Thrive at Home: Five moves to tone your glutes

There are whole gym classes dedicated to it, special shoes you can buy for toning it while you walk: Everyone wants a butt they can be proud of.

But you don’t need a gym or any special equipment to work on your glutes. There are plenty of moves you can do at home, no equipment necessary, to feel the bum burn.

Here are five of those moves, via trainer Paul Rahn, founder of SWEAT Chicago. Rahn says each should be done for 45 seconds, with a 15 second break. Repeat four times.

1. Jump Squats

Start by standing shoulder-distance apart with your body weight in your heels. Sink your hips back and down, keeping your chest and shoulders high as you decline to the bottom of your squat. Try to get your hip crease parallel to your knee caps, then burst up, driving through your heels and engaging your butt as you jump 3-5 inches off the ground… then repeat!

2. One Leg Hip Extensions

Lay on your back with your legs bent and your feet about eight inches from your butt. Start by raising one leg straight into the air with your toe pointed back towards you. Raise your hips to a full opened position by engaging your butt, then lower back down. Alternate sides every five reps until time is up!

3. Bulgarian Split Squats

Start standing with one leg behind you and your front foot approximately 12 inches in front of your hips. You can also start by placing your back foot on a raised platform (a chair works best at home) behind you and stepping your front foot forward. Place your hands on your hips, keeping your chest and shoulders high. Bending your front knee, drop your hips down, feeling the burn in your butt as you drive through your heel on the way back up. If you find your balance isn’t great, use a doorway, counter or chair for additional support. Alternate sides every five reps until time is up.

4. Step Ups

Using a solid structure (stairs, strong chair, or bench) step up by placing your entire foot on the raised platform, stepping up through the heel with your chest high and back straight. Ensure you flex your glutes as you step up. Step back down and repeat by alternating legs you step up with for the full 45 seconds!

5. Plyo Lunges

Step forward into your lunge position with one leg bent at a 90 degree angle forward and the back knee kissing the ground. Start by exploding through your heel of the front leg, jumping four to six inches off the ground to quickly switch legs. Keep your chest high, back straight, and hands on your hips. Alternate legs for the entire 45 seconds and feel the burn in your butt!