Workout of the week: 20-min glutes workout

ALL LEVELS / glutes workout / 20 minutes

Equipment: Swiss ball, barbell, gym bench, hack squat machine & dumbbells

A pretty booty is more than a treat for the eyes. In fact, firm buttocks aren’t just for show — they’re the unsung heroes of fundamental moves such as walking, climbing stairs or running. And let’s not overlook the reality of our modern and often sedentary lifestyles: thanks to desk jobs and prolonged sitting, our glutes may not exercise as much as they need.

To change that, we bring you this 20-minute glutes workout — a session with only 4 exercises, 12 reps each and 20 seconds rest between exercises. You must complete 3 rounds with an additional 1-minute rest between them. In total, this workout will take you 20 minutes to complete.

Swiss ball hamstring curls
Barbell hip thrust
Hack squat
Dumbbell lunge

Ready? Let’s work them glutes!

WORKOUT SETUP

4 exercises
12 reps each
3 rounds
20-second rest between exercise
1-min rest between rounds
Duration: 20 minutes

WORKOUT EXERCISE LIST

3 rounds

1 – SWISS BALL HAMSTRING CURLS

12 reps

Lay down on the floor with your back flat. Place your heels on the top of the Swiss ball.
Keep your arms flat on the floor and aligned with your shoulders.
Raise your hips so that they are aligned with your knees and shoulders. This is your starting position.
The hamstring curl starts by rolling the ball towards your butt, feet flat on the ball and knees pointing to the ceiling.
Reverse the movement back to get to the starting position. That’s one rep.

2 – BARBELL HIP THRUST

12 reps

Place a loaded barbell next to and parallel to a bench.
Slide your legs under the barbell. Sit on the floor with your back against the side of a bench. The barbell should be over your hips.
Grasp the barbell at each side. This is your starting position.
Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, approximately shoulder-width apart.
Keeping your torso rigid, exhale as you raise the barbell by extending your hips until they are fully extended.
Hold for a count of two and squeeze your glutes.
Inhale as you lower the barbell by flexing your hips. Do not allow the barbell to touch the floor. Repeat.
To prevent the bench from tipping over, place it against a wall.
If the barbell hurts your pelvis, use padding.
Do not allow your back to slide up and down against the side of the bench.
Keep your torso rigid. Your back shouldn’t arch, and your pelvis shouldn’t tilt.
All of the movement should occur in your hips.

3 – HACK SQUAT

12 reps

Stand on the machine with the cushions over your shoulders.
Adopt a foot stance similar to the one you use for regular squats.
Engage your core so that you feel the cushion pushing against your body.
This machine is perfect for helping you squat to great depth.
Slowly descend until you feel like losing either core stability or the contact of your pelvis with the cushion.
Repeat.

4 – DUMBBELL LUNGE

12 reps

Stand tall and hold the dumbbells by your shoulders.
Step your right leg forward keeping the heel down.
Raise the heel of the left leg.
Then, lower the torso until the back knee touches the ground, with a full hip and knee extension.
Repeat.