or knee bent at an angle (my preference because I have tight hammies). This is your starting position. From here, lower your hips to a hover and then thrust them back up into your bridge. Squeezing your glutes as you do, driving through the right heel.
Single-Leg Hip Bridge Pulses | Hold the top of your bridge and pulse the hips up an inch and down an inch. Create this tiny movement by squeezing into the base of your seat. Picture you’re making a fist with the right butt cheek. To modify, cross your left ankle of the right knee in a figure four as you do these. I had to take this modification almost every time!
Single-Leg Hip Bridge Hold with Toe Tap | Hold the top of your bridge position. Holding the hips high, tap your left toes to the floor and lift them back up (knee bent as you do this).

Circuit 3

Fire Hydrants | Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position, hands stacked under shoulders, knees stacked under hips. Keeping your right leg in that 90-degree angle, lift that knee out and up in a wing motion (like a dog lifting to take a pee), opening up at the hip. Bring it back in close to the starting position, but try not to fully rest the knee back on the floor. As you do these, try not to lean over towards the left. Press a little extra weight into that right hand to help keep your body centered as the right hip opens.
Hydrant Crunches | If you have tight hips like me, you’ll be in a stacked/open tabletop position for this one. To set up, get onto all fours and then lower onto your left elbow. Open up your right hip like a dog peeing on a fire hydrant so that your hips are stacked and you’re facing the side of the room rather than the floor. From here, you’re going to crunch the right knee in towards the right shoulder. Extend it back out straight, squeezing into the base of your seat as you straighten. These can be done on two straight arms with chest square to the floor but it is MUCH harder to hold the hip open when you opt for this alignment.
Hydrant Circles | Think donkey kick meets fire hydrant. Picture tracing a big circle with your right knee. Up, out, down and around. Watch the video—it’s hard to describe in words. 🙂

If you like this no squat butt workout, check out these other videos targeting the glutes. No squatting in these, either!

xo Nicole

Filed Under: Ankle Weight, Bodyweight, Butt, Lower Body, Video, Workouts

12-Minute Bodyweight Tabata Workout Series: Lower Body (Legs & Glutes)

June 14, 2016 by Nicole 5 Comments

My triceps were FEELING IT after yesterday’s workout–anyone else?? Day 2 of this 12-minute tabata series is focused on lower body so that sore arms can rest. That being said … today’s routine is far from restful. I was gasping for air like a fish out of water during the last superset. Proof that you can get an effective workout with limited time!

12-Minute Bodyweight Tabata Workout Series: Lower Body (Legs & Glutes)

This workout is made up of three tabata supersets. For each tabata superset, set an interval timer for 8 rounds of 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest. During the work intervals, you’ll alternate between the two exercises. In other words: 20 seconds Exercise 1 / 10 seconds rest / 20 seconds Exercise 2 / 10 seconds rest and so on. Rest as needed between tabata supersets, but try to limit it to 60 seconds if possible.

Tabata Superset 1

Low Surrenders | Start in a squat position with feet hip’s distance apart, elbows bent and hands behind your head. Your hands will stay up like this the entire time. Step your right foot back behind you, planting the ball of the foot on the floor lowering down until the right knee rests on the ground. Both knees should be at opposing 90-degree angles. Step your left foot back to meet the right so that you’re kneeling on the ground. Step your right foot forward, and then step the left foot to meet it so that you’re in the same low squat position you started in. Make sure to alternate your lead foot each time. It sounds confusing but you’re essentially just going from a squat to kneeling back to squat.

Squat Jumps | Feet about shoulder-width apart, squat down, sending your hips and butt back and down (not the knees forward!). Bring your hands in front of you as you sink down. From there, explosively jump straight up, swinging your arms back behind you as you do. Land softly and sink right back into a squat, hands swinging forward.

Tabata Superset 2

Lunge Hops | Start in a split-stance lunge position: both knees bent to 90 degrees, one foot flat in front; one foot in back, ball of the foot planted on the ground. Keeping the same foot in front/back, you hop a few inches into the air and land softly back into your starting position. Your legs are never fully straightening during this; it’s a small upward hop, pushing off the balls of the feet. Alternate your lead foot each round (so twice total on the R, twice on the L). If you need to modify, just hold a low lunge and pulse.

Jump Lunge | Start in a split-stance lunge: right foot in front, ball of left foot planted on the floor behind you. Both knees should be bent to 90 degrees, front knee aligned over ankle, back knee hovering just a couple inches off the floor. From here, push off your feet to jump up in the air, switching feet in mid-air and landing back in a lunge with left foot forward and right foot planted behind. Continue, alternating feet with each jump. If you need to modify: do alternating back lunges (step instead of jump).

Tabata Superset 3

Sumo Squat Leg Lifts | This is a wide-stance squat with alternating side leg lifts. Feet wider than hip-distance apart, squat down low. Shift your weight into the right side and, staying as low as you can (it’s natural for the right to straighten a little, but don’t come out of the bent knee all the way), lift the left leg straight up and out to the side. Lower it, bringing your weight back to center in that deep squat. Repeat to the other side.

Squat Jacks | Start in a low squat position with feet wide, weight in your heels, low abs engaged, hips back. Staying low in a squat, jump your feet in close together and then jump your feet out wide again to the starting position. Every time you jump the feet out wide, tap the floor with your fingertips, alternating the hand each time. Continue jacking your feet in and out, staying low in the squat.

WEARING | Lululemon tank (scored for 50% off on ThredUp!) // Booty By Brabants leggings // Nike sneakers

Enjoy! Sorry this post went up so late. Joe and I are apartment hunting and the rental market is so ridiculously cutthroat that when we find a place we like I seriously have to drop everything I’m doing, disrupt my whole day and run to go see it. On the bright side though, I’m grateful that I have a job that allows me the flexibility to do that! Hopefully the hunt will be over soon…

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